Ringo

Ringo – Woman A Ginal – Top Ranking International – 1981

Whereas the Black & White set represents all that are good in the dance hall form of reggae, this Top Ranking release presents to us the ‘International’ style. Ringo is just as good here as he is on the Black & White set, but he sounds uncomfor-table on the rhythms. Some rhythms are perfect for deejaying on; others cause the deejay to lose interest. When the rhythm is good, like for example on ‘Morning Ride’ you can hear the man getting into it. It is possible to make good DJ albums within the ‘International’ style, but these have tended to be culturally based albums. Big Youth’s work is a good example. Mixing the dance hall style with the international style is not a good idea though.

Ringo – Cool Profile – Musical Ambassador – 1982

Trevor Elliott’s Musical Ambassador’s label would not seem an obvious choice of label/producer for Ringo to work with. Trevor is best known for his productions with Edi Fitzroy who was and still is more of cultural singer than a dancehall singer is. Thus you would be expecting on this album a selection of heavy-duty cultural rhythms featuring Edi Fitzroy. Well the rhythms on this album are certainly heavy duty, courtesy of the Roots Radics, and Edi Fitzroy is indeed featured on vocals. Trevor though realised that the bulk of this album must be dance hall rhythms i.e. recuts of Studio One and Treasure Isle tunes, and this is what you get. Ringo truly inspired does them full justice.

Ringo – Pancoot – Hitbound – 1982

The combination of Ringo, producer Niney, and engineers Solgie & Scientist together with the Roots Radics, should create a dream deejay album. Sadly this is not the case. For you can have the best rhythms in the world, but without the lyrical inspiration, they are little more than great rhythms. Ringo really

sounds like he’s going through the motions on this set. Usually Niney’s quality control system would have prevented anything to poor being created. But back then he was virtually living at Channel One studio, so it’s possible that this set got rushed. In common with every other studio on the island, Channel One had it’s off days.

Ringo – Eyewitness – MC – 1982

Tommy Cowan’s productions have always leaned towards the international style. A DJ like Ringo would not normally be the type of artist he would produce. However Yellowman had made slackness almost acceptable by this time, so Ringo would be perfect for Tommy Cowan makeover. Strangely ‘Eyewitness’ ranks alongside ‘Cool Profile’ & ‘Push Lady Push’ as another great work from the man. The rhythms are tough, although it’s not possible to name who played on the session, because no musicians are credited. While Ringo’s lyrics are sharp. The title track is a remarkable tune concerning a gay wedding. One track though does not make a album, and thankfully all eight tracks are well forward.

Ringo – Riding West – Jah Guidance – 1982

The final twist in this tale of four Ringo album in one year, belongs to Henry Junjo Lawes. Of all the producers Ringo as worked with, Junjo is the most suited. In fact you could not find a better producer for this DJ to work with. Junjo though was capable of surprises. Buru’s highly anticipated debut album for instance featured him deejaying over rhythms built by The High Times Band, which takes a while to adjust too. Guess who built the majority of rhythms here, The High Times Band. So instead of a possible dancehall masterpiece, we get a very international sounding album. Which still works very well.