Too Hot

"Sounds And Pressure" - Hopeton Lewis - Roots Of Reggae/Rocksteady [Rhino]

"On The Beach" - Paragons - More Hottest Hits From Treasure Isle [Heartbeat]
"Another Scorcher" - the Tennors - Rock Steady Classics [Nighthawk]
"Live Wire" - the Gladiators - More Hottest Hits From Treasure Isle [Heartbeat]
"Wash Wash" - Prince Buster - FABulous Greatest Hits [Sequel]
"Cool Down" - Silvertones - 45
"Too Hot" - Prince Buster - FABulous Greatest Hits [Sequel]
"Champion In The Arena" - Jackie Mittoo - Champion In The Arena [Blood And Fire]
"Hot Milk" - Jackie Mittoo - Champion In The Arena [Blood And Fire]

"Good Things" - Culture - Good Things [RAS]
"Graduation In Zion" - Kiddus I - Rockers (soundtrack)
"Jah No Dead" - Burning Spear - Rockers (soundtrack)
"Promise Land" - Alborosie - MP3
"The Love Of Jah" - Annette Brissette - MP3
"Earth Rightful Ruler" - Augustus Pablo - Earth Rightful Ruler [Message]
"A Darker Shade Of Black" - Jackie Mittoo - Champion In The Arena [Blood And Fire]

"Life Comes And Goes (version)" - the Abyssinnians - Life Goes In Circles [Pressure Sounds]
"Ghetto On Fire" - Jacob Miller - Life Goes In Circles [Pressure Sounds]
"Addis Ababba" - Culture - One Stone [RAS]
"The Word Girl/Flesh & Blood" - Scritti Politti/Ranking Ann - 12" [Virgin]
(1985... Ranking Ann spoke out against Police Brutality with "Kill The Police Bill")
"Feeling Fine" - Don Drummond - Greatest Trombone Player [Jet Set]

"To Be A Lover Have Some Mercy" - George Faith - Arkology [Island]
"Can I Change My Mind" - Alton Ellis - Best Of Studio One [Heartbeat]
"Let Me Down Easy" - Derrick Harriott - MP3
"Sea Of Love" - the Heptones - Sea Of Love [Heartbeat]
"I Trust You" - Delroy Wilson - Holy Ground:Alvin Ranglins GG Records [Heartbeat]

A Tribute To Sugar Minott

...and our supporters at the amazingly well-attended Town Hall meeting on Monday.

We live to fight another day.

"Legal Dub" - Black Slate - Rasta Festival [Alligator]

"You Can Get It If You Really Want" - Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come [Mango]
"Press Along Nyah" - Larry & Alvin - 45
"Strong Will Continue" - Damian Marley/NAS - Distant Relatives [Universal]
"Small Garden" - Zoot Simms - 45
"Level Vibes" - Sugar Minott - Slice Of The Cake [Heartbeat]
"Thunder & Lightning Dub" - Scientist - MP3

"Paper Planes" - M.I.A. - MP3
"Africa" - Dub All Sense - MP3 [Dubmatix]
"Promise Land" - Alborosie
"Joker Smoker" - Ziggi - MP3
"Pirate's Anthem" - Home T/Shabba Ranks/Cocoa Tea - MP3
"It Mek" - Desmond Dekker - This Is Reggae Music [Treojan]
"Your Teeth In My Neck" - Scientist - MP3

"Mary Ann" - Roaring Lion - Calypso: Best Of Trinidad [(Download)]
"Million Dollar Baby" - Roy Shirley - 45

"Rough Ole Life" - Sugar Minott - Heartbeat Reggae 2000 [Heartbeat]
"Mystery Of Nature" - African Brothers - Want Some Freedom [Easy Star]
"All Kind Of People" - Sugar Minott - King Son [Uptempo]
"Ghettology/Dub" - Sugar Minott - Ghettology [Easy Star]

"Ramble" - Rico Rodrigues - Countryman (soundtrack) [Mango]

"Herbman Hustling" - Sugar Minott - Roots & Rockers [Pow Wow]
"Vanity (extended)" - Sugar Minott - Respect To Studio One [Heartbeat]
"Good Thing Going" - Sugar Minott - Heartbeat Reggae [Heartbeat]
"Oh, Mr. DC" - Sugar Minott - Best Of Studio One [Heartbeat]
"Buy Off The Bar" - Sugar Minott - Buy Off The Bar [Power House]

"You Never Know" - Corey Harris - Zion Crossroads [Telarc]

Today! Right After "Reggae Vibrations"!

