Glen Brown

Glen Brown – Plays Music From The East – Fashion

One of reggae music's most legendary producers. Up there in terms of innovation with the best of them.

Towards the end of the eighties – the spotlight finally fell on him.

Greensleeves released 3 various artists sets which are are truly essential. They also released a Sylford Walker album which is also a must.

What they never released was an album by Glen himself. Who is to melodica playing what Picasso is to the world of painting.

Glen brings new meaning into the word – abstract.

Take for example 'Two Wedden Skank' a 1973 tune – a version of the 'Wedding March' Glen turns the melody inside out and backwards – and he comes up with a true gem!

Chris Lane and Gussie P must have wondered about recutting the tune – but then thought better of it!!!

They instead have created one of the best albums ever made in this country. It shows what can be done withdigital rhythms with the right amount of production and direction.

Glen's melodica playing boldly goes where no melodica as gone before!!! Truly inspirational!!!

And a true credit to all concerned.

Glen Brown and King Tubby: Termination Dub (1996, Blood & Fire)

There is heavy and then there is real HEAVY! With a series of ultra-intense rhythms this has to be one of the most weighty dub albums out there. Not even the dashes of flute, brass and melodica offer much in the way of relief. Instead these instruments often add a mournful quality to the mixes. What is particularly remarkable is that this material was recorded over a lengthy period of time, with a largely variety of players, yet the sound and tone is very consistent. Glen Brown, who started his career as a singer with the Sonny Bradshaw group, produced some of the most hard-hitting reggae in the late 1970s in spite of being a somewhat marginal figure in the industry. This dub album brings to mind the material Tubby mixed for Yabby You in the mid-70s, but also foreshadows the unrelenting tension and hardness of records like ‘Dangerous Dub’. A lot of the material here feels like it was designed for dub plate – very dramatic introductions that feature vocal punctuations, reverb and false starts. ‘Version 78 Style’ is an arresting cut of ‘Death in the Area’ that highlights a reverberating double-time steam train drum sound. The back-to-back dubs of Sylford Walker’s ‘Cleanliness is Godliness’, with their startlingly tape rewinds, are stunning as well. How many times can I say it:

this is yet another first-rate Blood & Fire release! The liner notes are fascinating and contain an interesting anecdote about how Glen Brown would instruct Tubby to mix several variations of his rhythms so he would be able to select the mixes he liked best.

Glen Brown - Dubble Attack - DJ Collection 72-74 - Greensleeves - 1989

When Greensleeves announced that it was releasing a set of Glen Brown albums it felt like something had changed. First of all Greensleeves had kept well away from the oldies market. Concentrating on new albums - and in the case of Doctor Alimantado albums made up of rare singles. 'The Best Dressed Chicken' from Tado really helped to establish the label. And yet apart from another album from Tado - they never used the idea again.

Yet what had been happening in the late eighties at Trojan with Steve Barrow at the controls certainly must have made them rethink there ideas.

Glen Brown was and still is a legend. His productions were like soundtracks to films. Be it, Westerns, Black Action, or Gangster films. The first of the three LP's is a collection of deejay singles. And what a collection. Here you will find U Roy, Big Youth, Prince Jazzbo, I Roy, Prince

Hammer/Berry Simpson, and Lloyd Young. These deejays took this new music form up to the highest ites!

All they needed was a good rhythm, and Glen Brown had plenty of them. Built with some of the best session bands of the day. The All Star Band, Now Generation, Soul Syndicate, plus a whole section of horn players - who were the best of the best.

By bringing together these rhythms, played by these band with these deejays at that moment in time - was to create something so extra special.

Glen Brown - Boat To Progress - Vocal Collection - 70-74 - Greensleeves

Before Glen was a producer he was a singer - in a duo with Dave Barker - Dave & Glen and also as a solo singer. So he had a very good idea. What made a great singer and what made a great song. He liked to do covers 'Tell It Like It Is' is one and 'I'm Your Puppet' is another. When it came other vocalists he worked with Gregory Isaacs, Ritchie Mac, Little Roy, Keith Poppin, Johnny Clarke and Tinga Stewart. All great singers. And he made some great records as well. Gregory's 'One One Cocoa', and Richie Mac' 'Realize' are powerful tunes. Reality tunes with a strong message. Yet in the lovers style Tinga Stewart's ' Brand New Me'

is outstanding.

Glen Brown - Check The Winner - Instrumentals - 70-74 - Greensleeves

The man's most success came with instrumentals. Here his creative talents - were second to none. A massive hit was 'Merry Up' which he recorded with Joe White on melodica. It remains one of the best Melodica tunes ever made. The bass line cuts in and out of the melodica as they swap around - moving around the tune like a form of dance. Glen Brown's own Melodica masterpiece is also present the remarkable 'Two Wedden Skank' the Wedding March as never sounded so good and so wild. Another big favourite is 'Dirty Harry' from Tommy McCook & Richard Hall. If they ever get around to re-making 'Dirty Harry' they should use this tune - magnificent.