searching for a certain roots stylee

[ion5]

does sumone know "THE JEWELZ" ?
they are a good example for this search... thier songs "LOVE n LIVITY" +
"CHILDREN OF THE SLAVETRADE"
both have those high voiced refrain singing by multiple singers
i here and there hear it somewhere else like on old upsetters or also tubbys LP`s

but can someone give more names of groups, compilation ets who use exactly this stylee

also is there a name for it? sum seem to call it "scratch" but that sounds to me more like another word for roots (from scratch)

also is there anyone whos stll doing it? i dont think so.... too bad i love this! really original JAM

blessed love dubbin bredrins all ova motha eart

[interruptor]

I didn't know the jewels so I searched the web and found a nice mixtape containing "Love 'n' Livity":

http://bambu.breakz.be/goldorak/GrosseBasslein192.mp3
the corresponding set list (posted by user "andreas" on this youtube page is:

"The rare roots tapes"
rootsreggae, soul, dub, steppers, dubstep & dancehall
Duration: 1h18min10sec.

01 The Dynamics - Seven Nation Army - Groove Attack
02 Grandmagneto - Tainted Love - BigSingle
03 The Light of Saba - Thy Kingdom Come - Kingston Connexion
04 Horace Martin - Jah Jah Children - Rootical Dubber
05 The Jewels- Love 'n' Livity - Cash 'n' Carry
06 Blood Sisters - One Blood Dub - Ballistic
07 Ras Hassen - Marcus Garvey - Dreadlyon
08 Ras Muffet & Sista Eherta - Think I'll be fooled - Roots Injection
09 Tena Stelin & Keety Roots - Run Away Menghistu - Black Legacy
10 Blood Shanti - Children of the Most high - Falasha
11 Barry Issac - Vibrations - Reggae On Top
12 Shanti Ites - Positive Vibrations - Falasha
13 Tenna Star - Ghetto Livin' - Meditative Sounds
14 Messalie - Struggling - Inna Sanctuary
15 Kromestar - Rainy Days - Deep Medi
16 Mala - Forgive - Deep Medi
17 Rusko - Jah Love - Tempa
18 Tes La Rok - Reggae - Noppa
19 Benga - Dual - Big Apple
20 Caspa - Big Headed Slags - Sub Soldiers
21 Tes La Rok - Bass 31 - 3.5 Records
22 Skream - Lightning - Tempa
29 Unknown - I Don't give - White
30 Lv feat. Dandelion & Yungun - Accident Causer - Moomu Sound
31 Thievery Corporation - The State of the Union - ESL music

The falsetto harmony singing you are referring to was quite common with 70s roots reggae vocal groups. Other examples which come to my mind are:

the meditations - running from jamaica (album: message from the mediations)
the meditations - there must be a first time (album: message from the mediations)
the abyssinians (also spelled "abbysinians") - declaration of rights (album: satta)
the abyssinians - good lord (album: satta)
the abyssinians - timasgan (album: satta)
the congos - fisherman and other songs (album: heart of the congos)
the gladiators - eli eli (album: trenchtown mix up)


Not all of these songs feature the falsetto voices as prominently as "Love 'n' Livity" though.

I don't know whether there is a specific name for this style in roots reggae however this singing technique is generally called "falsetto". See also the Wikipedia entry for Falsetto.

I hope this helped
Daniel / Interruptor

[ion5]

thanks alot dan
hmmm i browsed the mixtape but the jewelz song is really the most close to that falsetto style
but listen after a while again to that tune by Ras Muffet & Sista Eherta , what a blessing

sure i do know meditaions & co but still not exactly that style

maybe u accidentialy hear sth in that direction and can link me up, or any1

boaah listening what a nice mixtape!
thanks again

bless

[interruptor]

I see.. you are really looking for multiple falsetto voices singing the lead part as in "Love 'n' Livity". Do they always sing like that or is it just these two tunes which you mentioned?

[ion5]

only know 4 tunes a dem and the other 2 are different... well still that falsetto but more sunshine reagge

[KoCha]

both have those high voiced refrain singing by multiple singers
i here and there hear it somewhere else like on old upsetters or also tubbys LP`s

This kind of harmony is time signature from seventies, specially beautiful when the Congos do it

I love this kind of harmony, and for it's a frustration to see that today it's rare to see this kind of 3 voice harmony.

For me it's the most beautiful way to sing chorus... more than a single voice, it's a real vocal CHORD !

[ion5]

also check BUSH WEED corn trash from collie and ricky or so ...also found under lee perry

nice one

peace

[KoCha]

It's not only falsetto, it's a combination of normal voice and falsetto voice by different singer on different note making a chord.

It's funny cause I can only sing correct in falsetto, my standard voice is always wrong... funny to learn it's the same technic used in yodel... I perhaps must start a yodel carrier