Rest In Peace, Lincoln "Sugar" Minott

From Reggae United (online) Magazine:

"The rumour has been circulating on the internet for a few hours, but now it looks like Sugar Minott's death has been confirmed. The Jamaican singer had been suffering from heart disease for quite some time.

Sugar Minott had a great career that began with the group African Brothers then solo recording his first album for Coxsone Dodd at Studio One. He also played a big role in the career of artists such as Junior Reid, Tristan Palmer, Tony Tuff, Yami Bolo, Garnett Silk and many more with his musical school Youth Promotion. RIP."

Rest assured, his gifts will be acknowledged on this week's Reggae Vibrations.

In the meantime, enjoy the vibe he left us:

T'ings 'A come Up To Bump

It's crunch time for community-based/college radio. Either we continue to broadcast the best that we know how, combining an obssessive love for music with the enthusiasm of our listeners... or disappear into the homogenized heap.

Music is information. Entertainment. New horizons. A new favorite song that you didn't know you couldn't live without. Support us at our Town Meeting, or Voice Your Choice, online.
Music can still make a difference. It's got the world by the short and curlies.

"S-90 Skank" - Big Youth - Tougher Than Tough [Mango]
"Z-90" - Trinity - Shanty Town Determination [Blood and Fire]

"Ghost Town" - the Specials - 12" 45 [2 Tone]
"The Lunatics" - Fun Boy 3 - MP3
"Know Your Rights" - the Clash - From Here To Eternity [EPIC]
"Time Marches On" - Derrick Morgan - ...Sings Ska Rocksteady and Reggae [Heartbeat]
"I Should Have Known Better" - Skatalites - Respect To Studio One [Heartbeat]
"Things A Come Up To Bump" - Soul Vendors - Version Dread [Heartbeat]

"Love's Contagious" - Tarrus Riley - Contagious [VP]
"Promised Land" - Alborosie - MP3
"Ganja Farmer" - Marlon Asher - MP3
"Police In Helicopter" - John Holt - Police In Helicopter [Greensleeves]
"Why Oh Why Version" - Ernest & the Sound Dimension - Version Dread [Heartbeat]
"1865 (96 Degrees)" - Third World - The Reggae Box [Hip-O]
"Fire Version" - The New Establishment - Version Dread [Heartbeat]

"Africa" - Salif Keita - 12" 45 [Mango]
"Sala Keba" - Staff Benda Bilili - Tres Tres Fort
"Selassie Bring It On" - Midnite Band with Youssoupha Sidibe - For All [Sacred Sounds]
"The Call" - Tommy T - The Prester John Sessions [Easy Star]
"As Salaam Alaikum" - Monsoon - MP3 [Dubmatix]

"Garden Of Love" - Don Drummond - Greatest Trombone Player [Jet Set]
"Feeling Fine" - Don Drummond - Greatest Trombone Player [Jet Set]
"Time Has Come" - Ossie Dellimore - Easy Star Volume One [Easy Star]
"Bongo Red" - The Gladiators - Studio One Singles [Heartbeat]
"Calling Rasta For I" - Culture - Two Sevens Clash [JEG]

"Fancy Makeup" - John Holt/Dennis Brown - Legend Vol 3
"Flashing My Whip" - U-Roy & Friends
"On The Beach" - The Paragons
"Swinging Feast" - Aubrey Adams/Roland Alphonso - Musical Feast [Heartbeat]

A Change Is Gonna Come

It is said that "all politics are local". Certainly, in these past few weeks it has clearly been so.
The administration that controls WTJU at the University of Virginia, as part of its fiscal concerns, has sought to redefine the nature of this so-called "freeform" radio station, and implement changes to see more "Return On Investment".
True, our attempts at self-funding through our marathon pledge drives has gotten tighter as the financial wreckage continues in the US. The "bottomline" rules everything.

But, instead of dissolving the station as was considered, we have until August to take our best shot at keeping our mission of providing msuic and information that can't be found elsewhere on the radio dial--not only in Charlottesville, VA, but nationwide as well. Our first real attempts at promotion have to bear fruit, or the writing is on the wall: DJ-powered, non-commercial radio is in the balance.

