The Smooth Voice Of Mellowlark, Basil Gabbidon

Welcome Bovine Ska and Rocksteady Listeners,

The February 2nd, 2016 edition of Generoso and Lily’s Bovine Ska and Rocksteady that contained a twenty-years-in-the-making spotlight on Charlie Moo’s MOO’S LABEL began with the smooth sounds of the rocksteady duo and Ewan and Denver’s cut on Jolly in 1967, “I Want You So Bad” and ended that first set with another rocksteady duet featuring a young Phil Pratt teaming up with Ken Boothe on Caltone in 1968 with “Sweet Song For My Baby.”  We followed that first set up with another set of rare rocksteady before going into our weekly mento set that began with the voice of Alerth Bedasse and his cut for Chin’s in 1956, “Calypso Pepperpot.”  To get you ready for the Moo’s Label spotlight we ended the first hour with a rollicking set of Jamaican rhythm and blues beginning with The Mellowlarks cut that came out on Coxsone All Stars label in 1960, “No More Wedding.”  When that set ended, we started our long overdue spotlight of the Moo’s label.

Given the name of this show, we’ve wanted to have this spotlight for a few years now, and after plenty of searching and scouting, we’ve finally gathered enough tracks to present the Moo’s label spotlight.

During the thriving era of Jamaican Rhythm and Blues, many shop owners took a crack at the recording business. Labels sprung up as quickly as they ceased to exist, but many managed to capture the earliest sounds of some of Jamaica’s soon to be superstars and such was the case with Charlie Moo’s label. According to Prince Buster, Charlie Moo owned an ice cream parlor at the corner of Orange and North Street. This parlor was a popular meeting spot in the heart of a lot of musical activity. This humble parlor would soon transform into the Beverley’s Record Store when Leslie Kong and Charlie Moo became business partners, but Moo would only produce records himself for two years. We began with an artist who was essential during the early Jamaican Rhythm and Blues period and who recorded three tracks for Charlie Moo, Lloyd Clarke. This is his earliest cut for the Moo’s label, “60 years,” from 1961.

Beginning the second set is vocalist Owen Gray, who was already an established star during the Jamaican Rhythm and Blues period, having cut many important singles for Coxsone Dodd’s Worldisc label, including “On the Beach,” the very first Jamaican track to mention a sound system. He only cut this one track, “Time Will Tell,” for Charlie Moo, but would eventually cut many more for Charlie’s business partner, Leslie Kong and his Beverley’s label. 

You can listen to our full Bovine Ska and Rocksteady from February 2nd, 2016 HERE. Subscribe to our show on Mixcloud; it’s FREE, and you’ll get an email every Tuesday when we post a new show.

For all of our listeners on the east coast, we hope this show keeps you warm!!! Please help us and spread the word and repost if you liked the show!

For news on the upcoming spotlights and fun discoveries tied to early Jamaican music, join the group for the Bovine Ska and Rocksteady on Facebook.

XOXO,
Lily and Generoso