By the close of the Sixties, record retailer and jukebox businessman Karl ‘J.J.’ Johnson was firmly established as one of Jamaica’s leading record producers, having released a string of best-selling rock steady and proto-reggae 45s by such noted local acts as Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, the Rulers, Carl Dawkins, the Kingstonians and the Ethiopians.
Early in 1969, a lucrative agreement with British record label, Trojan, emboldened the ambitious entrepreneur to release an album comprising a dozen of his latest recordings in the new reggae style. Entitled “Reggae Power”, the LP was dominated by regular hit-makers, the Ethiopians, whose recent singles had proved so popular in Britain that the group had been prompted to make a promotional tour of the country. Their trip led to Trojan dramatically reworking the ‘Reggae Power’ long-player for its UK release, replacing all but two non-Ethiopians tracks with further J.J.-produced works by the trio, before issuing it in new artwork.
But with the Ethiopians collection already available on the Doctor Bird CD, “Reggae Power & Woman Capture Man”, it is the Jamaican version of the album that provides the inspiration for this exciting double-disc compilation, which collects the bulk of J.J. Johnson’s output from 1968 to 1972, including numerous reggae hits and 17 recordings new to CD.
DISC ONE: REGGAE POWER 1968-1970
1. DANCE UP THE REGGAE – Roy Shirley
2. MIX IT UP – The Kingstonians
3. LOVE IS NOT YOUR GAME – V. Vinstrick
4. ONE DOLLAR OF MUSIC – The J.J. All Stars
5. I’LL MAKE IT UP – Carl Dawkins
6. MUSICAL PRIEST – Roy Shirley
7. BIGGER BOSS – Cool Sticky & Ansel Collins
8. LIVE LIFE – The Vibrators
9. I’LL BE AROUND – The Kingstonians
10. FIVE MILES HIGH – Winston Wright
11. GLAD YOU’RE LIVING – Stranger Cole
12. BRIGHT LIFE – Roy Shirley
13. R.F.K. – The J.J. All Stars
14. ISRAEL MUST WIN – The Ethiopians
15. GOT TO BE FREE – The Rulers
16. NECK TIE – Winston Wright
17. THE ONLY GIRL – Carl Dawkins
18. I LIKE YOUR SMILE – Roy Shirley
19. MEMPHIS UNDERGROUND – The J.J. All Stars
20. HERE YAH – The Scorchers
21. HELP WANTED – Stranger Cole
22. MANGO TREE – Ansel Collins
23. HERE I COME – The Ethiopians
24. SATISFACTION – Carl Dawkins
25. POPPY COCK – Winston Wright
26. WHAT A SITUATION – The Rulers
27. ROOK MA DINE – The Ethiopians
28. THE REMOVERS – Ansel Collins
29. CABBAGE LEAF – Val Bennett
DISC TWO: WRECK IT UP 1970-1972
1. THIS LAND – Carl Dawkins
2. TRY TO BE HAPPY – The Clarendonians
3. DROP HIM – The Ethiopians
4. VERSION DROP – The J.J. All Stars
5. COOLIE MAN – The Cambodians
6. GET TOGETHER – Carl Dawkins
7. INSTALMENT NO.3 – Family Man
8. NUMBER ONE VERSION – Tony
9. WRECK IT UP VERSION – The J.J. All Stars
10. COME ALONG – The Clarendonians
11. I’LL NEVER BE BLUE – Carl Dawkins
12. I’LL NEVER BE BLUE (INSTR.) – The J.J. All Stars
13. DON’T GO (ALT. VERSION) – The Ethiopians
14. MAKE GOOD – Stranger & Gladdy
15. PUT IT GOOD – The Bleechers
16. PERSEVERANCE – Carl Dawkins
17. HE’S NOT A REBEL – The Ethiopians
18. NYAH MAN STORY – The Linkers
19. LION’S DEN – The Kingstonians
20. I FEEL GOOD – Carl Dawkins
21. SELAH – The Ethiopians
22. SELAH – The J.J. All Stars
23. ROCKING TO ETHIOPIA – Dennis Alcapone
24. HOW CAN YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART – Carl Dawkins
25. SLIM GIRL – The Kingstonians
26. I’M A BELIEVER – The Ethiopians
27. MY WHOLE WORLD HAS ENDED – Carl Dawkins
28. SOUP – Lloyd Young
29. COLLECTING COINS – The J.J. All Stars |
