Man From Wareika
Encyclopedia
Man From Wareika was the first album recording for Rico Rodriguez
led by his own artistic imagination, and his first recording created for album release. It is notable for being the only roots reggae
album to be released on Blue Note Records
.
After recording one track ("Africa") in London with engineer Dick Cuthell
as a kind of a demo for label owner Chris Blackwell
- its arrangement is completely different in comparison to the rest of the album and contains flute and chorus - Rico Rodriguez was offered a contract to record this album; and he could arrange to record in Jamaica.
After 15 years Rico Rodriguez returned for the first time to Jamaica. He had left the country in 1961 when he already has been heavily involved in creating the then new ska
sound. In 1976 he added something new to reggae music. A critic wrote in 1977 that the album "does not just reflect the current popular trends, but ... expresses in a definitive way the Jamaican music tradition."
The nine self composed tracks on the album offer Jamaican rhythms with horn lines between a melodic use (e.g. on "This Day", "Lumumba") and jazz; the latter helped to define something like a new genre, Jamaican jazz, transforming the experience from early ska days into 1970s roots reggae. Most of the songs remained in Rico's live repertoire until these days. Some have been re-recorded by other artists and by himself.
Recorded at Joe Gibbs
Studios and Randy's Recording Studio, Kingston, Jamaica
, September 1976.
Engineers: Karl Pitterson
, Errol Thompson, Dick Cuthell
, assisted by Flick.
"Africa" was recorded at Island Hammersmith Studios, May 1976 by Dick Cuthell.
All tracks mixed at Island Basing Street Studios
by Karl Pitterson and Dick Cuthell, assisted by Kevin Dallimore.
Executive producer: Chris Blackwell
Cover illustration by Tony Wright
.
Design by Eckford/Stimpson.
ca. late 1980s:
1999/2000:
2004:
Man From Wareika was also remixed into a dub
version, released as
Warrika Dub (LP: Ghetto Rockers PRE 1), re-released 2004 in Japan on Island CD
Rico Rodriguez
Rico Rodriguez MBE , also known as Reco or El Reco, is a ska and reggae trombonist. He has recorded with many producers, including Karl Pitterson, Prince Buster, and Lloyd 'Matador' Daley...
led by his own artistic imagination, and his first recording created for album release. It is notable for being the only roots reggae
Roots reggae
Roots reggae is a subgenre of reggae that deals with the everyday lives and aspirations of the artists concerned, including the spiritual side of Rastafari and with the honoring of God, called Jah by rastafarians. It also is identified with the life of the ghetto sufferer, and the rural poor...
album to be released on Blue Note Records
Blue Note Records
Blue Note Records is a jazz record label, established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis. Francis Wolff became involved shortly afterwards. It derives its name from the characteristic "blue notes" of jazz and the blues. At the end of the 1950s, and in the early 1960s, Blue Note headquarters...
.
After recording one track ("Africa") in London with engineer Dick Cuthell
Dick Cuthell
Dick Cuthell is a British musician and record producer. He plays flugelhorn, cornet, and trumpet, amongst a range of other brass instruments, including tenor horn and valve trombone. Cuthell is best known for his work with The Specials and Rico Rodriguez. He also collaborated with bands such as...
as a kind of a demo for label owner Chris Blackwell
Chris Blackwell
Christopher Percy Gordon "Chris" Blackwell is a British record producer and businessman, who was the founder of Island Records, acknowledged as the most successful and groundbreaking independent record company in history. Blackwell has been a music industry mogul for over fifty years...
- its arrangement is completely different in comparison to the rest of the album and contains flute and chorus - Rico Rodriguez was offered a contract to record this album; and he could arrange to record in Jamaica.
After 15 years Rico Rodriguez returned for the first time to Jamaica. He had left the country in 1961 when he already has been heavily involved in creating the then new ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
sound. In 1976 he added something new to reggae music. A critic wrote in 1977 that the album "does not just reflect the current popular trends, but ... expresses in a definitive way the Jamaican music tradition."
The nine self composed tracks on the album offer Jamaican rhythms with horn lines between a melodic use (e.g. on "This Day", "Lumumba") and jazz; the latter helped to define something like a new genre, Jamaican jazz, transforming the experience from early ska days into 1970s roots reggae. Most of the songs remained in Rico's live repertoire until these days. Some have been re-recorded by other artists and by himself.
Track listing
All compositions and arrangements by Rico Rodriguez- "This Day" – 4:14
- "Ramble" – 4:11
- "Lumumba" – 4:01
- "Africa" – 4:36
- "Man from Wareika" – 3:16
- "Rasta" – 3:38
- "Over the Mountain" – 3:14
- "Gunga Din" – 3:53
- "Dial Africa" – 3:22
Personnel
- Rico Rodriguez - trombone
- Sly DunbarSly DunbarLowell "Sly" Fillmore Dunbar is a drummer.-Biography:Dunbar, whose nickname was reportedly given for his passion for Sly & the Family Stone, launched his musical career while still in his adolescence, playing with a local group, The Yardbrooms, at the age of fifteen...
