Dadawah — Peace And Love

Here’s a two-CD set celebrating the 1970’s work of Kingstone, Jamaica-born producer Lloyd Charmers. The first disc takes in 1975’s Peace And Love – Wadadasow- which features four lengthy, jammed & hash smoked out slices of Roots Reggae. The second disc is a twenty-two-track collection entitled Fire Burning Charmers In Dub 1973-1976, which brings together Charmer-produced/ played on dub tracks- all of which have never been available on CD beforehand.

The release appears on Doctor Bird- which is of course the reggae reissue-focused sub-label of Cherry Red. The two CDs come presented in a clear jewel case- this comes with a sixteen-page inlay booklet, taking in a new six-page write-up about Charmers, the Dadawah album, and the compilation tracks. Plus a good selection of vinyl labels, album covers, press cuttings, etc.

Charmers was born in 1938- with his professional career starting in 1962, when he performed with his band The Charmers on Vere Johns highly respected radio show- starting his recording career shortly after.  He released work with The Charmers, as well as a few solo albums in the early 70s, he was also involved in a few other projects- both singing & playing keyboards- most notably the Specials 1980 hit "Too Much Too Young", an adaptation of Charmers' 1969 song "Birth Control.  In the early 70’s he moved to the UK- to focus on producing- not just in reggae, but disco, and mellow/ romantic rock/ reggae crossbred Lovers Rock.

 

So on the first disc, we have Peace And Love – Wadadasow. This was the one and only album of the five-piece project Dadawah- featuring Ras Michael-vocals,Bass- Lloyd Parks, brass- Federal Soul Givers, Guitar- Willie Lindo, and Charmers- organ, percussion, piano and production. This was first released on Trojan Records in 1975, and featured four lengthy tracks- two on each side of vinyl. The vibe of all of the tracks is very jammed out- bringing together percussive workouts, atmospheric guitar & key-based tones, bounding bass licks, etc- all of Michael’s semi-spoken word singing. The album feels like a hybrid of jammed out/ mellow rock & reggae- with a nicely stoned if at points vocally passionate flow. All making for quite a distinctive creation.

The second disc is of the twenty-two compilation entitled Fire Burning Charmers In Dub 1973- 1976. As mentioned earlier none of these tracks has ever been released on CD beforehand, and there really is a wonderful selection on offer- showing Charmers skills as a producer, and player on a few tracks- with a good variation of the type of tracks/ instrumental setting too. In the first half, we go from the baying synth & Striking bell-weaved groove of “Brand New Version” by  Boris Gardner and The Charmers Dub, which from time to time slips in soulful male vocals into its largely instrumental setting.  Onto the wide sky slide guitar, tinkling keys, strutting bass line, and dizzyingly circling reverb loops of “Lets Go( Instrumental)” by C.H.A.R.M.  Through to clean guitar weaves, soulful warbling vocals, taut percussion & bass of  “I’m Falling In Love With You( Instrumental Dub) by by C.H.A.R.M.  

Moving onto the second half of the disc we have the low horn swooned, wailing guitar tones, and fat groove of “Long Dub” By Charmers Lovers. Over to the snap/scratching/shaker precession, bounding bass guitar, and minimal organ/ male vocal swoons of “Dub Slave” By Charmers Dub People. Through to pared-back dub beat ‘n’ bass meets drifting sound scaping of  “Love For Dub” By  Ken Boothe & The Connection- which moves with spacy elector buzzes/ wooshes, soul vocal snippets, and even a baby’s cry.

All in all, this is an excellent two-disc set- which highlights Mr Charmers's considerable and versatile talents. I do hope there are some more Charmer recordings in the vaults- as I’d most certainly love to hear more. For those into creative & mellowed rock-touched reggae/ lovers of  70’s dub.