In reggae the purpose of the 12" single was to house the "disco mix," an antiquated term that has little to do with the American definition of "disco." These were extended mixes of any given track that often bumped the original against the dub or the maybe the version. It was the version that launched the Jamaican "deejay," which once again has little to do with the American version of DJ. These deejays were toasters like
U-Brown,
U-Roy, and
Dillinger, artists who proto-rapped their lyrics over instrumentals, laying the foundation for dancehall and even hip-hop. Usually these deejay versions are compiled on their own by crucial labels like Blood & Fire and Soul Jazz, but VP's reissue imprint 17 North Parade has taken a refreshing attitude toward these tracks and here re-creates the Jamaican 12" experience. The tracks on their
Culture and Deejays at Joe Gibbs release all feature the hit going straight into the version, not always a smooth transition, as the jarring change in sound quality found in "Two Sevens Clash/Prophesy Reveal" displays. Still, these disco mixes stretch the groove to a satisfying length and offer a truly Jamaican feel, with segues being as rough and tumble as the giant speakers the JA soundsystems dragged around. Big
Culture hits like "Two Sevens Clash," "See Them a Come," and "Natty Dread Taking Over" plus important deejay names like
I-Roy,
Clint Eastwood, and
Prince Far I make this a necessary purchase for the reggae faithful, but what makes it special are the unexpected moments. The forgotten deejay
Bo Jangles is fascinating as he humorously calls a horse race on "Jah Love/Selassie I Cup," then gets serious and stern in a dub poetry style for "Two Sevens Clash/Prophesy Reveal." The ominous story of Al Capone that
I-Roy lays on "I'm Not Ashamed" is accompanied by car-crash sound effects, while the underappreciated
Nicodemus' performance on "Disco Train" -- "The Train" renamed for the 12" format -- is nonstop brilliance. The sound quality isn't perfect and not every deejay version is essential, but
Culture fanatics or Jamaican music fans unfamiliar with the disco mix are going to love this well-presented, seldom-heard slice of reggae history.