Black Scorpio aka The Horseman Sound, Oasis Club, Marverley, Kingston, Jamaica
59.3 هزار بار بازدید -
3 سال پیش
-
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“The Black Scorpio story dates way back to 1968 when Maurice Johnson started his one man, one turntable and speakers, set up, playing for friends’ parties and street dances in his local area. Little did he know that over 40 years later his operation, which encompasses a sound system, recording complex, and long-running record label, would still be going strong. A giant of a man, Johnson is affectionately known as Big Jack Scorpio, and he has guided his enterprise through the many changes in the music. Even today his Black Scorpio sound system is still active at home and abroad, with Europe being a place that is particularly receptive to the authentic foundation vibes that his sound can deliver.
Jack Scorpio based himself at 30 Headley Avenue in the Kingston 20 area known as Drewsland and after acquiring his first amplifiers in 1969 the sound continued to entertain through the seventies. It was around 1976/77 that Jack Scorpio decided he needed a talented deejay to carry things to the next level. That deejay was Lord Sassafrass (b. Michael Johnson) who’d been involved in the entertainment business since the early seventies, starting out as a dancer and also poet. He was however so inspired by a sound system performance by Ranking Trevor on the King Attorney set that he took up the microphone himself. Working first for the Chika sound before moving to Desmond Patterson’s Soul Expert set from Patrick City, it wasn’t long before he hooked up with Black Scorpio, and the sound gained more and more followers as the new decade began.
Around 1981, Sassafrass made one of Black Scorpio’s most important discoveries when he heard General Trees deejaying in his place of work. Sassafrass took Trees to meet Jack Scorpio, who was also impressed with Trees’ deejaying talents. General Trees (b. Amos Edwards) learned a lot from Sassa but it soon became clear that his versatile, rock stone delivery was going to make him Black Scorpio’s lethal weapon in the dancehall arena. By 1982 Sassafrass was spending a lot of time working on sounds in New York, so the discovery of General Trees kept Scorpio rising.
The Black Scorpio set became known as “The Horseman Sound” as it has had a long association with horse racing, with Jack at one time owning racehorses and Sassafrass having worked at Jamaica’s premier racecourse Caymanas Park. Sassafrass is often known as the “original horseman” while Trees is referred to as “the younger horseman”.
A typical Scorpio dance at this time would feature the seasoned Sassafrass and the increasingly dominating presence of Trees. However, they didn’t work the sound alone and they would be assisted by an upcoming youth Shukashine, nicknamed “The Prophet”, a good deejay who remained with Scorpio throughout the eighties. Ginger Tea was another of the regular DJs around the set along with sweet vocalist Patrick Irie (b. Patrick Thomas) who was perhaps Scorpio’s original dancehall singer. Their long-time selector Papa Screw was a constant fixture at the controls of the set during the eighties and into the nineties.
One of the best female deejays was Spanishtonian Lady G (b. Janice Fyffe), who had been mentored by Papa San, she found a home on the set getting regular time to display her considerable talents. All-rounder Culture Lee doubled as Scorpio’s recording engineer and sound mixer as well as being a competent deejay in the dance. Barry Back was present on Scorpio throughout most of the eighties and other chatters who played their part included TC, Carter Ranks, Colour Chin, Weng Weng, and Frogman.
Joining singer Patrick Irie around 1984 was foundational dancehall favourite Echo Minott (b. Noel Phillips), who originally recorded for Prince Jammy’s and worked on just about every conceivable sound system. In 1985 two more melodic singers came into the Scorpio fold, most prominently Mikey “Bumpa” Melody (b. Michael Edgehill) and veteran roots singer Bobby Melody (b. George Hanson). Internationally known artists Pliers (b. Everton Bonner) and Everton Blender (b. Everton Williams) both recorded for the Scorpio Label and from time to time they would also grace the sound system.
The years 1984 and 1985 were arguably the most successful for Black Scorpio with General Trees standing out as the star of the sound. When he was firing on all cylinders, almost single-handedly, Scorpio could match any of the other notable sounds in a lyrical soundclash.
Nowadays Black Scorpio, with Big Jack himself at the controls, tours the world, billed as a foundation sound, juggling vintage and modern dubplates exhibition style. Sometimes clashing with fellow veterans King Jammy’s and David Rodigan these events still draw in the crowds and keep alive the history of reggae music. Undoubtedly Maurice Johnson’s Black Scorpio sound system has contributed greatly towards the history of dancehall culture.”