You can travel from shore-to-shore listening to the radio, and hear nothing but uniformity... no identity to inform you where you might be. That's something we have always risen above at WTJU. But it may not be enough.

Support and contribute to sounds and information that you can't hear, anywhere else... either with us, or that "special" radio station in your own area that not only entertains, but educates.

And might, just possibly, be one song away from presenting you with your newest, favorite, never-heard-before music.

"Better Must Come" - Delroy Wilson - Tougher Than Tough [Mango]
"JD3" - Bill Laswell - Roots Tonic Meets Bill Laswell [ROIR]

"You Don't Love Me" - Dawn Penn - Heartbeat Reggae Now! [Heartbeat]
"Screaming Target" - Big Youth - Ride Like Lightning 1972-76 [Trojan]
"A Change Is Gonna Come" - Ken Parker - MP3
"You Never Miss Your Water" - Derrick Morgan - I Am The Ruler [Trojan]
(with Patsy)
"Want Some Freedom" - African Brothers - Want Some Freedom [Easy Star]
"Promised Land" - Alborosie - Escape From Babylon
"Road To Axum" - Bill Laswell - Roots Tonic Meets Bill Laswell

"Rebel With A Cause" - Gov't Mule - MIghty High [ATO]
(Willi Williams, vocals)
"Rat In Me Kitchen" - UB40 - Rat In The Kitchen [A&M]
"What We Gonna Do?" - John Brown's Body - Pressure Points [Easy Star]
"Healing Of The Nation" - Bill Laswell - Roots Tonic Meets Bill Laswell

"Betch By Golly Wow" - Cool Riddims & Sistah Teedy - Pledge To My People [NYNO]
(produced by Allen Toussaint)
"I Do Love You" - Heptones - MP3
"The Love Of Jah" - Annette Brissette - MP3
"Jerusalem" - Devon Irons - Life Goes In Circles [Pressure Sounds]
"We Got Love" - Freddie McGregor - Zion Chant [Heartbeat]
"Hold Me Baby Pt 2" - Basil Daley - Version Dread

"Garden Of Love" - Don Drummond - Greatest Hits [Jet Set]
"Feelin' Fine" - Don Drummond - Greatest Hits [Jet Set]

"Africa" - Dub All Sense - MP3
(produced by DUBMATIX)
"Curly Locks" - Lee Perry - Anthology [Island]
"Swing And Dine/Swinging Feast" - the Melodians - Musical Feast [Heartbeat]

Jimmy Cliff/Iron Lion @ Charlottesville Pavilion, 27 June (review)

Painfully close to 96 degrees in the shade, the oppressive heat didn't deter a healthy crowd to descend on Charlottesville's downtown Pavilion to witness a sublime evening of resonant reggae music on Sunday (27th).

Iron Lion opened the festivities (featuring longtime Harrisonburg roots-reggae rockers from Stable Roots, Chris "Peanut" Whitley and Greg Ward) with a bass-heavy thump of classics and originals... and two guests that brought the sound home, in more ways than one: Ras Mel on guitar and vocals, original member of Awareness Art Ensemble (whose reunion had just taken place in Richmond, the previous evening) and the sweet harmonies of Davina Jackson, (twin sister Davita, a vocal phenomenon in her own right, in support in the crowd). As the shadows gathered, the drums ignited.

Many local lovers of reggae had their appreciation begun by the seminal 1972 film, The Harder They Come, starring the evening's headliner, Jimmy Cliff. Amazingly, thirty-eight years hence, Mr. Cliff's vocal range delivered the favorites from that soundtrack in note-perfect tribute as he stridently commanded the stage with his crucial band of musicians. A wry update of his classic "Vietnam" morphed into "Afghanistan"... the force of years and change of venue, seamless in song and events. Dancefloor, sweaty and packed.

To my ears, though, the crescendo of the evening occurred when the musicians laid aside the electrified instruments and gathered at stage center to engage in traditional Nyabinghi drumming and chanting to personal favorite, "Bongo Man".

The booming syncopation and intricate harmonies of an ancient musical form echoed down those commercial streets across from the Pavilion in a call-and-response that reminded me that those doors were firmly closed... but Jimmy Cliff's grasp of the roots were wide open.