Dubmatix Sticky Icky Reggae Mix

For this New Year’s Eve, I thought a rumble in the jungle would provide a lift to your night. Have a great time and see you in 2026. PLAYLIST SHY FX; Donae’o; Roses Gabor; Kano – Raver Mr. Williamz; Specialist Moss; SHY FX – Sound Killa, Pt. 2 (Featuring SHY FX & Specialist Moss) Top Cat; Sigma – Gallist – Sigma Remix T>I; Critical Impact; Jakes – Sniper Watch the Ride – Road Runner D Double E; Watch the Ride; DJ Die; Dismantle; Diemantle; DJ Randall – Original Format Benny Page – Turn Down the Lights Watch the Ride; D Double E; Scorpio MC – RAW! Heist; Inja – Good Over Evil Gardna; Unglued – R.A.V.E.A.S.A.P (Unglued Remix) Crate Classics; JODIAN NATTY – Rudeboy Sound Chopstick Dubplate; Jah Mason; Louie Rankin – Soundboy Gone – Original Mix Funktional; Riko Dan – Tek It To Dem Zero T – Come & Reprazent Aries; Benny Page – Herbsmoke – Benny Page Remix

This mix leans into disco and modern funk, keeping the groove locked down for 60 minutes. Classic late-70s and early-80s grooves sit comfortably alongside newer edits and remixes that respect the original feel while adding a modern touch. PLAYLIST George Benson – Give Me the Night Enzo Pianzola Mr. Trend – Soul People (Rework 2025 – Nu Club Radio Mix) CHIC – My Forbidden Lover (Dimitri From Paris Remix) Opolopo – Bebeccie’s Theme Diana Ross – Upside Down Change – Sunrise Forever (Michael Gray Remix) [feat. Tanya Michelle Smith] Urban Blues Project – We Are One (Art of Tones Remix) [feat. Bobby Pruitt] Geraldine Hunt – Can’t Fake the Feeling McFadden & Whitehead – Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now Serge Funk – You and I (Radio Edit) Enzo Pianzola Mr. Trend – Disco Biscuit (70’s Mix) Jamiroquai – Canned Heat (Dimitri From Paris Remix Edit) Shakedown – Funky and You Know It (Myd Remix) [feat. Bootsy Collins] Ministers de la Funk – Believe (Kurd Maverick Revamp) [feat. Jocelyn Brown]

Some artists belong to a moment. Johnny Osbourne is part of the evolution of reggae, dating back to the 1960s and the Studio One world, to the raw energy of 1980s dancehall. Osbourne didn’t just adapt to change; he carried his voice through it all while delivering his unique vocal style. Studio One foundations Johnny Osbourne came up at Studio One, and early recordings like “See and Blind” showcase a young vocalist steeped in soul, restraint, and melodic control. Studio One was a label but also a fertile training ground, a boot camp for many young artists over the years, and Osbourne took it all in. By the mid–1970s, Osbourne moved beyond Studio One and began shaping a more personal sound - his tone grew stronger and more street-aware. Tracks like “Truths and Rights” and “Ready or Not” feel like a bridge, still rooted in roots reggae, but miles away from his first Studio One Recordings. When dancehall took over in the early 1980s, many roots singers faded into obscurity. Osbourne didn’t. Instead of fighting the shift, he leaned into it — applying a roots-trained voice to harder, faster riddims. Songs like “Buddy Bye,” “Folly Ranking,” and “No Ice Cream Sound” became sound system staples, built for crowd reaction and rewind culture. It’s been 6 decades since the 77-year-old released his first music, and he is still recording to this day. That is a remarkable career and legacy. PLAYLIST Johnny Osbourne – See and Blind (with The Sensations) Johnny Osbourne – Truths & Rights Johnny Osbourne – Right, Right Time (with Earth, Roots & Water) Johnny Osbourne – Jah Ovah Johnny Osbourne – In the Area Johnny Osbourne – We Need Love Johnny Osbourne – Fally Ranking Johnny Osbourne – Ready or Not Johnny Osbourne – Purify Your Heart Johnny Osbourne – Ice Cream Love Johnny Osbourne – No Lollipop, No Sweet So Johnny Osbourne – Water Pumping Johnny Osbourne – Give a Little Love Johnny Osbourne – Rock and Come In Johnny Osbourne – No Sound Like We Johnny Osbourne – Never Stop Fighting Johnny Osbourne – Buddy Bye

