Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry – Dub Treasures from the Black Ark: Rare Dubs 1976-78 LP Jamaican Recordings (UK)

2021 repress; LP version. Lee “Scratch” Perry’s Black Ark Studio opened its doors in 1974, situated in his backyard at 5 Washington Gardens, Kingston, Jamaica. Using only basic equipment, a Teac 4-track recorder, a Soundcraft mixing desk, an Echoplex delay unit, and later adding a Phaser effects unit that he used in conjunction with his Roland RE201 Space Echo, he managed mixing down the tracks from 4-track to 2-track to make his distinctive whirling sound that sets apart the Black Ark Sound from the other Jamaican Studios. On opening the Black Ark studios, the hits seemed to come immediately. Firstly with Junior Byles’ “Curly Locks” and in 1975 the massive crossover hit, Susan Cadogans’ “Hurt So Good,” which reached #4 in the UK charts. 1976 saw Island Records releasing Perrys’ vast output — timeless material like the Heptones “Party Time,” Max Romeo’s “War Inna Babylon,” Bob Marley And The Wailers’ “Jah Live,” “Punky Reggae Party” and Junior Murvin’s “Police and Thieves,” to name but a few. But sometimes missing out were a few classics like Perry’s own “Roast Fish, Collie Weed & Corn Bread” and possibly one of the best reggae albums of all time The Congos’ Heart of the Congos. Dub releases like Revolution Dub (1975) showed a way forward for his production skills in this formidable arena. Having his own studio allowed him to build up a vast catalog of tracks to work on. Here are culled together some lost productions that Lee Perry carried out with singer Mike Brookes, a fine singer, arranger from that special time in the Black Ark history. Sounding like Junior Marvin in parts and Max Romeo in others, but still carrying a distinctive falsetto voice. Some classic tracks were recorded with the cream of musicians at Lee Perry’s disposal. Mr. Perry works his magic that gives these songs that distinctive feel that his output carried around the mid-1970s.