E-Store: https://leosretroreggaestore.company....
“The Black Scorpio story dates way back to 1968 when Maurice Johnson started his one man, one turntable and speakers, set up, playing for friends’ parties and street dances in his local area. Little did he know that over 40 years later his operation, which encompasses a sound system, recording complex, and long-running record label, would still be going strong. A giant of a man, Johnson is affectionately known as Big Jack Scorpio, and he has guided his enterprise through the many changes in the music. Even today his Black Scorpio sound system is still active at home and abroad, with Europe being a place that is particularly receptive to the authentic foundation vibes that his sound can deliver.
Jack Scorpio based himself at 30 Headley Avenue in the Kingston 20 area known as Drewsland and after acquiring his first amplifiers in 1969 the sound continued to entertain through the seventies. It was around 1976/77 that Jack Scorpio decided he needed a talented deejay to carry things to the next level. That deejay was Lord Sassafrass (b. Michael Johnson) who’d been involved in the entertainment business since the early seventies, starting out as a dancer and also poet. He was however so inspired by a sound system performance by Ranking Trevor on the King Attorney set that he took up the microphone himself. Working first for the Chika sound before moving to Desmond Patterson’s Soul Expert set from Patrick City, it wasn’t long before he hooked up with Black Scorpio, and the sound gained more and more followers as the new decade began.
Around 1981, Sassafrass made one of Black Scorpio’s most important discoveries when he heard General Trees deejaying in his place of work. Sassafrass took Trees to meet Jack Scorpio, who was also impressed with Trees’ deejaying talents. General Trees (b. Amos Edwards) learned a lot from Sassa but it soon became clear that his versatile, rock stone delivery was going to make him Black Scorpio’s lethal weapon in the dancehall arena. By 1982 Sassafrass was spending a lot of time working on sounds in New York, so the discovery of General Trees kept Scorpio rising.
The Black Scorpio set became known as “The Horseman Sound” as it has had a long association with horse racing, with Jack at one time owning racehorses and Sassafrass having worked at Jamaica’s premier racecourse Caymanas Park. Sassafrass is often known as the “original horseman” while Trees is referred to as “the younger horseman”.
A typical Scorpio dance at this time would feature the seasoned Sassafrass and the increasingly dominating presence of Trees. However, they didn’t work the sound alone and they would be assisted by an upcoming youth Shukashine, nicknamed “The Prophet”, a good deejay who remained with Scorpio throughout the eighties. Ginger Tea was another of the regular DJs around the set along with sweet vocalist Patrick Irie (b. Patrick Thomas) who was perhaps Scorpio’s original dancehall singer. Their long-time selector Papa Screw was a constant fixture at the controls of the set during the eighties and into the nineties.
One of the best female deejays was Spanishtonian Lady G (b. Janice Fyffe), who had been mentored by Papa San, she found a home on the set getting regular time to display her considerable talents. All-rounder Culture Lee doubled as Scorpio’s recording engineer and sound mixer as well as being a competent deejay in the dance. Barry Back was present on Scorpio throughout most of the eighties and other chatters who played their part included TC, Carter Ranks, Colour Chin, Weng Weng, and Frogman.
Joining singer Patrick Irie around 1984 was foundational dancehall favourite Echo Minott (b. Noel Phillips), who originally recorded for Prince Jammy’s and worked on just about every conceivable sound system. In 1985 two more melodic singers came into the Scorpio fold, most prominently Mikey “Bumpa” Melody (b. Michael Edgehill) and veteran roots singer Bobby Melody (b. George Hanson). Internationally known artists Pliers (b. Everton Bonner) and Everton Blender (b. Everton Williams) both recorded for the Scorpio Label and from time to time they would also grace the sound system.
The years 1984 and 1985 were arguably the most successful for Black Scorpio with General Trees standing out as the star of the sound. When he was firing on all cylinders, almost single-handedly, Scorpio could match any of the other notable sounds in a lyrical soundclash.
Nowadays Black Scorpio, with Big Jack himself at the controls, tours the world, billed as a foundation sound, juggling vintage and modern dubplates exhibition style. Sometimes clashing with fellow veterans King Jammy’s and David Rodigan these events still draw in the crowds and keep alive the history of reggae music. Undoubtedly Maurice Johnson’s Black Scorpio sound system has contributed greatly towards the history of dancehall culture.”
3 سال پیش
در تاریخ 1400/09/19 منتشر شده
است.
59,396
بـار بازدید شده