Jackie Mittoo and a huge stone lion…

 

Listen/Download – Jackie Mittoo – Soul Finger

Listen/Download – Jackie Mittoo – Who Done It

 

Listen/Download – Byron Lee and the Dragonaires – Who Done It

 

Greetings all.

I hope everyone is feeling groovy in the middle of week.

As I mentioned in Monday’s post, I’ve been in discussions about some cool DJ stuff in the next few months, and as soon as it’s all firmed up I’ll pass on all the details to you.

I would also like to request once again that if you have a couple of bucks you feel like throwing at a very good cause, please click on the POAC link below. The whole Funky16Corners fam will be walking to raise money for autism services here in the area. This is a cause that hits very close to home (so close as to actually be in it), so anything you can do is greatly appreciated (and many thanks to those of you who have already donated).

Today’s post manages to both bring you something new, and do a little bit of a call-back/clarification to an earlier post.
I’ll go ahead and assume that most of you are already familiar with the name Jackie Mittoo.

Mittoo was one of the most prominent ska/rock steady/reggae organists (playing with the Skatalites and the Soul Vendors among others) in Jamaica during the 60s, before he relocated to Canada at the end of the decade. He continued to play and record until his untimely death on 1990.

Like most other Jamaican musicians of the time, Mittoo was a big fan of American soul and funk, and recorded his fair share of cover material (one of my fave being ‘Hip Hug’ his funky take on Booker T and the MGs ‘Hip Hug Her’).

Back in October of last year I posted a very groovy cover of Monk Higgins ‘Who Dun It?’ as recorded/retitled by Byron Lee and the Dragonaires as ‘Who Done It’. The version on that album gave writer’s credit to Jackie Mittoo, and at the time I wondered if it were him playing on the track (the Lee album didn’t list any individual musicians).

Flash forward a few months and I needed a 12 x 12 picture frame, so I took down my copy of the ‘Jackie Mittoo in London’ album, which had been hanging over my turntables for a few years. I grabbed it originally maybe 10 years ago, recorded the cuts I liked and filed it, forgetting until I took it down that it also contained a version of ‘Who Done It’.

I re-recorded a couple of tracks for the blog, and decided to go back and compare the version from ‘Jackie Mittoo In London’ with the one I posted last year (reposted above).

As it turns out, the arrangement is very similar, with the earlier version by Mittoo winning out (at least to my ears).

While this doesn’t exactly confirm that Mittoo is playing on the Lee album (that could very well be someone who wasn’t familiar with the Higgins OG and copying/crediting Mittoo’s arrangement), it pushed me a little further in that direction.

That said, the cut I was originally going to post today, was Mittoo’s excellent cover version of the Bar-Kays’ ‘Soul Finger’. Here you get Mittoo’s organ subbing for the Bar-Kays horns (though there is a trumpet in the mix), and someone (not sure who) laying down a very tasty guitar solo. The only clue that this is from a reggae album is the sound of the second lead guitar, and the somewhat suspect fidelity (as opposed to ‘Who Done It’ which is played with a rock steady beat).

Both cuts are very cool and I hope you dig them.

I’ll be back on Friday with the second mix from last week’s Spindletop gig.

Peace

Larry

 

 

 

 

Also, make sure that you check out the POAC link below (click on the logo), in regard to the April 2nd walk. The whole Funky16Corners gang will be walking in support of autism services, and any contribution you could make would be greatly appreciated.

 

If you want one of the new Funky16Corners stickers (free, of course) click here for info.

Check out the Funky16Corners Store at Cafe Press

PS Head over to Iron Leg for some late period British Beat.

 

5 Responses to “Jackie Mittoo – Soul Finger and some loose ends tied up…”

1. Toby says:

   March 29, 2011 at 5:27 pm

   Love the blog. Keep up the good work. I’m pretty sure that Lion is at the bottom of Nelson’s column in Trafalgar Sq (London) if you’re in any way interested.

2. Mondo says:

   March 29, 2011 at 5:36 pm

   All for the Mittoo man – featured him on our podcast almost 2 years ago now!

3. Papa D says:

   March 30, 2011 at 6:51 am

   I went through some liner notes of those wonderfully annotated Jamaican Gold CD’s of Byron Lee but couldn’t find any mention of Jackie Mittoo bein a “Dragonaire”. However, Nevile Hinds is listed as antoher Byron Lee’s keyboard player (apart from Winston Wright). Neville Hinds appeared on the Jackie Mittoo tribute LP on the VP Records – Interpretations and Improvisations – A Tribute To Reggae’s Keyboard King.Could he be a safer bet maybe? Anyway, nice tunes as per usual Larry.

4. Larry Grogan says:

   March 30, 2011 at 6:54 am

   A safer bet indeed!
   Thanks for the info and the kind words.

5. Ruben DaSilva says:

   June 22, 2011 at 2:47 pm

   I and I’s an iron Lion in London, Trafalgar Square 😉