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Niney Presents Deep Roots Observer Style
Niney Presents Deep Roots Observer Style
Four crucial Niney productions reissued.
Sampler
There have been several well-compiled compilations dedicated to Jamaican producer Winston ”Niney” Holness aka The Observer. 'Niney The Observer - Roots with Quality', 'Blood & Fire - Hit Sounds From The Observer Station 1970-1978' and 'Observation Station' should belong in any record collection.
17 North Parade – a subsidiary of reggae giant VP Records – has now issued a new box set dedicated to this hard-edged and uncompromising producer.
'Deep Roots Observer Style' includes three previously released albums – Dennis Brown’s 'Deep Down', The Heptones’ 'Better Days' and its dub companion 'Observation of Life Dub' – along with a compilation of I Roy singles titled 'The Observer Book of I Roy'.
Niney got his big break in the early 70’s with roots masterpieces such as Max Romeo’s Rasta Bandwagon and The Coming of Jah as well as his own haunting Blood & Fire.
His production style is the essence of rebel music and is often sparse with a brimstone and fire kind of feeling.
This style suited the late Dennis Brown very well and some of his best material was recorded for Niney. So Long Rastafari and Open the Gate are two sublime vocals included on the 'Deep Down' set, actually one of Dennis Brown’s earliest roots albums.
The Heptones’ 'Better Days' has Naggo Morris instead of Leroy Sibbles on lead vocals and was originally put out in 1978. It contained ten tracks – among them the sublime God Bless the Children – but this version is strengthened by five roots anthems. Through the Fire I Come and Temptation, Botheration and Tribulation are two of the best conscious tunes ever voiced by the trio.
The dub counterpart to 'Better Days' is a lethal drum and bass deconstruction and even though Niney is most well-known for producing singers rather than deejays he managed to capture I Roy in his essence with tunes such as Jah Come Here and slack Sister Maggie Breast.
'Deep Roots Observer Style' was released on February 13th and the CD version includes an eight page fully illustrated booklet with liner notes courtesy of Harry Wise.
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