KEXP Playlist

“Congo Man” is from Ernest Ranglin’s 1996 album “Below the Bassline,” showcasing the Jamaican guitarist’s unique blend of jazz and reggae styles.

“Congoman” is a standout track from The Congos’ seminal 1977 album “Heart of the Congos,” produced by Lee “Scratch” Perry at his legendary Black Ark studio in Kingston, Jamaica with a studio band including Boris Gardiner on bass and Ernest Ranglin on guitar.

CLINTON FEARON CONTRIBUTES THE BASS LINE ON THIS TUNE! “Roast Fish & Cornbread” is a classic track from Lee “Scratch” Perry’s influential 1978 album “Roast Fish Collie Weed & Corn Bread”.

Salt-n-Pepa sample "Flash Light" in "I'll Take Your Man" Part of Parliament’s P-Funk mythology, concluding the album’s story of defeating Sir Nose d’Voidoffunk.

The track features a sample from “I’ll Take You There” by the Staple Singers. The song promoted sexual responsibility and safe sex practices during the AIDS crisis. It challenged the male-dominated narrative in hip-hop, giving voice to female perspectives on sexuality.

In 1994, Roger and Wakeling reunited General Public and scored a hit with a cover of the Staple Singers' "I'll Take You There" from the film Threesome. The song was written by Al Bell, vice president and co-owner of Stax Records. Bell claims he wrote the song in a mental fog shortly after his younger brother’s funeral. However, Mavis Staples has stated that she and Bell co-wrote the lyrics on the living-room floor of her Chicago apartment. www.stereogum.com

Ranking Roger - founder of The Beat, was also was a member of Big Audio Dynamite He [Ranking Roger] was a guest performer on Big Audio Dynamite's seventh album Higher Power in 1994 when the band were known as simply 'Big Audio'. He later became a member of Big Audio Dynamite for their final studio album Entering a New Ride. The Beat (known as The English Beat in the US and Canada).

Hollie Cook collaborated with Don Letts of Big Audio Dynamite on his 2023 album Outta Sync. "Born in Brixton, London, in 1956, this director, videographer, musician, and DJ of Jamaican descent became a key collaborator with the Clash and, in 1984, a co-founder of Big Audio Dynamite with Mick Jones Don Letts' 2000 documentary The Clash: Westway to the World won a Grammy, and -- alongside the curation of many reggae compilations -- he subsequently began a longstanding relationship with BBC 6 Music, broadcasters of his weekly show, Don Letts' Culture Clash Radio." www.allmusic.com

With Sex Pistols and one-time Slits drummer Paul Cook for a father, it comes as quite a surprise that West London vocalist Hollie Cook's self-titled debut album completely abandons her punk past in favor of an old-school reggae vibe. Originally released in 2011 as part of her self-titled debut album. The song showcases Cook’s unique blend of reggae, dub, and pop influences, which she has dubbed “tropical pop”.

In 2015 Perry and Brooklyn's Subatomic Sound System, who had regularly collaborated since the late 2000s, toured together in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Perry's classic Super Ape. This preceded the 2017 full-length Super Ape Returns to Conquer, an updated interpretation of the original, featuring guest vocals from Jahdan Blakkamoore and the late Ari Up of the Slits.

“Dr. Lee, PhD” is a notable collaboration between the Beastie Boys and legendary reggae producer Lee “Scratch” Perry, featured on the Beastie Boys’ 1998 album “Hello Nasty”. This track represents a unique fusion of the Beastie Boys’ hip-hop style with Perry’s distinctive reggae and dub influences. The collaboration came about when Lee “Scratch” Perry opened for the Beastie Boys during their 1996 tour in Japan. The actual recording took place on Halloween night, October 31, 1997, in Manhattan. Perry arrived at the studio with a poster containing pre-written lyrics and completed the vocal recording in just two takes.

The album [Sandinista] clearly displays the influence of reggae musician and producer Lee "Scratch" Perry (who had worked with the band on their 1977 single "Complete Control" and who had opened some of the band's shows during its stand at Bond's in New York in 1980), with a dense, echo-filled sound on even the straight rock songs. The track was recorded at Sarm East Studios in Whitechapel, engineered by Mickey Foote and produced by Lee "Scratch" Perry. Perry had heard the band's cover of his Junior Murvin "Police and Thieves" and was moved enough to have put a picture of the band (the only white artist accorded such an honor) on the walls of his Black Ark Studios in Jamaica. When the Clash learned that Perry was in London producing for [Bob Marley & the Wailers he was invited to produce the single. "Scratch" readily agreed.

"The song was originally written by Junior Murvin. Murvin approached Lee "Scratch" Perry in May 1976 and auditioned the song at Perry's Black Ark studio; Perry decided to record the song the same afternoon, and decided to alter the lyric slightly. Players on the track included Boris Gardiner (bass), Ernest Ranglin (guitar), Sly Dunbar (drums), Keith Sterling (keyboards), and Joe Cooper (organ), with backing vocals provided by Barry Llewellyn and Earl Morgan of The Heptones en.wikipedia.org The Clash’s decision to include this cover on their album was groundbreaking, as it was one of the first instances of a punk band incorporating reggae into their sound. The Clash’s version transformed the reggae original into what guitarist Mick Jones described as “punk reggae, not white reggae”. They brought their own musical roots to the song, creating a unique fusion that reflected their London upbringing and multicultural influences.

The song was written as a positive response to The Clash’s cover of Junior Murvin’s “Police and Thieves”. It reflects the growing connection between reggae and punk scenes in London during this period. Both genres shared anti-establishment sentiments and appealed to marginalized youth. The lyrics of “Punky Reggae Party” directly reference several punk and reggae acts of the time, including The Wailers, The Damned, The Jam, The Clash, and The Maytals. This roll call of artists emphasizes the cross-cultural pollination happening in the London music scene. "During the '70s, he [Lee "Scratch" Perry] became a super producer, helming seminal works by Bob Marley & the Wailers, and Junior Murvin, in addition to releasing dub albums…" www.allmusic.com

Also in 1976, The Upsetters recorded a version with different lyrics. The track, called "Croaking Lizard" and credited to The Upsetters and Prince Jazzbo, was included in their album Super Ape. Later, Perry made a dub remix of both versions, called "Disco Devil". The Upsetters was the name given to the house band for Jamaican reggae producer Lee "Scratch" Perry. The name of the band comes from Perry's nickname of Upsetter, after his song "I Am the Upsetter", a musical dismissal of his former boss Coxsone Dodd.

“Chase the Devil” is a classic reggae song recorded in 1976 by Max Romeo, backed by Lee “Scratch” Perry’s band The Upsetters. The tune was also composed by Lee “Scratch” Perry. The song’s lyrics are rich with metaphor and spiritual symbolism. Romeo explained in a 2010 BBC interview that “chasing the devil” represents driving out negativity from one’s mind and embracing positivity, which he equates to God. The “iron shirt” mentioned in the lyrics likely refers to the “armor of God” concept from the Bible, symbolizing spiritual strength and protection. www.bbc.co.uk

Playing with Ravi Coltrane and others at the Moore on Wednesday, February 26th www.stgpresents.org