We’re going back to a moment in time during the 90s when you had breakout stars from Jamaica - Shabba Ranks and iNi Kamoze hitting the mainstream charts and rotation on MTV and other music video stations. You also had the mixing of dancehall with hip-hop - Vicious with Doug E Fresh, Supercat, and others. This mix moves between street anthems, radio hits, and club staples. PLAYLIST Beenie Man – Who Am I Buju Banton – Champion Spragga Benz – She Nuh Ready Yet (Hype Up) Chaka Demus & Pliers – Murder She Wrote Shabba Ranks – Trailer Load a Girls Super Cat & Salaam Remi – Ghetto Red Hot (Hip-Hop Remix) Cutty Ranks – Limb By Limb Patra – Queen of the Pack Sanchez – Missing You Super Cat – Don Dada iNi Kamoze – Here Comes the Hotstepper Maxi Priest – Close to You Nadine Sutherland & Terror Fabulous – Action Vicious & Doug E. Fresh – Freaks Lady Saw – If Him Lef Garnett Silk – Zion in a Vision

There was a crossroads in the UK during the ’70s, as dub and reggae sound systems were spreading and building a wider audience. By mid-decade, the rise of punk began - a raw, gritty DIY ethos that opened the door for thousands of youth who wanted to play music. Anyone was welcome. Don Letts is well known for helping introduce the sounds of dub and reggae to the punk scene at The Roxy, as both shared a like-minded attitude toward inclusion and anti-establishment values. It was only a matter of time before both styles began to appear in the same songs. This mix pulls together late-’70s and ’80s tracks where punk and reggae came together. PLAYLIST Stiff Little Fingers – Johnny Was The Ruts – Jah War The Clash – Bankrobber Bad Brains – I and I Survive Public Image Ltd. – Careering The Slits – Instant Hit The Members – Offshore Banking Business / Pennies in the Pound The Specials – Little Bitch (2015 Remaster) Generation X – Wild Youth The Police – Peanuts The Stranglers – Nice ’N’ Sleazy X-Ray Spex – Germfree Adolescence The Clash - Rudie Can’t Fail

This Funk Jazz mix leans hard into the groove, moving between modern jazz-funk burners, deep-pocket classics, and band-driven jams where feel is everything. Tight rhythm sections, loose nimble fingers, letting forth musical consciousness. New cuts sit beside genre classics - let your flow go and dig what’s going on. PLAYLIST Skinny Hightower & Alex Parchment - Red Lights Scary Goldings - Larry Pockets Sam Fribush & Ari Teitel & Adam Deitch - Chester Ari Joshua & Grant Schroff & Delvon Lamarr & Skerik - Audio Bicycle Day Ghost-Note & Eric Gales - Grandma’s Curtains Nick Andre & Jazz Mafia - Concave Herbie Hancock - Chameleon Sam Fribush & Charlie Hunter & Calvin Napper - Ok Boomer Brooklyn Funk Essentials & Anna Brooks & Iwan VanHetten - Miss Mess Redtenbacher’s Funkestra & Tucker Antell - Wiggles Zbonics & Melvin Sparks & Karl Denson - Soul Good George Duke - Au Right The Greyboy Allstars & Fred Wesley - Soul Dream

