LEE "SCRATCH" PERRY
Baffling Smoke Signals (Heartbeat)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson


The most intriguing character in the history of reggae music is Lee "Scratch" Perry. Why? Is it because he took on the working name of "The Neat Little Man" and literally danced his way out of poverty years before becoming a musician? Or because he paid more dues than any three reggae stars, working as a gopher and even a janitor for various Kingston producers for eons before getting his shot? Maybe it's because he claims to be able to read minds, sense spirits, both good and evil, and has even been known to refuse to enter studios because he felt evil vibes within, causing the engineers to run hundreds of feet of microphone and headphone cables to the front lawn so Scratch would still record. Obviously, it's all of the above (and far more, but this is a review, not a book, and I'm trying to fit this on one screen), but from a music historian's standpoint, he's most interesting for creating some of the earliest sides that marked the evolution from ska to reggae.

Another thing that makes Scratch Perry interesting is that he made a great many of reggae's most important and influential recordings in his backyard 4-track studio. Black Ark, as he called it, was about as primitive as you could get, but Perry did invest in a few little gizmos to add sound effects, and he'd spent so much time watching Coxsone Dodd and King Tubby work their magic on the recording consoles that he had a pretty good idea what to do. This CD collects a dozen of the recordings made between 1976-78, and while most of them were carry the name of particular artists, the songs are Perry-penned, Perry-produced, and Perry's audible fingerprints are all over them. For this reason, it's easy to resist the temptation to call this a Various Artists release. Devon Irons, Brent Dowe, Fura Lewis & The Full Experience, Jr. Murvin, Leroy Sibbles, Dr. Alimantado and The Congos make important contributions, but in the end they're colors on Perry's canvas. In both traditional reggae and dub fashions, Perry's skills are illuminated vividly on this CD of mostly extended tracks with lots of room to work.

For collector's of Scratch's music, there's not even a question here. It's a foregone conclusion. It's Black Ark. Will that be cash or check? For those just discovering this genius' work, this is one that should be remembered for purchase after you get up to speed. If you want to catch up quickly, I recommend the 3-CD box, Arkology. If you don't learn about Scratch Perry from the beginning, you may not fully appreciate what you have on this CD. And if you're collecting work from other studios of the period, you'll be in for some shocking comparisons.

Track List:

Ketch Vampire (Devon Irons) * Full Experience (Aura Lewis & The Full Experience) * Baffling Smoke Signal (Lee Perry) * Down Here In Babylon (Brent Dowe) * Natty Take Over (The Upsetters) * Lizard Stick (The Upsetters) * Ark Of The Covenant (The Congos) * Set Up Yourself (The Upsetters) * Garden Of Life (Leroy Sibbles) * Feast Of Passover (The Congos) * Reggae Music (Hugh Blackwood & Dr. Alimantado) * I Was Appointed (Jr. Murvin)

© 2002 - DJ Johnson