Reggae, Jazz, Indie music blog

Both bands, that is Toots And The Maytals (nowadays it is simply called Maytals) and No Doubt, are quite old reggae bands. Maytals was founded in the middle of the 60s and existed to the 80s and after a decade of non-existance it was reunited. The same thing happened with No Doubt, which didn’t performed from 2004 to 2008 and now againt began its music work. No Doubt is more like a rock band, which mixed different genres: ska (not popular in our days, but still the combination of genres produces good results), punk, and alternative rock. Maytals is mostly reggae, ska and rocksteady band. “Monkey Man” is one more reggae song released in collaboration of talented groups of musicians. I’ve just listened to it - great reggae style, but I need to find this song with a better quality, cause the recording was made long time ago - in 1969. I have a collection of 100 reggae hits on four CDs, but this song was not included there for some reason, however I consider it to be one of my 10 best tracks. At least I have a Monkey Man mp3 ringtone of high quality

Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot (his birth name is Martin Benedict Volpeliere-Pierrot), also known as Ben VP was lead singer of London pop group “Curiosity Killed The Cat” (this pop band was active in 1984–1992). Besides, he also wrote a song “Red Lights” for the soundtrack of “American Psycho” (2000) and acted in a few not popular TV series. Curiosity Killed The Cat became popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s and even were successful in the UK Singles Chart. They mostly played soul, jazz and funk - popular music genres at that time, and I have to say, that the band (which consisted of Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot - vocals; Julian Godfrey Brookhouse - guitarist; Nick Thorpe - bassist;  Migi Drummond - drummer) was really good. I’ve listened to a few their songs - quite impressive. Their “Keep It Bubblin” was really pleasant song to listen - real male soul. By the way, in 2006 there was released a limited edition 7-track 2-CD single set in the UK, which included ‘Keep It Bubblin’ (maybe, it’s still available in the stores).  The release was by Element vs. Ben VP and had the mane “Name And Number” (included a few more pupular tracks and remixes). I’ve played Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot’s “Keep It Bubblin” mp3 ringtone on my cell phone - cool thing

I’m just enjoying at the moment listening to Beenie Man’s “Undisputed” mp3 ringtone (I’m listening to the mp3 ringtone, because I can’t find the very song and ringtone sounds really cool). It’s reggae music of high quality and there is no wonder that he is so pupular among the fans of reggae and dancehall. Actually, Beenie Man is only a stage name and the real name of the singer is Anthony Moses Davis. He is 35 now and was born in Jamaica and you would not object that the greatest majority of the best reggae singers are from Jamaica His “Undisputed” is the first song from the album wich has the same name. Actually, it’s not the best song in the album “Undisputed” which was released in 2006. I also like “Chaka Dance”, “Hmm Hmm” and “Girls” (featuring Akon). I was listening to the last song from this list on Beenie Man’s official site. By the way, he released 18 studio albums during his career (and he is only 35-years-old man!!!). So, to put it into a few words, he is a really good singer I’m fond of

Ben E. King (or Benjamin Earl Nelson) is now a 70-years-old American soul singer. When he was young he was the member of one doo wop (it’s a vocal-based rhythm and blues music) group called The Five Crowns, by whom was later replaced the band The Drifters (it is an R&B vocal group which was very popular from 1953 to 1962). In 1960 he left the group, because he wanted a higher salary, so Benjamin Earl Nelson decided to begin his solo career and took a pseudonym Ben E. King. Nowdays Ben E. King has released approximately 25 albums and, of course, much longer list of singles, but one of his most popular works is still “Stand By Me”, which was performed by him and written in cooperation with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. This song became top 10 hit in USA in 1961 and 1987 and number 1 in the UK in 1987. Besides, it is one of the most-performed songs of the previous century (it has about 7 million performances!!!). So, Stand By Me mp3 ringtone by Ben E. King is great

Bernhard Fleischmann is an Austrian musician (usually known as B Fleishmann). He was born in 1975, at the age of 8 he started taking piano lessons. Since 1991 he played in concerts with different bands, mostly as a drummer in the band “Speed Is Essential” and “Sore!”. In 1998 Speed Is Essential released a CD “My Idea Of Fun”. Since 1998 B Fleishmann statred practicing with electronic music, created his own small studio, wrote his first electronic masterpiece, and gave his first concert the next year. In 2000 made a tour with one German band Iso 69. He released a few albums: “Pop Loops For Breakfast” in 1999, “Sidonie” the same yaer, “A Choir of Empty Beds” in 2000, “TMP” released in 2001, “Welcome Tourist” in 2003, “The Humbucking Coil” - 2006, and his last album, released in 2007 - “Melancholie”. Besides, he wrote music for movies. His “Its All So” sounds really wonderful - I love it! I’ve already downloaded an mp3 ringtone of this song.

B. Fleischmann - It’s All So A Choir Of Empty Beds on YouTube

Johnny Clarke is one of those reggae singers, who were extremely pupular in their times (the peak of his pupularity was between 1974-1979), but even in spite of the great number of years which have already passed, his music and his style are still remaining the effective testaments for the future reggae-singers generations. He knew Bobby Aitken, Linval Thompson, Rupie Edwards, Earl Zero and many others and sometimes collaborated with them. Johnny Clarke’s song “When I Fall In Love” preserved his crisp and husky voice. It was a real success to find an mp3 ringtone for this song, cause it was even difficult to find Johnny’s song, but I have to say, that if you want to listen to a song of a reggae-idol of his time, you have to download Johnny Clarke’s “When I Fall In Love” mp3 ringtone right now.

Steel Pulse is one of those bands which play root reggae (it’s a subgenre of reggae, the main idea of which is to show the life of poor people living in ghettos, the struggle with the government and things of that kind, they sing about poverty and burning social issues). Steel Pulse is a very old band, which was originally formed by three guys in 1975 - David Hinds, Basil Gabbidon and Ronald McQueen. Later the band included a few more members, but today only two of 6 founding members still are in the band. At this time Steel Pulse band includes 10 members (and has 12 former members!!!). Anyway, in spite of the fact, that today Steel Pulse is almost completely different band, I have to say that their muisic is still pupular. Actually, I’ve downloaded their single “Ku Klux Klan” (it’s about the evils of racism) and watched video for this song, but it’s a very old song (released long time ago almost at the beginning of the band’s activity). mp3 ringtone of this song is also popular thing

Steel Pulse - Ku klux klan on Youtube