Aram Scaram began his DJ journey in Toronto’s late-90s underground, spinning at house parties and one-off club events before landing weekly residencies at the beloved lounges Ciao Eddie and Alto Basso. It was at Ciao Eddie where he met Sassa’le, founder of the influential Version Xcursion radio show on CKLN 88.1 FM — a connection that would shape the next chapter of his career. Scaram soon joined Version Xcursion as co-host and co-producer, helping transform the show into a staple of Toronto’s music landscape. Their weekly broadcasts championed dub, downtempo, trip-hop, reggae, and emerging Canadian talent, establishing the program as a go-to platform for genre-bending sounds. Over the years, Scaram has brought his signature style to major stages, including the Du Maurier Jazz Festival, the first Virgin Festival on the Toronto Islands (2006), and an opening slot for Massive Attack at The Carlu. He also founded Dub & Beyond, a hugely popular monthly club night at Andy Poolhall, broadcast live-to-air on CKLN 88.1 FM. Running for seven and a half years, it became a cornerstone of the city’s dub and bass culture. His international appearances include performing at the Shatter The Hotel release event in London and playing the legendary Dub Chamber party at OT301 in Amsterdam. As a producer with Version Xcursion, Scaram released two full-length albums and three singles, including the cult classic Moments featuring Treson — widely regarded by tastemakers as one of Canada’s standout tracks of the early 2000s. In 2010, he launched his solo project Citizen Sound, releasing a full-length album that featured the award-winning single Reggae Is Her Name with Blessed, which earned the Canadian Reggae Music Award for Best Male Single. A second Citizen Sound album followed in 2014, along with numerous singles and EPs. Throughout his production career, he has collaborated with many of Canada’s premier reggae and dub artists, including Ammoye, Blessed, Chester Miller, Treson, Dubmatix, and Prince Blanco. After a 14-year break from radio, Scaram returned in 2025 with Sound So Nice, co-hosted with Eddie Go Boom on CFRU 93.3 FM in Guelph, Ontario. The weekly show explores the deep roots of sound system culture — from Jamaica’s foundational influence to its global evolution — guiding listeners through reggae, dub, electronic, drum & bass, house, afrobeats, downtempo, and beyond. Driven by an electrifying musical selection, the show blends minimal commentary with occasional interviews featuring artists, producers, and organizers shaping today’s scene. Links: https://www.instagram.com/citizensoundmusic https://www.instagram.com/soundsoniceradio https://www.mixcloud.com/scaram/ https://m.soundcloud.com/aramscaram PLAYLIST Thievery Corporation - Waiting Too Long feat. Notch Stephen Marley - Don’t Let Me Down Salmonella Dub - Rhythm & Pattern The Nomad - Open Your Eyes Boztown - Instant Playa Boogie Belgique - Every Time Flowering Inferno & Quantic - Make Dub Not War Gregory Isaacs - Number One Prince Fattty - Roof Over My Dub feat. Little Roy Sugar Minott - Rockers Master Cornell Campbell - Boxing Around Augustus Pablo - Rockers Magic John Holt - Ali Baba Keznamdi - Pressure Asa - Jailer Little Simz - Point and Kill feat. Obongjayer Chronixx - Keep On Rising Bunny Rugs - Rumours feat. Sly & Robbie Quakers - Approach with Caution feat. Sampa The Great Super Beagle - Dust A Sound Boy Yeza & Rorystonelove - Road Runner Lauryn Hill - So Much Things To Say Bob Marley - Roots Rock Reggae feat Steven Tyler & Joe Perry De Lata - Breathe Major Lazer - Can’t Stop Now feat. Mr. Vegas & Jovi Rockwell Jada Kingdom - Budum DJ Vadim, Kathrin deBoer & Belleruche - Black Is The Night Pt. 3 Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley - Hey Girl feat. Stephen Marley Red Astaire - Dum Dum A Tribe Called Quest - Rock Rock Y’all feat. Punchline, Wordsworth, Jane Doe & Mos Def Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band - What Can You Bring Me

Going back to a period in time in the 90s that seemed short-lived once it hit the mainstream media - Electronica / Big Beat. However you categorise it, it fused aggressive drums, breaks, dance, rave, and other genres to create something fresh. PLAYLIST Leftfield – Inspection (Check One) – Remastered Death In Vegas – Dirt Bomb The Bass; Justin Warfield – Bug Powder Dust Fatboy Slim – The Rockafeller Skank Leftfield; Afrika Bambaataa – Afrika Shox The Prodigy – Breathe Filter; The Crystal Method – (Can’t You) Trip Like I Do – 2009 Remastered Version Timo Maas – To Get Down Basement Jaxx – Where’s Your Head At Propellerheads – Spybreak! The Chemical Brothers – Block Rockin’ Beats Asian Dub Foundation – Fortress Europe Underworld – Cowgirl – Remastered

A few years back, my dad and I had a radio show called “Groove Radio” on the local University Radio Station, playing funk, some hip-hop, gospel, soul, etc. That show was picked up at Jazz FM here a few years later. This was right at the start of COVID on a Tuesday night, and we grew the listener base from a couple of thousand to 30000+ in just over a year. COVID was one factor, but the other was the music and artists we were selecting. We’d each bring in our tracks and rinse them out, tune-fi-tune styles. The challenge was that we needed music enough to fill 3 hours every week. This is where we discovered an incredible pool of young talent creating, fusing, and releasing wonderful music. For this mix, I dove into a selection of artists that bring old school funk and hip-hop together into modern times - New Funk, Modern Funk, however you describe it, FUNK is in each one of these tunes. PLAYLIST The New Mastersounds – Lack Of Afro – Idle Time (Lack of Afro Remix) Orgone – The Only One The Dap-Kings – Nervous Like Me The Tao Of Groove – Honeybee Blues Lettuce – Mt. Crushmore Ikebe Shakedown – The Hold Up The Budos Band – Budos Rising Pacific Rhythm Combo – Lance Ferguson – Honky Tonk Popcorn Mr President – Left and Right Breakestra – Dark Clouds Rain Soul (Dub) Polyrhythmics – Yeti, Set, Go Lack Of Afro – One for the Trouble Big Boss Man – Sea Groove El Michels Affair – Uzi (Pinky Ring) Speedometer – Rubberneck

