Soul Vendors Reunion
It’s Only A History Lesson

“The Half Has Never Been Told”

"There is nowhere on this earth, where Reggae music is played that Soul Vendors’ musical creations are not heard, emulated, celebrated and have greatly influenced the various genres of music and culture of the entire earth peoples.” - BA

When you hear any one speak of Studio One, automatically you know you are going way back to the original reggae sound.  Back to where it all started in Jamaica with the live band backing the singers. No drum machines, but real live musicians playing and singing the music to produce the record. The Soul Vendors are one of the first groups to produce such music. They led the way for some of Jamaica’s best Reggae artists including The Wailers (Bunny Wailer, Bob Marley and Peter Tosh), Toots and the Maytals, Johnny Osborne, Ken Boothe, Marcia Griffiths, The Paragons, Alton Ellis, John Holt, The Ethiopians, Freddie McGregor and many, many more too numerous to mention.  Now they have gotten back together and released a new CD. The CD is titled just what it is, The Soul Vendors Reunion - It’s Only A History Lesson.  It takes you back to when Jamaicans were walking around with their small battery operated AM-FM radios up to their ears listening to the newest songs.

The first session that Bob Marley and the Wailers did at Studio One and the first song they produced on their own is a song made by the Soul Vendors titled “Bend Down Low”.  This has been acknowledged to be true by Bunny Wailer in a recent interview.  A lot of the history of Studio One hasn't been told, even to this present time.  Joe Isaacs will tell his story in the near future about the early recording sessions, the music and about the first bands that recorded and started out of Studio One. 

Brian Atkinson known as ‘Bassie’ and ‘Drummie’ and Joe Isaacs (drums) are the original members of this Jamaican renowned Studio One band and the legendary Jackie Mitto (keyboard) also played a large part in the creation of the Soul Vendors.  When people speak of The Soul Brothers or Soul Dimension they are referring to the original Soul Vendors.  Together they developed one of the most used rhythm and beats at Studio One that can still be heard behind numerous artist whose songs made it to the top of the charts.  Jackie Mitto’s “Ram Jam” is included on It's Only A History Lesson on their instrumental tune, “Vendors Return” and for more than three decades The Soul Vendors’ music is still being enjoyed.

When you hear the early original sounds of The Heptones, Bob Andy, Desmond Decker, The Melodians, Burning Spear and countless others, that is all the Rock Steady sound of the Soul Vendors.  The Soul Vendors have come forward with new up coming talent from Jamaica that appreciate the pulse of the music made quite some time ago.  A song by Slim Smith features a young female Jamaican vocalist Calisia on his song “Conversation” and lends her voice on a few other songs on this CD.  

The Soul Vendors sing of life lessons, relationships and love all to a SKA and Rock Steady tempo.  Their new CD also features more new talent including a group that goes by the name A-2-O who join forces with the Soul Vendors that definitely makes for a fine combination.  It's Only A History Lesson beautifully reveals that The Soul Vendors are an essential element to the foundation of Reggae music. The Soul Vendors Reunion will prove to be one for both the young and the old who enjoy the first authentic Roots Reggae, Ska and Rock Steady music that started out of Studio One.

More information about the Soul Vendors can be found on their website.

More Love, More Life

Junior Kelly
Tough Life
VP Records

One of Jamaica’s least talked about fire warrior and performer in the U.S. is Junior Kelly and it’s time to give him the long over-due recognition this talented and supreme artist deserves. His most recent works shows sufficient reason to take a closer listen to Junior Kelly’s artistic abilities on Tough Life on VP Records.

                  
Junior Kelly’s first song grasps your attention immediately with strong lyrics expressing "Babylon trample upon the weak, clear the riches off dem feet".  The cost of living makes him frown because, "separation is a big factor / With all the pressure only time will tell / So me see the ghetto people dem a shout and yell".  The title song “Tough Life” is in reference to all poor people oppressed by government, whether it be in Jamaica, U.S.A. or Africa - any where people a suffer - this song speaks to and about them.  The catch to this song is, from beginning to end, the music which will have you up and dancing even though Junior Kelly is putting out a very serious message.  The same is true on, “Blaze” as Kelly sings, "Burn Babylon and their dirty ways / Buckle up me belt, lace up me boot, ready to kill deh devil, ready to slew deh gloat / Come mek we burn up child molester... / Rasta are deh gate keeper / Heathen drop a ground as me snap me finger / Lightning a clap all the whore-monger, bald head a run when dem hear the thunder".  Those are just a few of this Fire Warrior’s lyrics -- hot and real but he still allows us to get a good dance work out while he entertains and educates at the same time.  “Rasta Should Be Deeper” and “Jah Give Me Strength” continues Kelly’s lyrical party.