VP Records releases seminal digital Reggae Creator King Jammy’s Companion CD/DVD Collection with Original 80’s choice cuts

NEW YORK – From the popular “Sleng Teng Resurrection” revived by Bounty Killa and its original vocalist Wayne Smith and the “World A Reggae” by Ini Kamoze and The Taxi recreated through Damian Marley’s hit “Welcome to Jamrock;” from the restoration of the Admiral Bailey’s “Punany” performed by Shabba Ranks in “Caan Dun” to the remake of “Father Jungle Rock” in “Can’t Satisfy Her” by I-Wayne, the powerful reverberations of King Jammy’s pivotal electronic riddims which ushered in the digital reggae movement are still felt all over the charts.

King Jammy outside his studio

Twenty years after these riddims were built, new generations of aspiring soundmen are still cutting dubs on these versions, still killing sounds in clashes from New York to Brixton, from Germany to Japan, forever dipping into King Jammy’s reggae repertoire.

On July 18, VP Records released a companion CD and DVD of King Jammy’s King At The Controls, King Jammy’s Essential Hits {from reggae’s} Digital Revolution 1985-1989, a tasty and important slice of the King’s indelible stamp on reggae music. It all began with “Sleng Teng” in 1985. With Jammy working his magic at the boards and Wayne Smith eking the tune out on a cheap Casio battery-powered keyboard, the simple hypnotic track came to life and changed reggae forever.

At its debut at a big clash between King Jammy’s and Black Scorpio, Canadian journalist Beth Lesser was there and wrote in her classic book King Jammy’s, “[Jammy’s selector] Tupps opened right away with ‘Sleng Teng’ and the crowd went wild!…The bass sound coming out of those boxes was like nothing that had ever been heard before. It was absolutely clean – powerful and pounding. It just stopped your heart.” “Sleng Teng” paved the way for much change. Computer riddims suddenly controlled the dance floor and live instruments fell out of favor. Independent producers began to flourish because all that was needed were Casio and Yamaha keyboards and an Oberheim drum machine. Steely and Clevie gravitated to Jammy’s, bringing a new level of musicianship to the game and Bobby “Digital” Dixon took over mixing duties. A new dream team emerged, taking reggae into the present.

The mixing hand of King Jammy

The tracks on King At The Controls offer a solid sense of Jammy’s innovative sound and production during that era and showcases the young, unique talents Jammy nurtured. The tracks were chosen by Jammy and NYC-Jamaica main man, Johnny Wonder who, since the 80’s as a part of Jammy’s studio crew, was instrumental in bringing the hottest sounds emanating out of Jamaica to the NYC club scene, helping to break many an artist here.

From “Music Lover,” featuring Shabba Ranks as a hungry young rising star to “I Love King Selassie,” featuring Black Uhuru in their early days, one of dancehall’s greatest DJ’s during his formative years; from Junior Reid singing “Boom Shack” as a young, local Watertown youth to Dennis Brown’s “The Exit,” highlighting the Crown Prince of Reggae foray into the digital age via the King, King At The Controls pays respect to King Jammy’s legacy and the depth of one man’s commitment to reggae music.

King Jammy

The companion DVD is set in King Jammy’s own Waterhouse community and gives a glimpse of the environment the music emerged from and the man behind the boards.

King At The Controls King Jammy Essential Hits {from reggae’s} Digital Revolution 1985-1989 will be followed by King Jammy’s Selector’s Choice on October 10th. Selector’s Choice is a 10-disc boxed set compiled by the King and Johnny Wonder, organized riddim by riddim. It’s authentic, authoritative and indispensable.

King At The Controls track listing includes:

1. “Money Man Skank”- Half Pint
2. “Carpenter” – John Holt
3. “Agony” – Pinchers
4. “Punany” – Admiral Bailey
5. “Music Lover” – Shabba Ranks
6. “I Love King Selassie” – Black Uhuru
7. “Father Jungle Rock” – Nicodemus
8. “Water Pumping” – Johnny Osbourne
9. “Boom Shack” – Junior Reid
10. “Deh Wid You” – Super Black
11. “Children of the Ghetto” – Cocoa Tea
12. “The Exit” – Dennis Brown
13. “Run Down The World” – Nitty Gritty
14. “Sleng Teng” – Wayne Smith
15. “She’s My Baby” – Leroy Gibbons
16. “Rock Them One By One” – Eccleton Jarrett
17. “Let Off Sup’m” – Leroy Smart
18. “One Scotch” – Admiral Bailey & Chaka Demus
19. “Serious Time” – Admiral Tibett
20. “I Know The Score” – Frankie Paul