A roots-and-dub midweek mix for your ears. PLAYLIST Junior Murvin & Trinity – Time Stiff / Time So Rough Dandelion & The Drop – Bus Gun Total Hip Replacement & Dubmatix – The Door (Dubmatix Dub) Bunny Wailer – Dream Land Mungo’s Hi Fi & Eva Lazarus – Amsterdam (Flight Mode Mix) Skinshape & The Horus All Stars – The River Effra Steel Pulse – Your House Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett – Bide Dub Roots Makers & Lyndon John X – Giving Up My Dub Ras Teo, Ashanti Selah & Zion I Kings – Yanks and Ises Dub Lone Ark & Roberto Sanchez – Rowing Boat Alpha Blondy – Jerusalem Wailing Souls – Jah Give Us Life Ewan ‘Ian’ Gardiner – Father’s Call Winston Reedy – Drifter

Today I bring in a long-time brother-in-dub - Andrew (aka Eccodek). We’ve shared stages and music for almost 20 years now. I asked him to create the mix for today, and knowing his musical inspiration, it’s a good one. Andrew McPherson is a 2-time Juno Award nominee and 2-time Canadian Music Award winner, releasing a total of 23 albums under 4 distinct musical identities - global-dub fusionists Eccodek, ambient-classical Peppermoth, funk/soul groove merchants Sonova and singer/songwriter. Andrew has also collaborated and remixed a huge array of artists that include Vieux Farka Touré, Jane Siberry, Desert Dwellers, Kiran Ahluwalia, Philosopher Kings, Lenka Lichtenberg, Dubmatix, The McDades, Jaffa Road, Dub Colossus, MC Yogi, Delhi 2 Dublin, Stephen Fearing, Delia Derbyshire Appreciation Society, Kevin Breit and many more. His work has appeared on distinguished labels like Six Degrees Records, Real World Records, Buddha Bar, White Swan/ Black Swan, The Ambient Zone, National Geographic, EMI and Sony Music. Andrew operates a full-service recording studio, The Monastereo, favouring a hybrid analogue/ digital recording and mixing approach, at the centre of which is his beloved 40-year-old Sony MCI JH618 mixing console. PLAYLIST Sonova - Track the groove (Eccodek’s Groovinator Remix) Sherwood and Pinch- Different eyes Chris Bottomley - Smoke a big patty Tinariwen - Oualahila Ar Tesninam (Transglobal Underground Remix) Eccodek - My primitive heart (feat. MC Yogi) Lightning Head - Superfunky bird Sonova - Sonova System DJ Vadim - Hey hey hey Soul2Soul - Fairplay Count Basic - Gotta jazz (Richard Dorfmeister Remix) Eccodek - Voices have eyes (Dubmatix Remix) Mexican Institute of Sound - Microfono (Nickodemus Remix) Tosca - Rondo Acapricio Dr. Israel - Sensemilia Check out Eccodek on Bandcamp / Instagram https://www.andrewmcpherson.ca/ https://eccodek.bandcamp.com/music https://www.sixdegreesrecords.com/sonova-2/ https://www.sixdegreesrecords.com/peppermoth/

