AKSUMITES

We just wanted to share these rare photos of the Aksumites from the late 1970's/early 1980's. The first photo was used as the picture cover for their second 12" single, "Afrika Fede Afrikan." Second, check out the Aksumites on this flyer for a 1979 stage show in Connecticut...what a lineup!





thanks to sax man Jerry Johnson for the flyer!

Look out for more Aksumites music available thru DKR in the future! For now, their "Ark of the Covenant/Covenant Rock" 12" is still available - click here for more info.

Black Roots

SUGAR MINOTT RIP 7/10/10

CHOPPER PRODUCTIONS 7" 45

OUT NOW - DIGIKILLER RECORDS NEW RELEASE
CHOPPER PRODUCTIONS 7" 45

DKR-015 DON HICKEY - COOPORATE / VERSION 7"
DKR-016 COURTNEY MELODY - NO DARKNESS / VERSION 7"
DKR-017 LIONEL GANJA BARRETT - RASTA COWBOY / DUB 7"
DKR-018 BOBBY MELODY - ORIGINAL MELODY / DUB 7"









high quality US pressings.

From Barbican, Kingston 8, the Chopper crew are back on road! From the mid 1980's straight thru until the early 90's, Choppers were steady releasing tunes both in Jamaica and NYC, and from young upcoming artists and veterans alike. Let's start with four of the most killer tunes from the Chopper catalog! From the mid '80s, two cuts on Choppers' own wicked lick of Channel One's "fight fight" riddim. Chopper's lick was laid and mixed at Channel 1 with the Black Roots Band aka Gifted Roots Band. The first tune is from Lionel 'Ganja' Barrett, himself a member of the Chopper crew, and one of the first artists released on the label. 'Rasta Cowboy' is his signature tune, an ode to a self-reliant cowboy-like life. Next, 'Original Melody' from Bobby Melody, letting you know none a them a ruff like the original! We were saddened by Bobby's recent passing, but let this tune serve as a reminder of what a great singer he was. Each of these two tunes is backed with its own unique and wicked dub, each a different mix. Forward now to the late '80s digital style, and we have one of our all-time favorite singers, Don Hickey. "Cooperate" is one of his best tunes, on a pure killer digital riddim. Last but not least is "No Darkness", Courtney Melody's cut on the 'cooperate' riddim. This tune is released for the first time here on 7", previously released only on a hard to find LP, this is one of his great unheralded tunes.

FOR WHOLESALE ORDERING INFORMATION, please email digikillerrecords at gmail dot com. the minimum for a wholesale order is 15 total pieces. for retail/individual sales, please visit any of the online shops linked on this page, who should be stocking these titles shortly.

sound clips are below:

Don Hickey - Cooporate


Courtney Melody - No Darkness


Cooporate/No Darkness Version


Lionel Ganja Barrett - Rasta Cowboy


Black Roots Band - Rasta Cowboy DUB


Bobby Melody - Original Melody


Black Roots Band - Original Melody DUB

Hold Tight...

Slight delay with the new releases, but we are back on track and they should be on road very soon...keep it locked, they are worth the wait!

respect,
-DKR CREW

You Got To Be True...

...in everything you do!
-Bobby Melody 'Try So Hard'


photo by Beth Lesser

BOBBY MELODY RIP 4/26/10

Aksumites and Mankind 12"s are available NOW at online shops. New releases near the end of May. Thanks for your support!

THEBES SOUNDS & MAN KIND 12" DISCO 45

OUT NOW - DEEPER KNOWLEDGE RECORDS & DIGIKILLER RECORDS NEW RELEASES

THEBES SOUNDS 12" DISCO 45

DKR-013
AKSUMITES - ARK OF THE COVENANT B/W NIGGER CHARLIE - COVENANT ROCK





high quality US pressing.

