Sizzla Kalonji & Bredren - The Early Years In Roots (1995 - 2002)
The first time I got introduced to the works of a, at the time, young singer calling himself 'Sizzla Kalonji' was when I heard the album Black Woman & Child somewhere in the mid to late 90s. I was very impressed with what I heard and ever since started following the musical output of this man from August Town, Jamaica. Lots can be said about his varying output from his debut Burning Up (1995) 'til his latest The Messiah (2013), but here I'd like to focus on the years that I and many with me consider his best: 1995 - 2002. He truly made classic tunes and albums in those years, mainly but not solely for producers Philip "Fatis" Burrell and Bobby "Digital B" Dixon. In this set of 2 mixes I like to showcase the early works in roots of Sizzla Kalonji & Bredren. It started off as a single-mix-effort, but after reaching the 80 min mark on the first, I had too many superb tunes left that had to be included, so a 2nd mix was born. I still had to leave out many killer tunes I highly rate, but felt 2 was enough for now. It does say something about the quality of his output of those days! The choice of tracks is based on my personal preference, diversity in the mix and the vibe of the moment. I'm not a fan of Sizzla in his falsetto style, so left tunes with that out. A tracklist like this is surely debatable, but for now it all lead to this and good music it is! Finding next tracks on riddims or even some dubs has been very time consuming, but very enjoyable to do: hadn't focussed this much on that time period in a while and man, what a pleasure it was to delve into it. Very hard to mix right at points too, due to the included tunes from other artists on the same riddims being mixed totally different (especially with Xterminator, love that attention they gave to every single tune in those days!) or coming from different albums with a different final mixing. I decided to strictly use tunes I have on original format (so no downloads), be it CD, LP or 45s and combined some with other tracks and/or dubs on the same riddims for a diverse, quality journey through the works of Sizzla Kalonji and with that through JA music of 1995 - 2002. Next artists include Luciano, Cocoa Tea, Anthony B, Admiral Tibet, Capleton, Jah Cure, Prince Malachi, Morgan Heritage and more. Mixes are in the usual BMC-style: no full tunes, one continuous 80 minute mix each with soundsamples here and there and with sources given for each track. Big up to my mate Andre who helped in the riddimspotting and provided a couple of original CD's for use in the process!
Enjoy reggae music as good as it gets. Tell 'm, Kalonji!
Tracks (in brackets is the name of the album or label of the single the tune came from, V.A. means the album is a compilation)
Sizzla Kalonji & Bredren - The Early Years In Roots - 1995 - 2002 - Part 1
01) Half That Has Never Been Told (Good Ways)
02) Juvenile (Blaze Up The Chalwa)
w/ Jah Cure - Dance Vibes (Free Jah's Cure)
03) Lift Mine Eyes (Words Of Truth)
04) Dem A Try A Ting (Freedom Cry / Kalonji)
w/ Luciano - Ulterior Motive (Jet Star Reggae Max)
w/ Ulterior Motive Dub (MLK Dub)
w/ Prince Malachi - Love Jah (The World Shall See - V.A.)
05) Live Yu Live (2 Strong)
w/ Anthony B - Watch Out (2 Strong)
06) More Guidance (Black Woman & Child)
w/ Yami Bolo - Chill I Soul (Flag Flown High - V.A.)
07) Do You Ever? (The Story Unfolds)
08) Hale The Woman (Zulu 45)
w/ Version (Zulu 45)
09) Catch The Place A Fire (Reggae Central 45 / Hosanna)
w/ Luciano - Should I Slumber (Reggae Central 45)
w/ Jah Mason - High Grade (Reggae Central 45)
10) Ripe Leaf (Royal Son Of Ethiopia)
11) Go Round Them (Harmony House 45)
w/ Version (Harmony House 45)
w/ Jah Cure - Western Region (Harmony House 45)
12) Praise Ye Jah (Praise Ye Jah)
13) Bless The Youth (Good Ways)
w/ Morgan Heritage - Send Us Your Love (Don't Haffi Dread)
14) Kings Of The Earth (The Story Unfolds)
w/ Luciano - Gunzalis (Rough Inna Town - V.A.)
w/ Weaponist dub (MLK Dub)
w/ Cocoa Tea - The Weed (The Herbalist - V.A.)
w/ Kings Of The Earth Dub (MLK Dub)
15) Solid As A Rock (Da Real Thing)
16) Greedy Joe (Praise Ye Jah)
w/ Cocoa Tea - Repatriation (Israel's King)
w/ Repatriation Dub (MLK Dub)
17) Do Some Good (2 Strong)
w/ Anthony B - (Al) low The Herb (So Many Things)
18) Merciful Father ft. Causion (3 Wise Men - V.A.)