Beastie Boys’ Anthology: Sounds of Science, Michael Diamond (Mike D) says: “We had all been influenced by Lee Perry’s productions. We were into how on reggae recordings there would often be a ‘dub version’ on the b-side of a single, a practice that got co-opted by a few punk and early hip-hop singles as well.” Who knew? When their debut “License To Ill” was released in 1986, almost 40 years ago - it was fresh and had a great sense of humour, playfullness that on the surface could be disregarded as white-boy rap, but if you took a close listen you’ll notice the attention to detail in the music - the use of sampling, 808 Drum Machine, experimentation, mixing and overall production - this was groundbreaking. The lads and Rick Ruben had crafted something unique that had not been done before. In 1985, it was Run-DMC, Schoolly D, and LL Cool J, but by 1986, hip-hop had begun to transform, and part of that was due to this release. They’d pulled together all the elements of their musical inspirations, Run-DMC, WWF Wrestling (Rick Ruben is a known superfan of the sport), The Clash, Dub, Punk, along with a frat-boy, teenage FU attitude. They’d taken hip-hop to a level while still paying homage to those they’d learned from, borrowed from, sampled from and absorbed. Within the following year, you’d have more groundbreaking releases from Boogie Down Productions, Marley Marl & The Mighty Public Enemy. On their 1998 album Hello Nasty, Lee Perry is on “Dr Lee, PhD. Perry’s fingerprints are evident: spring reverb, echo throws, and that cosmic feel only he could bring. They also collaborated with Mad Professor (the recording in question is the unreleased dub instrumental album that Mad Professor and the Beastie Boys made, presumably at some point between the releases of Ill Communication and Hello Nasty) from Beastiemania.com. Dub has woven its magic thread throughout so many styles of music, not to mention launching entirely new genres via direct inspiration and use of dub techniques and sampling, that we shouldn’t be surprised to see that same link with the Beastie Boys. PLAYLIST Beastie Boys – So What’Cha Want Beastie Boys – Sure Shot Beastie Boys – Paul Revere Beastie Boys – The New Style Beastie Boys – Egg Man Beastie Boys – Just A Test - Remastered 2009 Beastie Boys – Intergalactic - Remastered 2009 Beastie Boys – Unite - Remastered 2009 Beastie Boys – Jimmy James - Remastered 2009 Beastie Boys; Q-Tip; Mario Caldato Jr. – Get It Together - A.B.A. Remix Beastie Boys – Ch-Check It Out Beastie Boys – Shake Your Rump Beastie Boys – Make Some Noise Beastie Boys – The Skills To Pay The Bills - Remastered Beastie Boys – Hold It Now, Hit It Beastie Boys – Shadrach Beastie Boys – Alive Beastie Boys – Futterman’s Rule Beastie Boys; Lee “Scratch” Perry – “Dr. Lee, PhD” - Remastered 2009

Certain artists bring a feeling of soulful upliftment and leave a mark on your musical heart - Jimmy Cliff is one; you sense a man smiling and embracing life. He’s navigated Jamaica’s musical evolution from the start, with 1962’s Hurricane Hattie, to the soundtrack that put him front and centre on a global stage in 1972. He’s continued to release beautiful music that speaks to our spiritual sides, and his legacy will live on for generations to come. R.I.P. Jimmy. (1944-2025) Jimmy Cliff was born James Chambers in 1944, growing up in rural Somerton before moving to Kingston as a teenager to chase the fast-rising ska scene. He was writing songs before most kids his age finished schoolwork, and at just fourteen, he walked into Beverley’s Records and caught the attention of producer Leslie Kong. That meeting changed everything. Kong recorded Cliff’s first breakout song, “Hurricane Hattie,” which turned the young singer into a local star and opened the door to the bustling world of Kingston studios, sound systems, and emerging talent. By the mid-1960s, Cliff had outgrown the island and pushed his music into London, where his sound found a new audience. The turning point came in 1969 with “Wonderful World, Beautiful People,” a UK Top 10 hit that introduced his voice and message to listeners far outside Jamaica. Songs like “Many Rivers to Cross” showed a different side of him - raw, vulnerable, and deeply soulful. Then came The Harder They Come in 1972. Cliff didn’t just star in the film; he carried its soundtrack with songs like “You Can Get It If You Really Want” and the title track, helping reggae explode onto the global stage. Jimmy Cliff passed away on November 24, 2025, at age 81, leaving behind one of reggae’s most influential legacies. His catalogue stretches from ska and rocksteady roots to crossover hits decades later, including “Reggae Night” and his 1993 revival of “I Can See Clearly Now.” For a one-hour tribute mix, you’ve got a whole arc to work with, early Kingston youth, global breakthrough, soundtrack legend, and the unmistakable voice that helped carry reggae to the world. PLAYLIST Jimmy Cliff – Hurricane Hattie Jimmy Cliff – King of Kings Jimmy Cliff – I’ve Been Dead 400 Years Jimmy Cliff – Struggling Man Jimmy Cliff – You Can Get It If You Really Want Jimmy Cliff – Fundamental Reggay Jimmy Cliff – Wonderful World, Beautiful People – Single Version Jimmy Cliff – Let Your Yeah Be Yeah Jimmy Cliff – My Ancestors Jimmy Cliff – I’m No Immigrant Jimmy Cliff – Oh Jamaica Jimmy Cliff – Sufferin’ in the Land Jimmy Cliff – The Harder They Come Jimmy Cliff – Stand Up and Fight Back Jimmy Cliff – Treat the Youths Right Jimmy Cliff – Sooner or Later Jimmy Cliff – The Harder They Come Jimmy Cliff – Bongo Man

