Dancehall- Dance We Deh

Style Scott

Dance Hall Style

By Ray Hurford

(C) Muzik Tree 1991 All Rights Reserved

Small Axe 2004

Ever since the advent of reggae journalism in the early ' 70s, much has been written about the various different changes in the music. Ska became Rock Steadyis a favourite. Was it the hot summer of '65 in Jamaica that killed off Ska? And why did Rock Steady only last a couple of years? Did Reggae come forward because Rock Steady was too slow. Did the emergence of the DJs in Jamaica slow the rhythm down again? In the mid - ' 70s, we know where Bunny Lee got the inspiration for his 'Flying Cymbal' style from, 'Philadelpia International', the U.S. soul sound of the time. With Rockers, Sly Dunbar will tell you how much he enjoyed the Watt Stax 'Soul To Soul' film.

When it comes to the 'Dance Hall Style?though, more often than not you will get an argument. The problem comes not with the sound. Most people will agree that it was the invention of Style Scott, drummer and a founding member of the Roots Radios. He, according to producer Adrian in a late 1978 quote "Was only going to play chords, instead of the rockers. " At the time very few people had heard of Style Scott, who was then a member of Prince Far I'sUK backing band Creation Rebel.

What Style Scott, did with his drums in 1978 was of little consequence. His preference for playing chords was meaningless. Except that Sly and Robbie were both on a diet - eating less in order for them to set up their own label Taxi. This mean't the break-up of the Revolutionaries, the studio band of the 70's. And would leave Channel One who had just upgraded their studio from 8 track to 16 track in need of a new studio band.

Jo Jo Hookim, one of the Hookim brothers who owned the studio - at first just brought in the Soul Sydicateband, a very, talented outfit based in the Greenwich Farm area. With them he recorded the 'Deeper Roots'set from the Mighty Diamonds released on Virgin's Front Line label. Although a very good album, it was lacking in something. Some people blamed the upgrade. Going from 8 track to 16 track can cause problems (Ask Randy's). Yet the real problem was much more fundamental than that.

Henry Junjo Lawes

Pic By Tero Kaski

And the solution came through the door of Channel One studios in the form of producer Henry Junjo Lawes -and the Roots Radios band. The Dance Hall era had arrived. Being reggae music though, it arrived in a muddle. And that nearly everyone involved in the new style was unheard of didn't really help. And the confusion was made worse with two albums by one artist being released at the same time, nothing special now ? but seen as rather strange then. The U.S. release came first and was titled 'Bounty Hunter* and the UK release on Burning Sounds came as 'Shine Eye Gal'. The U.S release credited Papa Life as the producer, the UK issue Henry Junjo Lawes. The artist was Barrington Levy a young new singer - who was really totally unknown at the time - he just went clear. His vocal style was new, but contained enough elements of other singers to keep you wondering who he had been listening too. He could also write songs, but his debut album really wasn't about that.

People were going out to buy the albums because it had a new sound - the Roots Radics (although on the 'Bounty Hunter' album - they are called The Channel One All Stars, with no mention of Style Scott) were playing vintage rhythms in a new style. To this was added Barrington Levy's powerfully melodic voice, with which he re-worked tunes like 'Moonlight Lover' and 'Skylarking'. This reworking involved taking out bits of the song and adding new lyrics. And this more than anything else this was to define the 'Dance Hall Style'. This formula of 'adaptation' or 'styling' was going to be taken up by singers and dj's over the years - time and time again. Its origins are deeply rooted in the dance hall, where a lot of people would say it should have stayed. Yet the singing over of old standards wasn't new, this had been an accepted practice throughout the world of music. So how could adding or changing a line here or there (as long as the original is credited) cause so much offence?

The cause of a lot of the indignation was probably due to what had been happening before the 'Dance Hall Style' came along. The 'Cultural Revolution' had produced many fine songs - outstanding protest and reality lyrics. From the mid '70s until the arrival of 'Dance Hall' reggae music had became the music of struggle. Now many could only see the 'Dance Hall Style' as a decadent move away from the struggle. Yet nothing could be further from the truth.

