Santa Ranking

Santa Ranking – Rough Neck Chicken – Wackies - 1987

Brigadier Jerry's impact on deejaying in reggae music as been far and wide. His lyrics and his style can be heard all over the place. Yet on record very few have sounded him like him. Step forward Santa Ranking!!! What Santa lacks in lyrics he makes up for with vibes. And the rhythms here are perfect. Pure Wackies – but in a dancehall style. Although people tend to think of Wackies as a roots album the success they had in Dancehall with people like Sugar and Horace – makes them one of the most important dancehall label. Such a shame that more sets from deejays like Santa were not released.

Santa Ranking – Rough DJ – Trump Jack - 1989

By the time that the digital era had arrived – Santa had an whole bag full of new lyrics and with strong digital rhythms that sound like they were recorded and mixed in NYC this album finds him in top form. Once again its in the style of Briggy – but already you can hear little touches of originality coming through which is always the case with deejays. There seems to be some kind of myth surrounding roots deejays and digital rhythms. That they don't work. Well Briggy made a great digital album with Tappa and this is another one.