The link between jazz and what we now call reggae goes back 70+ years to the time of Count Basie and Duke Ellington’s big bands in the 1940s and ’50s, which were very popular in Jamaica. These records arrived through sailors, migrants, and sound-system operators like Coxsone Dodd and Duke Reid, who travelled to the U.S. specifically to buy jazz and R&B 78s. The island absorbed these sounds and fused them with mento (Jamaica’s folk music), African rhythmic traditions, New Orleans R&B (Fats Domino, Rosco Gordon), and bits of Country and Gospel. Out of this blend came the foundation of what would eventually become ska. Early ska bands felt like compact jazz big bands- horn sections front and centre, trading solos, swinging lines, and arrangements shaped by jazz harmony. The Skatalites were made up of jazz-trained musicians from the Alpha School of Music, including Don Drummond, Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso, Lester Sterling, and Jackie Mittoo. Players like Ernest Ranglin and Monty Alexander brought traditional jazz phrasing into their playing. If you listen to early ska, you hear bebop-style solos, ii–V–I chord movements, blue notes, horn riffs modelled after Ellington and Basie, and rhythm sections that mix jazz walking lines with a distinct upbeat “skank.” The shift from jazz to ska was a natural evolution. Sound systems were growing in popularity, and access to new releases from the USA was limited to those who could travel there and purchase them, as mentioned with Dodd & Reid. Jazz and Jump Blues were beginning to disappear, and Sound System operators needed fresh music to keep people coming back, so they started looking to existing talent on the island. The early days of Ska were recorded by musicians who took those elements and reshaped them into something uniquely Jamaican, emphasising the offbeat, simplifying the walking bass into a pulsing groove, and blending African-derived rhythms with American jazz techniques. This mixture created the dance-driven sound of ska, which later slowed into rocksteady and evolved into what we now call reggae. For today’s mix, I explore a collection of jazz tracks I’ve always gravitated toward—those with a groove, that swing, and that carry some of the same energy that fed early Jamaican music. I focused on artists like Miles, Blakey, and Dizzy for this 90-minute session, and I hope you enjoy it. PLAYLIST Lee Morgan – The Sidewinder (Remastered 1999 / Rudy Van Gelder Edition) Herbie Hancock – Cantaloupe Island (Remastered 1999 / Rudy Van Gelder Edition) The Dave Brubeck Quartet – Take Five John Coltrane – A Love Supreme, Pt. I – Acknowledgement Miles Davis– So What (feat. John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley & Bill Evans) Miles Davis – Milestones (feat. John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Red Garland, Paul Chambers & Philly Joe Jones) Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – Moanin’ Dizzy Gillespie – Salt Peanuts Charlie Parker – Ko Ko Stan Getz – Wee (Allen’s Alley) Art Blakey; Thelonious Monk – Rhythm-A-Ning Max Roach – Tune-Up Clifford Brown; Max Roach Quintet – Cherokee

