Horace Andy

Horace Andy

Horace Andy - Living It Up - CD/DVD -

Its took a while for it to happen, but at long last we are now getting

CD/DVD reggae releases. Not just a couple of bonus tracks, which are

nice, but full DVD's well over an hour long! In the case of this album

it features Horace Andy in the studio with Sly and Robbie together

with a whole heap of other great musicians including, Scully and

Sticky,Robbie Lyn, Ansel Collins,Rad Bryan. The setting for this video

is the refurbished Harry J studio - which looks massive!! Shots of

nearly every part of the studio are great to see. Then bit by bit,

track by track - you get to see this great album being made. We know

how its done, but this is seeing it. You can see Robbie sweating over

a bassline. Marvel at weird precussion instruments used by Scully and

Sticky. When it comes to voicing, Horace makes it look easy. Only once

during the DVD is he asked to resing something - not bad for a 18

track set! Its a shame we don't see anything of the mixing process -

but its a great album - as good as the DVD. Congratulations to Mr

Bogard and his friend Stepper for setting up this project.

Horace Andy - Skylarking - Studio One

Jamaica as many talented artists, but few can claim to have inspired a

totally new vocal style. Horace's high range style is truly something

else capable of making average material quiet interesting. Although it

must be stated that he is also a very creative songwriter as well.

This album his debut contains a mixture of originals and covers, all

recorded for Coxsone in the early to mid seventies. 'Got To Be Sure'

his debut single is truly amazing, as his the Cat Stevens song 'Where

Do The Children Play'.

Horace Andy - Dance Hall Style - Wackies - 1983

An Horace Andy album for Wackies was always going to be interesting.

Horace Andy coming from Studio One via Bunny Lee, Tapper Zukie, King

Tubby's and quite a few more has a lot to offer Wackies. What

attracted Horace to Wackies was probably the chance to work within a

studio based label again which would give him time to improve his bass

playing and learn to play other instruments. There is a lot of good

work on this album as well as great songs in short a musical education

for anyone.

Horace Andy - Sings For You And I - Striker Lee

Horace and Bunny Lee work well together, as this 'Incredible' album of

hits proves. 20 songs on one album and not one single bad tune to be

found. Which is how things should be with album of this type. This is

just a great album. Truly the best of Horace Andy (to date anyway) and

one that Bunny must be surely proud of. The material here is the music

that they cut together from the early seventies right up to the late

seventies and includes originals like 'Zion Gate' and 'You Are My

Angel' plus recuts of the Studio One hits.

Horace Andy - Showcase - Vista - 1983

Not long after the Wackies release, Horace started a serious comeback

after a break from the business which had lasted a few years. The

first productions to be released came from Tad Dawkins. This album

includes those most notably 'Shank I Sheck' and 'Strictly Rub A Dub'.

Plus a curious selection of what sounds like other producers material.

Which includes the original 'Cus Cus' from Harry J, with a new vocal

by Horace. It could have been a joke album, but thanks to Horace vocal

talents it isn't.

Horace Andy - Elementary - Rough Trade - 1985

'Elementary' ranks alongside 'Sleng Teng' and 'Tempo' as examples of

the electronic potential of reggae. The inspiration that these record

gave as changed the music. Roc Studios in London have played a big

part in that change of sound. And it was here that this album was

recorded, except for the title track that came out of SDS. And with

the help of Aswad, Horace & The Rhythm Queen take full advantage of

the Roc Studios and it's facilities to great effect. Producing a

standard that others will hopefully follow.