- drums - Jacko - drums on "Africa"
- Ras Robbie Shakespeare - bass
- Bunny McKenzie - bass on "Africa"
- Radcliffe "Duggie" Bryan - lead guitar
- Karl PittersonKarl PittersonKarl Pitterson is a Jamaican record producer and sound engineer.Pitterson began his career in the early 1970s as house engineer with such legendary Jamaican studios as Dynamics, Federal, Randy's, Studio One, Treasure Isle and Aquarius...
- lead guitar, keyboards, percussion - Junior Hanson MarvinJunior MarvinJunior Marvin also known as Junior Marvin-Hanson, Junior Hanson and Junior Kerr. He is a Jamaican born guitarist and singer and is best known for his association with Bob Marley and The Wailers. He started his career as Junior Marvin with the band Hanson in 1973...
- lead guitar - Lloyd ParksLloyd ParksLloyd Parks is a reggae vocalist and bass player.-Biography:Parks' interest in music was fuelled by his uncle Dourie Bryan, who played in a calypso band, and Parks became the band's singer...
- rhythm guitar - Phillip Chen - rhythm guitar on "Africa"
- Bernard "Touter" Harvey - keyboards
- Ansell CollinsAnsell CollinsAnsell Collins is a Jamaican keyboard player, producer, and occasional singer. Born 1949 in Kingston, Jamaica.-Biography:...
- keyboards - Errol "Tarzan" Nelson - keyboards
- Tony Washington - keyboards on "Africa"
- SkullyNoel SimmsNoel Simms , often known by his nickname Scully, is a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae percussionist and singer.-Biography:...
- wood drums - Tony Utah - percussion on "Africa"
- Satch Dixon - percussion on "Africa"
- Flick - fussy tambourine
- Ijahman - backing vocals on "Africa"
- Candi McKenzie - backing vocals on "Africa"
- Viv Talent Hall - trumpet
- Bobby EllisBobby EllisBobby Ellis born 2 July 1932, is a Jamaican trumpet player. He has worked with many reggae artists including Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, and The Revolutionaries.-Biography:...
- trumpet - Eddie "Tan Tan" ThorntonEddie ThorntonEdward Thornton , better known as "Tan Tan", is a Jamaican trumpeter whose career began in the 1950s.-Biography:Thornton was born in 1932 and attended the Alpha Boys School. In the 1950s, he played in the Roy Coulton band along with Don Drummond...
- trumpet on "Africa" - Richard "Dirty Harry" Hall - tenor saxophone
- George Lee - tenor saxophone
- Keith Gemmel - tenor saxophone on "Africa"
- Herman MarquisHerman MarquisHerman Marquis is a Jamaican saxophone musician who has played with many reggae artists including Burning Spear. He recorded for Arthur "Duke" Reid in the 1960s and was a member of The Revolutionaries and The Upsetters in the 1970s...
- alto saxophone - Ray Allen - alto saxophone
Recorded at Joe Gibbs
Joe Gibbs (record producer)
Joe Gibbs born Joel A. Gibson was a Jamaican reggae producer.-Biography:Joe Gibbs worked as an electronics engineer in the United States before his career in music started. Gibbs eventually returned to Kingston, Jamaica and opened an electrical repair shop with television repairs and sales as its...
Studios and Randy's Recording Studio, Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, September 1976.
Engineers: Karl Pitterson
Karl Pitterson
Karl Pitterson is a Jamaican record producer and sound engineer.Pitterson began his career in the early 1970s as house engineer with such legendary Jamaican studios as Dynamics, Federal, Randy's, Studio One, Treasure Isle and Aquarius...
, Errol Thompson, Dick Cuthell
Dick Cuthell
Dick Cuthell is a British musician and record producer. He plays flugelhorn, cornet, and trumpet, amongst a range of other brass instruments, including tenor horn and valve trombone. Cuthell is best known for his work with The Specials and Rico Rodriguez. He also collaborated with bands such as...
, assisted by Flick.
"Africa" was recorded at Island Hammersmith Studios, May 1976 by Dick Cuthell.
All tracks mixed at Island Basing Street Studios
Basing Street Studios
SARM Studios is a recording studio located in Notting Hill, London. The studios were established by Chris Blackwell, the founder of Island Records, and were originally known as Basing Street Studios...
by Karl Pitterson and Dick Cuthell, assisted by Kevin Dallimore.
Executive producer: Chris Blackwell
Chris Blackwell
Christopher Percy Gordon "Chris" Blackwell is a British record producer and businessman, who was the founder of Island Records, acknowledged as the most successful and groundbreaking independent record company in history. Blackwell has been a music industry mogul for over fifty years...
Cover illustration by Tony Wright
Tony Wright (artist)
Tony Wright is an artist who created album covers such as Bob Marley's Natty Dread and Traffic's The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys and others including Bob Dylan's Saved...
.
Design by Eckford/Stimpson.
Releases
1977:- LP: Island ILPS 9485 /UK
- LP: Blue Note BN LA819 H /US
- LP: Top Ranking no # /Jamaica
ca. late 1980s:
- CD: Mango /Island CID 9485 /UK
1999/2000:
- Vinyl Only /Island
2004:
- CD: Island Japan
Man From Wareika was also remixed into a dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
version, released as
Warrika Dub (LP: Ghetto Rockers PRE 1), re-released 2004 in Japan on Island CD