There are so many artists and songs that pass through our ears, but rarely do we know who’s behind the music. The sounds we gravitate to, that we identify with, and that is part of what I try to do here on Bass Culture - pull back the curtain and find out who helped shape an album or entire generation - Gussie Clarke is one of those “wizards of oz” - a man who helped shape hit after hit, that still spin on turntables and sound systems today. His career has spanned decades, but for this mix, I’ve focused on his earlier productions from the 70s and early 80s, before the digital age of reggae took over. Brief Overview of Gussie and his life Augustus “Gussie” Clarke is one of reggae’s true architects, someone who moved effortlessly from roots and early deejay culture into the digital era without ever losing clarity, musicality, or purpose. His story begins in a tiny dub-cutting room at 81½ Church Street, where he cut exclusive specials using a Treasure Isle lathe and quickly realized he could shape entire records if he controlled the rhythm, the vocal, and the final mix. Early productions like U-Roy & Errol Dunkley – The Higher The Mountain and album-defining moments such as Big Youth – Screaming Target and Gussie Presenting I-Roy showed how he could turn raw sound system energy into cohesive, groundbreaking albums. Through the 1970s, he built a warm, balanced catalogue with artists like Gregory Isaacs, Dennis Brown, Leroy Smart, Hortense Ellis and Roman Stewart, deep lovers cuts, roots anthems and rhythm tracks that felt soulful and timeless. Clarke wasn’t just making music; he was building infrastructure through publishing, label management and distribution, which gave him complete creative control and the freedom to reinvest in better equipment and bigger ideas. By the early 80s, he was pushing roots harmony groups like The Mighty Diamonds into modern territory, updating arrangements with drum machines and synth bass while keeping the music's heart intact. PLAYLIST U-Roy; Big Youth – The Higher The Mountain Leroy Smart; Gussie Clarke – Mixed Up Gussie Clarke – Funny Feeling Augustus Pablo – Classical Illusion (12” Version) Jacob Miller – Girl Don’t Come I-Roy; Gussie Clarke – Coxone Affair (2025 Remaster) Gussie Clarke – One Way Tommy McCook – The Right Track Delroy Wilson – How Can I Love Someone Big Youth – Screaming Target Dennis Brown – Funny Feeling Trinity – Love The Daughter Roman Stewart – Try Me Mikey Dread – Proud to Be Black Mighty Diamonds – Pass the Kouchie Gregory Isaacs – My Time

Let’s start with the title of this mix, “Dirty Funky Nasty Bad” - a long-time friend of mine with a great sense of humour would keep all of us howling with laughing, doing bits and saying random shit dropped this line in one of those moments and it’s stuck with me for decades (thanks Kento). I love raw-sounding music; not overproduced or mixed, just pure edgy sonic bliss, which is what I based this playlist around- in yer face funk. dirty (raw) funky (poppin' groove that doesn’t let up) nasty (pushing the levels a little hard to induce sweet saturation) bad (this jam is one bad mofo). PLAYLIST Soul Toronados – Hot Pants Breakdown Eddie Bo; The Soul Finders – The Hook & Sling - Vocal Mix Soul Vibrations – The Dump Larry Ellis; Blackhammer – Funky Thing - Pt. 1 Billy Garner – Brand New Girl Marva Whitney – In The Middle Leroy & The Drivers – The Sad Chicken Charles Bradley; Menahan Street Band – Stay Away Duracha – Ghet-to Funk Wess & The Airedales – Blackout Lefties Soul Connection – Doin’ the Thing Little Royal – Razor Blade Whitefield Brothers – Rampage Lefties Soul Connection – Organ Donor The Fun Company – Zambezi, Pt. I & II Roy Porter Sound Machine – Party Time The Stovall Sisters – Hang on in There Bernard “Pretty” Purdie – Soul Drums Reuben Wilson – Inner City Blues

Being a drummer and bass player, I gravitate towards the foundation of a song - the groove, percussion, and how instruments weave in and out of “the pocket”, be it the short offbeat guitar skanks heard in reggae or the syncopated piano stabs heard in Latin music. That’s what drew me to reggae - the lock-step agreement of groove between the bassist and drummer that allows the rest of the band, organ, vocals, guitars, etc, to either support the core riddim or thread around it, adding depth and melody. The same goes for funk, afrofunk, and other similar genres. They all have related musical elements - tight syncopated grooves, a throng of glorious percussion, and horn combos that add electric energy that elevates and excites you. There was a period in the 60s & 70s that set New York on fire, emanating from Spanish Harlem, The Bronx, and Lower East Side, and labels like Fania Records - boogaloo (bugalú). We’ve all heard the style and artists at some point, but what is boogaloo? I had to look it up myself, and here’s the definition. “Boogaloo was created by young Puerto Rican and African American musicians in New York City who mixed the music they heard on the radio, like soul and R&B, with Latin styles like mambo and son”. This is part one, so I invite you to use the comment section to share some of your favourites for part two in the future. PLAYLIST Eddie Palmieri – Vámonos Pa’l Monte Noro Morales – Vitamina Cal Tjader; Eddie Palmieri – Bamboléate New Swing Sextet – Mira Mama Mongo Santamaria; La Lupe – Montuneando – Remastered Johnny Colon – Mayenlle Boogaloo Assassins – Mi Jeva Ray Barretto – Mi Ritmo Te Llama Pete Rodriguez – I Like It Like That Joe Cuba Sextet – Que Son Uno Louie Ramirez – Cooking With Ali Joey Pastrana and His Orchestra – Orquesta Pastrana Orquesta La Moderna of New York – Picadillo Tito Puente – Salsa y Sabor