'Dance Hall' came from the sufferers, it was about life. Out of the 10 songs on the 'Bounty Hunter' LP only two were recuts, while Barrington's originals were cultural and reality songs. This though was ignored. 'Dance Hall' had too many old rhythms, and too many recuts. 'Bounty Hunter'/'Shine Eye Gal' changed everything. The pair should have been seen as another 'Catch A Fire' a major step forward for the music. Instead they caused a cut that as yet to heal.

The role of the producer in Jamaican music, can never be over emphasised. Though often mearly money men who have very little interest in music, occasionally there emerges someone with genuine interest breaking through.

Barrington Levy; Pic Ray Hurford

Henry Junjo Lawes was such a man. From 1979 till about 84/85 - every man who worked with Junjo had a hit. In that time he brought forward more new talent than anyone else - whether singer or DJ. He entered the business with a new name Barrington Levy, and he left it in 1984/85 with Coco Tea, another new name. Both artists are major talents, and there was plenty more in between. In 84/85 he was imprisoned in the U.S. In 1990 he was released. His Volcano Sound System was one of the best, and is still missed. Junjo had still a big contribution to make to the business.

Another man who played a very big part in establishing Dance Hall is Mikey Dread. With his 'Dread At The Controls' radio show on JBC he took the sound system into the living rooms of Jamaica, and from there through cassettes to all of the reggae loving world.

In a very short space of time Mikey built a very strong powerbase at JBC, which attracted a lot of talent. It was something he couldn't ignore, so he started the Dread At The Controls label. From 1978 DATC became a very popular label. As well as issuing music from people like Edi Fitzroy, Hopeton Lindo, Rod Taylor and others, the label was also an outlet for Mikey's own well forward dubwise efforts.

In 1979/80 he began to work with the Roots Radios issuing a lot of his work on 12" in the UK. Artists like Earl Sixteen, The Ovations, and Junior Murvin all had big hits with Mikey over the next couple of years. Mikey's work and success with the Roots Radics proved that 'Dance Hall' wasn't just a one producer sound, something that would not have lasted very long.

Another major component in the early success of Dance Hall was a young engineer - Scientist. He had started out at King Tubby's, had worked a little while for Coxsone Dodd at Studio One - and then took over the board at Channel One. The 'Scientific Approach'rejected old formula and instead challenged the very basics of dub mixing. Science viewed the bass in the same way that real Scientists viewed the atom. He knew he had to do something with it.

The distortion of the bass guitar - caused the same sensation that echo and reverb had a decade earlier. Scientist, like Tubby's and Jammy's before him, had became a star, in his own right In no time at all every reggae record label had its own Scientist dub album. Drum and Bass ruled again. Barrington Levy was the brightest star in the early days of the Dance Hall era. Yet like the night sky is full of stars, so it is with reggae music. And it wasn't long before three other stars started to shine.

 Sugar Minott - Pic- Dave Hendley

Sugar Minott, Johnny Osbourne and Freddie McGregor allhave histories going way back into the other eras of the music, Freddie McGregor especially so. He had been a member of the Clarendanlans along with Ernest Wilson and Peter Austin - when Ska still rocked the dance halls of Kingston. He was only a boy then. From the mid - '70s onwards, he had been making a record here and there for a variety of producers - all really in a 'Soft' style. Freddie had originally styled his voice on Johnny Mathis but now he was harding up. The first stage of that process was the 'Freddie McGregor' LP for Niney The Observer. Soon after that Studio OneIssued their classic album from him. Yet his best and most successful work was done with Linval Thompson on the * Big Ship' album which Greensleeves released in the UK in 1983.

Johnny Osbourne also started off in a group, The Sensations, who were recorded in the late 60's early 70's by Duke Reid and Winston Riley After going to live in Canada where he fronts an outfit called Ishan People he returned to record for Studio One in the late 70s. The music he made for Coxsone Dodd was of the highest quality ? but it wasn't very high profile. His status rapidly changed when he started to work in 79' , first with King Jammy, then with Junjo and then with Linval Thompson. A sad side effect of all this work was the simultaneous release of three albums. Although they all sold very well, Johnny 0, had become over exposed. When the release of the Studio One LP 'Truths & Rights' gave his career a very good boost, he really needed to ease up a bit on the recording, but Johnny just kept on working/recording. He hit the big time again in '83 with ' Water Pumping' for King Jammys, and followed it with an even bigger tune 'In Your Area' the following year - also for Jammys.