From the deepest wellspring of New York City roots, the Bronx, returns one of the most seldom heard and mystical pieces of roots music ever made. The Aksumites were a roots harmony trio unlike any other, and the 'Ark of the Covenant' is their masterpiece. Group leader and song writer Andrew McCalla came to New York City from Trenchtown in the first half of the 1970's, and quickly took up work as a solo artist and song writer for Bullwackie's and Munchie Jackson, releasing solo tunes on now-legendary labels like Aires. But at the turn of the 1970's into the 1980's, the Aksumites group got to work self-releasing some discomix 12-inches , including this one, a just-shy-of eight minutes long vocal side of singing and chanting, backed by a rhythm heavy enough to match their message. The flip side is the same heavier-than-lead approach, with the rhythm being mixed for vocal delivery in fine deejay style by Nigger Charlie (despite some labels saying 'Dub', the flip has in-fact always been the deejay version!). The incomparable rhythm track was laid in New York by the New Breed Band, now well known for their work on many releases from the Wackie's camp. The rhythm was then taken to Channel One in Kingston, for voicing, overdubbing and mixing. The group released the disco just once, but with two different labels - the THEBES SOUNDS label was designated for Jamaican distribution, while the AKSUM RECORDS label would be for distribution in NY. Over the years this record has quietly attained the reputation it rightfully deserves, among the select few lucky enough to hear it. But it need be quiet no longer, and so Deeper Knowledge Records joyfully presents it again...behold the Ark of the Covenant!

and

MAN KIND 12" DISCO 45

DKR-014
MANKIND - THESE THREE GIRLS / DUB B/W COUNTRY LIFE / DUB





high quality US pressing.

Double-sided late '80s digital monster, from longtime collaborators Sydney 'Mankind' Francis and Dennis 'Jah D' Fearon! Jah D is one of the unsung heroes of reggae music - uncredited session player and arranger on countless classic sides, including many from Studio One, much of Joe Gibbs' classic roots material, Junior Dan's tunes, as well as piano tuner extraordinaire at just about every legendary studio in Jamaica. Jah D continues to arrange and produce music regularly at his Grant's Pen studio, along with his son, on their own Builder's Music label. Sydney 'Mankind' Francis began as the singer in Jah D's former band Food Clothes & Shelter, while voicing tunes for early '80s labels such as Music Ambassador. By the time of the full-on digital explosion of the late '80s, Mankind was honing his skills as a solo artist, voicing tunes for big labels of the day, such as the wicked 'Hot Number' for Stereo One. It was around this same time that Mankind and Jah D entered Aquarius studio, to work on making some tunes intended for Mankind's debut album, and to be voiced over some wicked new digital riddims freshly built by Jah D on the new digital keyboards and drum-machines which had fast become the standard bearers in dancehall production. Two tunes from this session were given to an upstart UK producer for issue on his new label, and there you have 'These Three Girls' and 'Country Life', originally issued on 12" via the Jah Man label, only in UK. Over twenty-years later, these tunes have been rightfully recognized by astute listeners as classics of their era - the riddims sharp and crisp, the vocals a sweet match, the dubs...heavy! Digikiller humbly re-presents this great music of our friends, these two tunes are one in the world!

FOR WHOLESALE ORDERING INFORMATION, please email digikillerrecords at gmail dot com. the minimum order is 15 total pieces. for retail/individual sales, please visit any of the online shops linked on this page, who should be stocking these titles shortly.

sound clips are below:

Aksumites - Ark of the Covenant


Nigger Charlie - Covenant Rock


Mankind - These Three Girls


Mankind - These Three Girls DUB


Mankind - Country Life


Mankind - Country Life DUB

Forward Ever!

Just an update to say that all Leggo Sounds releases have shipped and should be reaching shops worldwide any day now. Philip Myers 7", King Kong 12", and the 14 Karat label 12"s should be available at most of the shops linked on this page. If you are having trouble finding any of them, email us and we will help sort it out. These releases are getting down to the last copies from us, and are not likely to be pressed again anytime soon. Nuff new releases are in progress and we should have a pair of wicked new 12" releases in a few weeks, right alongside more forthcoming heat on our bredren's GOLDSHOP label. So keep your eyes open! Plenty big tune back on road right now and more and more to come, just the way we like it. We leave again with another snapshot from Kingston -

the sign in the yard at the legendary Dynamic Sounds, 15 Bell Road, Kingston 11, says it all. NO IDLERS. Forward Ever!