I had a show in Dresden years ago, and the opener was a DJ who played cumbia. When her set began, the dance floor instantly filled with people laying down synchronized dance steps, which was eye-opening and fantastic fun to watch. It’s inevitable that these two genres would merge, as Cumbia originated on the Caribbean coast of Colombia and includes African, Spanish (colonial), and indigenous influences that date back to the 16th Century. For this playlist, I went down the rabbit hole seeking groove enlightenment. PLAYLIST Lucky Salvadori; Chalart58 – Simulacro Ticklah – El Dia De Suerte (Dub) Joseph Cotton – Cumbia Party Yapunto; Taggy Matcher – El Mar y Ella (Taggy Matcher Remix) The Lions; Malik “The Freq” Moore; Black Shakespeare – Cumbia Rebel (Version) Quantic; Flowering Inferno – Te Pico el Yaibi (Version) Combo Lulo; Alba Ponce de León – Culebra Mentirosa Taggy Matcher; Kumbia Boruka – Cumbia Locura (Dub) Ticklah; Mayra Vega – Mi Sonsito (Feat. Mayra Vega) Aldubb; Dubmatix; Illbilly Hitec – Essential (Cumbia Mix) Lengualerta; La Basu; La Gorda Dubs; Cristrombon – Nik Baditut Sei Quantic; Flowering Inferno – Dub del Pacifico Frente Cumbiero; Mad Professor – Cumbietiope Flowering Inferno; Nickodemus; Zeb – No Soy Del Valle (Nickodemus & Zeb Remix)

I’ve always seen/heard the parallel between reggae and house music—namely, the Steppers vs. 4-On-The-Floor groove, and have been drawn to that fusion of the two. Back in 2002, I’d slapped a King Tubby sample over a house beat, and it was a revelation to me (I can fuse this) that song that became Journey To The Center Of The Dub. The King Tubby sample was removed, but the idea remained. On the other side of the pond, in the UK and across Europe, this style was already established and in the clubs. I can’t profess to more than a surface-level knowledge, but after sifting through a lot of tracks, I put together this playlist of songs that I enjoyed. I encourage you to share some of your favourite house reggae tracks in the comments—include a YouTube link if possible. PLAYLIST Noiseshaper - We Rock It Francis Mercier & Black Uhuru - Welcome To Dinna Camouflage - Ramjock Block & Crown - Jam On (Original Mix) Sugar Hill, Wasabi, Terry Lex & Max Romeo - Chase the Devil Joeski - In This Life Bob Marley & The Wailers - Sun Is Shining (Fire House Mix) Junkie XL & Peter Tosh - Don’t Wake Up Policeman (feat. Peter Tosh & Friends) WIPP & Ini Kamoze - Here Comes the Hotstepper Mau P - MERTHER Liu & Alex O’Clock - Bad Boys KVSH & DVBBS - No No No Dreadzone, Gaudi & Earl Sixteen - Boundary (Gaudi Remix)

My soul has a deep passion for all things groove—reggae, jungle, hip-hop, funk, soul, or any style that gets the feet moving and the head nodding. So, for this mix, I decided it was time for a dive into Latin Funk with some greats—Joe Bataan, Tito Puente, and Ray Barretto, alongside lesser-known artists from the 70s onward. Bring on the thin-lofi-guitar solos, wah-wah flavours, rollocking percussion, blazing horns, and as much cowbell as you can handle. PLAYLIST Enrique Olivarez & Los Vampiros - Arriba Tipo Ray Camacho & The Teardrops - Si Si Puede (LOA Remix) - Lack Of Afro Remix Bronx River Parkway - Song For Ray Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers - Got Myself A Good Man Nico Gomez; Nico Gomez And His Afro Percussion Inc. - Lupita Joe Bataan - Latin Strut (2022 - Remaster) Ray Barretto - Together Tito Puente - Hit The Bongo Luchito; Néstor - Tighten Up La Clave - Latin Slide Mongo Santamaria - Windjammer Ricardo Marrero - My Friend Sherlock Holmes Investigation - Investigation Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers - Cloud 9 Ray Camacho - Movin’ On