The African Brothers vocal group was the starting point for Sugar Minott. When they broke up he started to record for Studio One. By 1978 he had his first LP released on Studio One in Ja and the UK. 'Live Loving', the title gave Sugar a strong following in the UK. Yet it needed the production skills of King Jammys and the album ' Bitter Sweet' to really give the boost he needed then. Sugar had done all of the hard work himself though, through, the release of many fine singles. Seemingly always on the road, Sugar has taken the style all over the world. In New York he's recorded extensively for the Wackle's label. While in Jamaica he's spent a lot of time working with Youth Promotion, the sound system and label, where over the years he's brought forward a great deal of talented singers and DJ's.

Lone Ranger

Ever since the early seventies the DJ's have always been seen as a fashion. Even the early DJ's themselves were surprised that their style had finally been accepted. The big problem all the DJ's had from that time, till about the mid '80s, the end of the dance hall era - is that they weren't expected to be around to long. Everytime the cycle of the DJ style moved from being popular to unpopular, and then back to popular - there was another set of DJ's. The late '70s DJ's of the rockers era included the likes of General Echo, U.Brown and Welton Irie. Of course there was many, many more but at the inception of dance hall - those named were the top three DJ's.

It wasn't long before the new era had something new in the way of DJ's. This time it was a DJ duo Michigan & Smiley. They were both DJ's on the Black Harmony sound system. Ranking Michigan and General Smilie to give them their full titles were very hot. And what made them so, was the their style. DJ duo's have a long history, the most popular during the early reggae era being Dennis Alcapone & Lizzie, through you find the practice going back as far as Prince Buster, during ska, but this was new. When you listened to Michigan and Smiley it sounded like one person speaking in two voices. The lyrically interplay was that close.

Working on a sound system is all about timing - youhave only one chance. If a mistake is made, it's very noticeable, and this encourages precision timing. Michigan and Smiley being a duo had to be better than that, and were. Coxsone recorded them and had two really big hits 'Rub A Dub Style' and 'Bice Up The Dance" before releasing a great album from the duo - ?Rub A Dub Style* - released in 1979. More traditional was Lone Ranger. Ranger had been around since the '70's, recording quite a few very good tunes for Coxsone, and even an album, but not really breaking through. Now it was his time. Strangely, Ranger had to go to producer Alvin Ranglinand the GG label to get his first really big hit ' Barnabus Collins'. Before long he also cut an album for GG's by the same name, although to date most of the Ranger's best work is on Studio One. Including the great 'Badder Dan Dem' LP. Lone Ranger seemed to rule the dance hall - and although he had a number of challengers in that time, things looked pretty good for the masked one. That is of course until an albino Winston Foster decided to go into a DJ competition -and won it.

Yellowman

Enter Yellowman. Before long Yellow-fever was everywhere. What made him so popular was his gift (if it could be called that) of 'sweetening' 'slackness'.Before long his popularity grew to such an extent that it soon seemed like a new Yellowman LP was being released every other week. Channel One's 'Mad Over Me'album issued on J&L, seemed to catch him at his best.

Another important factor in the rise of dance hall, was the continuing popularity of the vocal group. It's true that no new vocal groups emerged in the era, but earlier groups, notably the Wailing Souls and the Mighty Diamonds did very well. Another example was The Viceroys. Here was a group who had their roots in rock steady. Recording for Studio One at the time, they cut a few classics - and were not heard from again until the mid-'70s when they had a small hit with 'Mission Impossible? for Winston Riley under the name of the Interns.