19) Give Them A Ride (Black Woman & Child)
w/ Instrumental (Digital B 12")
w/ Admiral Tibet - Babylon Brutality (Try To Reach The Top)
w/ Tanya Stephens - Handle The Ride (Digital B 45)
w/ Version ft. Cocoa Tea (Digital B 45)
20) Ghetto Youth (Liberate Yourself)
21) Done Nothing For Us (Harmony House 45)
22) I'm Not Sure (Jet Star Reggae Max)
w/ Cocoa Tea - Hurry Up & Come (Israel's King)
w/ Sanchez - Never Dis Di Man (Forever)
w/ Luciano, Louie Culture & Terror Fabulous - In This Together (Jet Star Reggae Max)
23) Purified Woman (Serious Reggae - V.A.)
24) Rastafari Teach I Everything (Rastafari Teach I Everything)
25) Azanido (Good Ways)
w/ Garnett Silk, Cocoa Tea & Charlie Chaplin - Every Knee Shall Bow (Flag Flown High - V.A.)
26) Stop The Youth (Be I Strong)
Sizzla Kalonji & Bredren - The Early Years In Roots - 1995 - 2002 - Part 2
Sizzla Kalonji & Bredren - The Early Years In Roots - 1995 - 2002 - Part 2
01) Life's Road (Rough Inna Town - V.A.)
02) It's Amazing (Da Real Thing)
03) Love Amongst My Brethren (Freedom Cry)
w/ Cocoa Tea - Rastaman (Israel's King)
04) The Poor (Burning Up)
w/ Luciano & Spanna Banna - What We Need Is Love (Duets)
05) Holding Firm (Jet Star Reggae Max)
w/ Anthony B - Raid The Barn (So Many Things)
06) World Wide Love (Hosanna)
w/ Instrumental (Hosanna)
07) Hard Ground (Black Woman & Child)
w/ Junior Tucker - Praise His Name (Flag Flown High - V.A.)
08) Rejoice (Da Real Thing)
09) The World Shall See (The World Shall See - V.A.)
w/ Prince Malachi - Life Cycle (The World Shall See - V.A.)
w/ L.M.S - Zion Gates (Zion Gates)
w/ Xterminator All Stars - Life Cycle (Dub Down Babylon)
10) Can't Cool Can't Quench (Good Ways)
w/ Admiral Tibet - Envious People (Try To Reach The Top)
11) Submerge Cocaine Base (The Herbalist - V.A.)
12) True God (Jet Star Reggae Max)
w/ Cocoa Tea - Israel's King (Israel's King)
w/ Luciano - Never Give Up My Pride (Messenger)
13) Bandulu (Black History)
14) Woman I Need You (Da Real Thing)
w/ Morgan Heritage - Works To Do (Pt.1) (Three In One)
15) Strength And Hope (Bobo Ashanti)
w/ Prince Malachi & Turbulence - Righteous Way (Armageddon Time - Chapter II)
16) No Other Like Jah (Praise Ye Jah)
17) Babylon Homework (Royal Son Of Ethiopia)
w/ Jah Blessing ft. Luciano (Freedom Cry)
18) One Away (Black Woman & Child)
w/ Admiral Tibet - To Jah I Pray (Try To Reach The Top)
w/ Capleton - Raggy Road (Flag Flown High - V.A.)
19) Healing Of The Nation (Liberate Yourself)
20) Babylon A Listen (Jet Star Reggae Max)
w/ Luciano - Sweep Over My Soul (Sweep Over My Soul)
w/ Sweep Over My Soul Dub (MLK Dub)
w/ Cocoa Tea - Mr. Neck Tie Man (The World Shall See - V.A.)
w/ Capleton - Stand Tall (More Fire)
21) Like Mountain (Firehouse Crew)
w/ Lukie D - Heavy Load (Firehouse Crew)
w/ Jah Cure - Chant (Firehouse Crew)
22) Food Of Thought (2 Strong)
23) Trod Mt. Zion (Da Real Thing)
w/ Instrumental (Digital B 45)
w/ Morgan Heritage - Blackman's Paradise (Digital B 45)
24) Love Is Divine (Black Woman & Child)
25) The Vibes ft. Capleton (Be I Strong)
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