Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Phil Pratt, I adore you!

For the first time in a week-and-a-half, I listened to some reggae that was *NOT* produced by Lee "Scratch" Perry.
Fear not. I am still reading the Scratch biography by David Katz, "People Funny Boy."
I just decided to listen to some music produced by a Scratch associate for a change.
Here is how Katz describes the very early association of Scratch and Phil Pratt:
"One of the first friendships (Perry) formed was with George Phillips, a teenager from Milk Lane initially employed by (pioneering producer and sound system operator Clement) Dodd as a box loader; he would drag the heavy speaker boxes onto trucks to transport them to a sound system dance, helping to set them up and ensure the smooth running upon reaching their destination."
From those humble beginnings, Phillips -- who adopted the stage name Phil Pratt -- rose to become one of the respected producers during the rock steady era of reggae (to about 1968) and later during the days of deejay stardom in the 1970s.
Today I have been listening to the great "Safe Travel" compilation of tunes Pratt produced from 1966 to 1968.
Pratt recorded his boyhood friend (and reggae vocal colossus) Ken Boothe, as well as Clarendonian vocalist Peter Austin (his "Time is Getting Harder" is a song to convince ANYONE of the joys of Jamaican music), Tommy McCook, Alva "Reggie" Lewis and several more.
These songs don't show up on many other compilations, which is a shame. They pack so much soul.

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