Now in 1982, the group led by Wesley Tingling, and including Neville Ingrain and Norris Reid were suddenly very hot. The reason for this was that now they were being produced by Linval Thompson with the Roots Radios at Channel One and they sounded fresh. Yet the group hadn't turned their back on their roots. Their debut album "We Must Unite" released by Trojan Recordsin the UK was imbued with the same lyrical consciousness for which the group was famous. A year or so later the Viceroys returned to work with Winston Riley. Chris Wayne had replaced Norris Reid, but they still sounded good. And the album this formation released, 'Chancery Lane' on Greensleeves is yet another classic set.

The Mighty Diamonds return to greatness also owes a great deal to the dance hall style. The 'Deeper Roots'set released by Virgin Front Line was as stated an admirable album in every respect, but it did nothing to bring the group back to the top.

And for the next few years that's how it stayed ? they made a few nice tunes but nothing exceptional. Then they started to work with Gussie Clarke. Now Gussie is not really noted for his work with dance hall artists - or for really liking the dance hall sound. So whatever gave him the inspiration to recut the 'Full Up' rhythm with the Mighty Diamonds is anyone's guess. Yet that's what he did and the result was the phenomenal success of 'Pass The Kutchie' then 'Pass The Knowledge' (better in my opinion than 'Kutchie') and finally to international success with Musical Youth's 'Pass The Dutchie'. The Mighty Diamonds were back.

Wailing Souls

Without doubt the biggest success of the dance hall era as far as groups were concerned was the Wailing Souls. They had been very successful in the rockers era at Channel One as well, but nothing compared to run of success that started with the 'Firehouse Rock'LP for Junjo, released in 1981 on Greensleeves, and just carried on year after year right up to the present day. The Wailing Souls were THE group of the dance hall era.

By 1981/82 the dance hall style had more or less established itself. The Roots Radios were the session band to have on recording sessions. Sly and Robbie had come up with an alternative 'Dance Hall Sound' but they were following a style now, rather than creating it as they had done in the Rockers era. So it was no great surprise that when the more established artists started to record in the style it was to the Roots Radios they turned.

The biggest surprise came when Bunny Wallers moved into the dance hall style. 'Sings The Wallers' 'Rock And Groove' and 'Tribute', his three big LP's released over a period of time, around 81/82, all feature the Radios on rhythms. Recorded at Harry J, they seem to catch the band in a lighter style, but one that works very well. Bunny's use of unusual horn arrangements seems to balance the rhythms up very well. Those three albums showed what could be done - that The Radics and 'Dance Hall' had more than one sytle.

Further proof came with the release of the Gregory Isaacs LPs on Charisma and the Island sets. 'Lonely Lover' and 'More Gregory' for Charisma and 'Night Nurse' and 'Out Deh' for Island all feature the Radios. This time though they are in a very subdued style. Sometime around 1980, Gregory's songwriting became much more personal. Gone were the protest and reality songs.

What Gregory now prefered to sing about was the sadness he felt at the ending of a relationship. ?Front Door? from the 'More Gregory' LP was perhaps the best song from this era. He had sung about love and life before but the style of Radios here, deep and introspective, gave the songs a strange feeling. Somehow, Gregory had been able to transfer his sadness into the rhythms. "Out Deh', with its greater emphasis on reality songs, was different again. Here was the full range of Radics skills on display for a great LP.

Dennis Brown

Dennis Brown's work in the dance hall style, was really based upon his work with Sly and Robbie. Who when they finally got going showed that when they put their mind to it they could come up with something very special. Dennis hit big with ' Sitting and Watching' and 'Revolution', both for Taxi, which really should have turned into a album, but didn't, (or did, but far too late). Just as good is the album 'Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow' which features tracks produced by Dennis, Sly And Robbie and Joe Gibbs.Released on Joe Gibbs Music Corp out of Miami, it features classics like 'Hold On To What You've Got' 'A Little Bit More' and 'Have You Ever Been In Love', plus a further five which more that are just as good. This was the real 'Dance Hall Style' favoured by Junjo, old rhythms updated with new songs written for them - with Dennis Brown it worked every time.

After Barrington Levy, "there were a number of singers who came through who had just as distinctive a style, but who for one reason or another haven't been able to maintain their success like Barrington Levy. These cannot be considered to be one hit one wonders or anything like that - they all have at least one major album to their name. And in the case of Don Carlos and Eek A Mouse more than one.

