Bob Marley & The Wailers’ 1973 album Catch A Fire is being reissued on vinyl and CD for its 50th anniversary. The 3CD deluxe and 3LP vinyl + 12-inch packages contain the same audio which is the original studio album, a first official release for Live at The Paris Theatre, London and a Sessions disc which includes alternate/extended/instrumental versions of album tracks (including the two alternate versions of Stir It Up which were issued on a seven-inch single for this year’s Record Store Day. Three tracks performed at the Sundown Theatre in Edmonton, North London are appended to CD 3 and make up the content of the 12-inch single which comes with the vinyl box set. Both presentations feature booklets with new notes (by Chris Salewicz) and rare and unseen photos. They also feature both covers the original Zippo lighter on one side and Bob smoking his spliff on the other. A special D2C (Direct-to-Consumer) coloured vinyl edition is also available. Catch A Fire 50th anniversary will be released on 3 November 2023 via UMR/Island.
Fat Larry's Band was formed in Philadelphia in 1976 and fronted by drummer and vocalist Fat Larry James who also played drums in the iconic Philly soul bands The Delfonics and Blue Magic. Over the course of ten years, the group released nine albums and scored big with memorable hits such as "Act Like You Know," "Zoom" and "Lookin' For Love." The band did particularly well in the UK where "Zoom" reached number 2 on the UK singles chart in 1982. They also scored big in the UK with the hits "Center City," "Boogie Town" and "Looking For Love" - songs that attracted a large audience of funk and disco music fans around the globe. Unfortunately, the band folded in 1987 after the premature death of Fat Larry James from a heart attack at the age of 38. The most recent incarnation of the band includes hornman and original founding member Jimmy Lee, original vocalist Art Austin who has been with the band since 1979, and vocalists Dr. Salaam Love and Carl Gray. Recently, the band covered Bobby Womack's 1972 hit "I Can Understand It" and it became one of the stand-out tracks for their critically acclaimed "Memories" album. Recently, while working with legendary Philly soul music producer Butch Ingram, the band reworked the track, utilizing some additional musical performances and backing vocals, and remixed it into a more dynamic version for radio - and so, the resurgence of Fat Larry's Band rolls on...
A killer collection of reggae remakes of famous soul and funk tunes – all served up from a later generation of the scene, which makes a nice change from some of the more ska and rocksteady collections of this nature! It's no secret that Jamaican music was initially given a strong inspiration from American soul – and even in this generation, when the Kingston scene had really found its own groove, other influences would still come into the music in a really great way – as you'll hear on these really cool reworkings of themes from Ohio Players, McFadden & Whitehead, Barry White, and others! The production of most of these cuts is great – different than some of the more disco-oriented material that would copy American work – more laidback, with some currents of lovers rock as well – and funky, but in a laidback way. Titles include "Midnight" by Willie Lindo, "Skin Tight" by Lloyd Charmers, "Strange Compulsion" by Sheila Hylton, "Moving On" by Leslie Butler, "Funky Rasta" by Ronnie Butler, "Crowded City" by The Messengers, "Chemistry Of Love" by Susan Cadogan, "Can't Stop Rasta Now" by Ras Midas, and "Deeper & Deeper" by Lloyd Charmers. ~ Dusty Groove
A stunning set of punk jazz, and one that maybe hearkens back to key experiments of this nature from the 80s scene – particularly some of the more groundbreaking work on the New York downtown scene! Ava Mendoza plays electric guitar and Devi Hoff play electric bass – but the pair also work here with excellent tenor from James Brandon Lewis, whose presence really balances out the fuzzier electric energy in a great way – different lines, different sounds, and a balance that never has Lewis trying to match the guitars for ferocity, which is a real plus. The quartet also features great drums from Ches Smith – and titles include "The Stumble", "Interwhining", "Dyscalculia", "Babel 17", "New Ghosts", and "Ten Forward". ~ Dusty Groove
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