Joe Isaacs
(Photo: Devon Chin)
Booking Kit
MAY 2004
Soul Vendors Signs Nathalia & singing group, A2O To Recording Contract
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SOUL VENDORS NEWS: December 5, 2003
Former Studio One drummer Joe Isaacs documenting studio's history.
Plans to hold two shows later this month as part of the Rock Away
series with original Studio One musicians...
BASIL WALTERS, Jamaica Observer staff reporter.
Says Joe Isaacs... "Nobody in the world can tell me I cannot re-record what I
record already, because they have nothing to do with what I created with
the help of God".
VETERAN Studio One drummer, Joe Isaacs has embarked on a project to
reunite his colleagues with whom he worked to create so many hits at the
famed Studio One recording facility on Brentford Road in Kingston. And
in addition to pursuing this reunification of his musical comrades,
Isaacs is working on a documentary of Studio One.
"We're the people who were fortunate to be a part of the foundation of
the music industry in Jamaica at that time, and my reason for putting
this thing together is just to let people know exactly how Studio One
came about and who made it all happen," the drummer said.
Isaacs bemoaned the fact that he and his peers were not given their
dues in terms of recognition and remuneration and as a result many have
been left out of the musical history of the country and many have died
as paupers.
A book is also in the works which will be written by a young female
author from California who while surfing the net came across the Studio
One website and was very impressed.
"She will be writing not only the story of Studio One, but the story
after we left," Isaacs revealed.
The documentary, he said, has already started in Miami and will be
completed in Jamaica.
"Most times people who called themselves producers weren't even there
when the music was being structured; it was basically the musicians who
were responsible for crafting the hit songs that are today being rated
as foundation music," the veteran drummer added.
He spoke with great feeling and passion about his late colleague and
keyboard maestro, Jackie Mittoo.
"One man who was key in the whole Studio One experience was Jackie
Mittoo. A lot of people, even those that revere him, don't really know
the extent to which he has contributed to the establishment of Studio
One and, by extension, Jamaica's music. In our time, we used to make 12
tunes every day and this man, Jackie Mittoo, was the driving force
behind it all. He was the man who most times told the bassie (bass
guitarist Bryan Atkinson) what to play, told me (the drummer) what to
play and when to roll. He was the man who created all these rhythmical
patterns that are now branded as classic Reggae, but nobody knows
that."
Isaacs who became very emotional during this part of the interview
further remarked.
"They, the musicians of my era, were a part of building the empire of
Studio One which existed from the 60s until now, which look to me like
five decades, and the original people who made it happen, didn't get
recognition, didn't get money , didn't get nothing. But we get the
greatest gift of all, we get the blessings of God who gives us life and
the ability to come together again as the Soul Vendors with a new album
entitled "Together Again".
The album with over 35 tunes by the reunited Soul Vendors which is
comprised of original Studio One session men, and who at different times
were known as the Soul Brothers and Soul Dimension, was released two
years ago in California by a distribution company called Early Bees.
"These different names (of the Soul Vendors) were put together as a
marketing strategy by Sir Clement Dodd who is a great man. Dodd is a
great man, he knows about marketing, yuh nuh. And he knows about picking
artistes. He knows the business very, very well. To be honest with you,
if it wasn't for him giving us the opportunity to make these tracks, I
wouldn't have anything to talk about right now. So therefore, I can say
that I love this man. But as far as the music-making is concerned, is
not him make them."
Commenting further on the reunification with his fellow musicians
Isaacs said: "Coming together is great and we are making over every
music, every rhythm track that we made in our lifetime at Studio One and
for different producers, we're going to make them all over." The
reunited Soul Vendors at different times also did stints with Duke Reid,
Beverley's, and the West Indies Records Label (WIRL) now Dynamics
Studio.
"Nobody in the world can tell me I cannot re-record what I recorded
already, because they have nothing to do with what I created with the
help of God. Anything that I did before I can do it over because it
belongs to no guy or no men," said a defiant Isaacs who went to Studio
One at the age of 16.
There is a major local gig being planned over two days, December 26 and
27 at La Roose at which the Together Again album will be formally
introduced to Jamaica. Charles Campbell of Sunsplash and of more recent
vintage, Rock Away fame, is the coordinator of the event.
"We bringing in nine musicians, we bringing the original Studio One
rhythm section. This rhythm has never performed in Jamaica since 1968.
No one out here has ever seen this group from that time to this time. In
addition, we're going to have a man like Ken Boothe singing with us, for
we made Ken Boothe's tunes. We're going to invite artiste like Bob Andy,
is we mek his anthem I've Got To Go Back Home, and we're trying to
invite John Holt also...Alton Ellis will be in Miami at the time, but
he's already on board as he just voiced a tune for us called Bad Company
which is going to be released in the coming year," outlined Isaacs.
Another work currently in progress to be completed in time for release
in April 2004, is a set titled 1300 Brentford Road.
"This one ya know have on some wicked tunes. This one have on some
Studio One top songs such as Cornel Campbell's, "Queen of the Minstrels",
Alton Ellis', "Can I Change My Mind", and "I'm Still In Love With You Girl".
The veteran drummer who is now based in both Miami and Canada told
Splash.
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