Yet with only two albums and very few single releases Richie Mac with his LP ' Jah Is I Light' made a very big contribution to the dance hall scene around 1983. Richard McDonald started off around the early seventies as a member of the vocal group The Chosen Few. By the mid '70s he had gone solo, working with a few producers including Glen Brown with whom he had a hit with 'Jah Jah Bring Everything'.

With the release of 'Jah Is I Light' Musicism Ja/Londisc - UK> Richie McDonald took dance hall into a different direction. Here for the first time was a selection of old rhythms (plus a couple of new ones) that sounded like they had been arranged around Richie's songs. The album produced, by Herman Chin Loy and recorded at his Aquarius studio, should have been a great success, but it wasn't. And why that is so is still a mystery to this day.

Don Carlos was one of the first exponents of the 'Waterhouse Style' vocal style. It was built on the style of Michael Rose of Black Uhuru. Don Carlos took it back to its roots. Negus Roots was the first label to release an LP by Don Carlos - 'Suffering' produced by the Flacko Brothers.The LP made his name known, but things didn't really start to happen for Don until the release of his Channel One LP ' Natty Dread Have Him Credential' and then the Henry Junjo Lawes set 'Day To Day Living' Both sets were very well received, Don looked to have a promising career ahead of him. And then it started, Bunny Lee released a couple of LP's and Roy Cousins did as well. They weren't bad albums, far from it, the problem was that they all came out at once. Don was over exposed and so far as never recovered from the experience.

Eek A Mouse

One of the strangest vocal and lyrical styles belongs to the one they call Eek A Mouse. Everyone except Eek A Mouse agreed that he could only be termed a singjay.Like a DJ he was fond of starting a tune on one theme and finishing it on something else. And then within that he would add a whole set of words and phrases that were really unique, "Beng - Beng," being a favourite. All his best work to date was done for Junjo. His first album, ' Wa Do Dem' on Greensleeves, being particulary outstanding. Although 'The Very Best Of Eek A Mouse', also on Greensleeves featuring productions from Linval Thompson and Anthony & Ronald Welch is also a must.

By the end of 1982 and the beginning of ' 83 things were set to change again. Sound System Tapes started to have a big impact on the music. For the first time for many people,they were actually hearing the process of how 'Stars' were made. To be heard on a dubplate on a big sound is the first step to fame. Frankie Paul, Half Pint and Junior Reid all came from this time, and were part of the process. Frankie Paul could be heard on dubplates on Kilamanjaro, Gemini and Jack Ruby. He had been recording with Channel One who had just released 'Worries In The Dance'. Frankie sounded a lot like Dennis Brown initally, but by the time he reached Winston Riley, who released his first album 'Strange Feelings' , his own style was more or less evident. Once again though it was Junjo who really took Frankie Paul up and away with his 'Pass The Tu-Sheng-Peng' LP released on Greensleeves, More success came with producer George Phang and another Greensleeves LP, 'Tidal Wave?.

Half Pint

It was Myrie and Marshall ? two new producers who brought Half Pint into the business, by first introducing him to Yabby U, who gave the young singer a lot of help, and then by producing his excellent debut LP 'In Fine Style', released only in Jamaica on their Sunset label.

The mixing of the 'Fine Style' LP was done at King Jammys studio, and it was this connection that brought Half Pint to the attention of King Jammys, which in turn made Half Pint into a star and eventually King Jammy the biggest producer on the Island. Half Pint's 'Money Man Skank' , album released in a very good sleeve, just went clear. His nasal tones, were easily matched by a great skill in songwriting that has since improved year by year. Jammy's contribution was a set of rhythms (five) played by the High Tines band that sounded fresh. The album sold so well that a year later there still was enough interest in it for a UK release on Greensleeves. 'One In A Million',it also contained some additional tracks.

