Tapper Zukie is not only a successful recording artist in his own right but a well respected producer also. In the mid 1970's he set up his own record label Stars to help nurture the many artists who were rising in Kingston,Jamaica. In doing so he created a great catalogue of Reggae music that few artists have bettered. For this release with the help of Tapper Zukie himself,we have picked the highlights of the Star label to make this great album.
E**C
A perfect ten as far as Kingston Sounds releases go
Indeed one the label's best releases from those I've bought. Sourced from vinyl possibly apart from a few unusually crisp ones in turn counterbalanced by a very few pale sounding tracks. This is more than offset by by the quality of the selections. Knowledge's 12 incher Make Faith is positively wild (mixing console anarchy!) and Frankie Jones Marijuana even more so.Rockey Dread is another killer and it sounds as if he recorded with Knowledge on backing harmony during the same sessions that resulted in the both rough and extremely obscure Judgement album, only released at the turn of the 80s on a small Swiss label.From interviews I've learned that the teenage Tapper Zukie was eased into the business by Bunny Lee, and indeed he is featured on some UK Lee DJ compilations from 1976 on the Live & Love label (often ransacked for later CD compilations). So I cannot but suspect that Ronnie Davis' No Weak Heart is actually a Lee production, especially as Jah Stitch toasted the same riddim as The Killer on the L&L compilation Dread Locks in Jamaica (incidentally featuring Tapper Zukie's terrific Jah Is I Guiding Star while yet Lee's protégé). I have been waiting forever to hear Davis vocal cut to this take of a well-known riddim sang and toasted by many others around the same time.Stars Ah Shine is a great relapse in almost every respect and as for the audio quality (so frustrating with latter day reggae reissues) I am so happy to report the absence of clumsy exaggeration of the bass as on so many weird reissues. My speakers have a very flat response and I know how many decibel of extra bass I have artificially introduced by placing them at a certain distance from the walls.Since I already have a certain bass boost an amateurishly "remastered" pirate CD surfaces once in a while with stupendous amounts of bass added, making the music sound ridiculous. Thankfully, the extra bass I suspect was added here and there on this CD was tastefully applied and it works very well i.e. on the manic track Marijuana, instantly one of my all time roots reggae favourites!
D**N
Very good collection of Classic era (+1 modern song) Roots Reggae songs produced by Tapper (Tappa) Zukie.
Stars Ah Shine Star Records 1976-1988 ...Tapper (Tappa) Zukie Productions -- Kingston Sounds Records -- KSCD061Heavy rhythms and lyrical themes from top Reggae singers and players.Tracklist:1. Junior Ross/The Spears - Liberty (2:47)2. Prince Alla - Bosra (3:02)3. Linford Nugent - Black Princess (2:41)4. Cornell Campbell - Press Along Natty (3:44)5. Dennis Brown - Death Before Dishonour (3:46) (modern)6. Horace Andy - Natty Dread A Weh She Want (3:02)7. The Mighty Diamonds - Morgan The Pirate (3:15)8. Rockey Dread - Everyone Has There Work On Earth (3:16)9. Ronnie Davis - No Weak Heart (2:59)10. Freddy McKay - Marcia (2:45)11. Alton Ellis - We A Feel It (3:32)12. The Mighty Diamonds - Bad Boy (3:29)13. Cornell Campbell - World Of Tribulation (3:24)14. Horace Andy - Run Babylon (4:01)15. Frankie Jones - Marijuana (bonus track)16. Tapper Zukie/Knowledge - Make Faith (12" mix - bonus track)17. Vibes Tone - Leaders Of Black Countries (bonus track)18. Frankie Jones - Proud To Be Black (12" mix - bonus track)Musicians can include: The Revolutionaries, The UpsettersDrums : Sly Dunbar, Carlton Santa DavisBass : Robbie Shakespeare, George Fully FullwoodGuitar : Earl Chinna Smith, Tony Chin, Bingy BunnyKeys : Gladdy Anderson, Ansel Collins, Augustus PabloHorns : Deadly Headly, Vin Gordon, Bobby EllisPercussions : Scully Simms, Sky JuiceProducer/Engineer : Scientist, Prince Jammy, Phillip Smart, King Tubby, Tapper (Tappa) ZukieStudios include: Channel One, Black Ark (JA)Sound mastering is very good to excellent.See also:Prince Alla & Junior Ross - I Can Hear The Children Singing - Blood And Fire BAFCD 040Tapper Zukie In Dub - Blood And Fire BAFCD 008Rootsman Connection - Kingston Sounds KSCD 14Kingston Sounds Records is not always reliable (especially with sound quality) but some of their releases are essential.Their brother label Jamaican Recordings even less so.
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