Another dance hall favourite of the time was Junior Reid. Out of the three, Junior had the most experience, starting in the late seventies with Hugh Mundell. When Hugh was killed, it made Junior even more determined to succeed. Around 81/82 he was a member of the Voice Of The Progress group, with whom he had a small hit 'Mini Bus Driver' . When the group broke up, Junior worked with a few producers before joining Sugar Minott's Youth Promotion. With YP he cut 'The Original Foreign Mind', which hit really big. Then came the album of the same name, which gave him even more success. He then started to work with King Jammys, 'Higgler Move' one of his first recordings was excellent. 'Boom Shack A Lack' was more successful, yet shortly after this he joined Black Uhuru, when Michael Rose left.

Briggy

Also around this time - 83/84 - came the second wave of DJ's. Although what must be understood is that they didn't just appear (Yellowman is the big exception to the rule in general). Nearly all the DJ's from Jamaica have a very long apprenticeship on the smaller 'Hi Fi's* before being invited on to the big time Sound Systems. Vith the breakthrough of Brigadier Jerry, Josey Vales and Charlie Chaplin, the DJ style moved from 'Slackness' best represented by Yellowman into a more reality style. And it's the sound system tape that once again acted as a medium for change. And of all the DJ's ever to come out of Jamaica - it must be Briggy (as he's known) who utilised the sound system to its greatest extent to date.

Although Briggy made records - 'Pain' issued on a 12" on the Jwyanza label in 1982, was a good hit for him -his work on sound systems like Jan Love and Jack Ruby was far more important to him. Especially Jah Love, the Sound System of the Twelve Tribes Of Israel Organisation. With Jah Love, Briggy would take a theme and carry it over a selection of records for half a hour or more! It was Deejaying taken to it's highest ites. Jah Love sound tapes are the place to find Briggy at his best. Although his debut album 'Jamaica Jamaica' for Jah Love Muzlk which RAS released in 1985 is perhaps the most enigmatic LP to come out of Jamaica.

Stur-Gav - U.Roy's sound is the starting point for Josey Wales and Charlie Chaplin. When Junjo set up his Volcano sound system in 1983, they both moved over to his set. On Volcano, they just carried on doing - what they had been doing on Stur-Gav, converting life into sets of lyrics for the dance hall.

Josey was the first to record, and it was Junjo who he recorded for. His first album was 'The Outlaw ? Josey Wales', which Greensleeves released in 1983. This classic LP set the pattern and the standard for all future releases from the man. Working with U.Roy, he seemed to have picked up his perfect timing. Josey just brought in a greater amount of subject material. Charlie was the same, perhaps just a bit more casual -more relaxed. At the time it looked like Junjo would also be the first to release Charlie's debut LP.

Yet it was to be Roy Cousins who was the first to get an LP on the market from Charlie, 'Presenting Charlie Chaplin' on Kingdom. Quickly followed by 'One Of A Kind', which Trojan released in 1983, also produced by Roy Cousins. Although both LP's are good albums, it took the up and coming George Phang and his Powerhouselabel to really project Charlie into the big time. The 'Que Dem' LP released in 1984 was truly excellent. After that he had another LP for Powerhouse 'Fire Down Below' and one for Junjo, but they didn't get the attention they deserved and Charlie seemed to go low profile for a time.

 Cocoa Tea : Pic Beth Kingston

By 1985, Dance Hall had been going six to seven years equalled only by the Roots era from 1970 to 1975. It had changed, but everyone seemed to sense that another change was about to occur. Indifferent to the likes or dislikes of certain Reggae media-ites -Jamaica represented by it's artists, musicians, and producers just kept on making music. Henry Junjo Lawes who had started the whole thing still had one more gift to the music (for the time being) - the one they call Coco Tea.

Coco Tea hit the music at the time like a very coolbreeze. It was a voice that was so soft and relaxing- and very original. The only singer who he could really be compared to was Lord Creator. One of his first tunes for Junjo was 'Lost My Sonia* which was a big hit, another was 'Rocking Dolly'. Junjo just had to release a LP and he did ' Weh Dem A Go Do. . .Can't Stop Coco Tea' the LP tore up the charts and it wasn't surprising. Included on the ten tracks were the hits, plus the likes of 'Evening Time' on 'On Top Of The Vorld' 'I'm Going Home' and ' Jan Made Them That Way'.Coco's never really looked backed since that first great LP, and is today poised for even greater success.

At more or less the same time Junjo's old partner Jah Life/Papa Life also started to enjoy some popularity. Based in New York - he had been working with DJ Sister Carol, very successfully. Yet it was Carlton Livingstone's very distinctive vocal style which took Papa Life back into the spotlight which enabled Carlton Livingstone's '100 Weight Of Collie Weed" LP to be released in the UK on Greensleeves. Carlton had already shown how good a singer he was with the LP 'Soweto' which came out in the early '80's. Now though was his time. Not long after, another great LP 'Rumours' for Bebo'swas released and them came 'Trodding Through The Jungle' for the Dynamite label. Carlton had become very popular, very quickly. All his music was of a high standard, and sold well, but for whatever reason after those three albums he seemed to disappear from the scene. Although recently he's been making a comeback.

George Phang, Junjo's great rival in the dance hall era seemed to enjoy working with established talent rather fresh artists. Michael Palmer was the exception. Channel One had given him a start, but George Phang really made him into a star. 'Lickshot'took the Powerhouse sound to the top of the reggae charts, and the album of the same name followed in due course. Michael's vocal style was hard to describe, someone said it was a "lazy" style. Like so many artists he then just stopped making records. Sadly though Michael had a throat problem, which as only just been recently cured.

THE DANCE HALL STYLE SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY ALBUMS

BarringtonLevy- Bounty Hunter - Junjo/Papa Life ? Jah Life

Yellowman - Mr Yellowman - Junjo ? Greensleeves

Lone Ranger - Badda Dan Dem C.S.Dodd - Studio One

Mikey Dread - African Anthem - Mikey Dread - Cruise

Scientist - Heavyweight Dub Champ ? Jammys - Greensleeves

Johnny Osbourne - Pally Lover - Linval Thompson - Greensleeves

Freddie McGregor - Big Ship - Junjo - Greensleeves

Carlton Livingstone - lOOlb of Jah Life - Greensleeves

Wailing Souls - Firehouse Rock - Linval Thompson - Trojan

Viceroys - We Must Unite - Junjo - Greensleeves

Mighty Diamonds - Changes - Gussie Clarke - Music Works

Gregory Isaacs - Out Deh -Island

Dennis Brown - Yesterday, Today... Joe Gibbs Inc

Bunny Waller - Rock N Groove Bunny Wallers - Solomonic

Don Carlos - Day To Day Living -Junjo - Greensleeves

Eek A Mouse - Wa Do Dem Junjo - Greensleeves

Richie Mac - Jah Is I Light ? Herman Chin Loy - Musicism

Frankie Paul - Best Of Channel One - Channel One

Half Pint - Money Man Skank Jammys ? Jammys

Junior Reid - Foreign Mind Youth Promotion - Black Roots

Charlie Chaplin - Que Dem George Phang ? Powerhouse

Josey Wales - Outlaw Junjo - Greensleeves

Brigadier Jerry - Jamaica Janaica - Jah Love Muzik ? RAS

Coco Tea - Wah Dem A Go Do Junjo ? Volcano

Michael Palmer - Lickshot George Phang - Powerhouse

Brigadier Jerry - Jamaica Janaica - Jah Love Muzik - RAS

Coco Tea - Wah Dem A Go Do Junjo - Volcano

Michael Palmer - Lickshot George Phang - Powerhouse

Yellowman - Mr Yeliowman Junjo - Greensleeves

Carlton Livingstone - lOOlb of Jah Life - Greensleeves

Lone Ranger - Badda Dan Dem C.S.Dodd - Studio One

Barry Brown - Right Now - Jah Screw - Time

Al Campbell - Bad Boy - C.Jarrret & B.Phil lips - CSA

Winston Hussey - The Girl I Adore - Delroy Wright - Live & Learn

Robert Ffrench - The Favourite - Various - Black Solidarity

Frankie Jones - Them Nice - Brent Dowe - Sunset

Little John - The Best Of - C.Chin & G.Douglas - RM

Michigan & Smiley - Sugar Daddy - Dr Dread - RAS

Tony Tuff - Come Fe Mash It - Junjo - Volcano