Nashville to Jamaica

Several months ago, I did post about Rosco Gordon and his unlikely influence on early Ska and Rock Steady music in Jamaica. Apparently, all kinds of records from Tennessee made it down there, and were listened to, appropriated and transformed into something totally different. I know next to nothing about Jimmy Beck, except that he recorded for Champion Records, which was partially owned and operated by Ted Jarrett, who wrote songs and produced records at Excello and a handful of other independents in Nashville. I first heard "Pipe Dreams" on the Night Train to Nashville compilation, and it's a dead ringer for a Studio One recording - but it's not. It was recorded in Nashville, and the players (I don't know who they are) sound like they may have been some of the members of the Excello house bands - Kid King's Combo and Louis Brooks and The Hi-Toppers - but I don't know. They have jazz chops, but play a pretty straight honky-tonk style R & B, except on this track which sounds like something that was about to but hadn't yet fully emerged from Jamaica.

This morning, a friend of mine, whom I played this record for last month asked me to post it. As comical as it may seem, this has been messing with me all day. What really fucked me up was when I started scouring a Reggae comp for an example of the type of horn chart on "Pipe Dreams," and found the Tommy McCook track which takes the Mariachi horns from Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" as a gateway into a lovely Sonny Rollinsesque solo. What the fuck? I was trying to figure out what to say here, and when speaking to another friend, was asked "what are you trying to find, the conceptual bridge?" Yeah, I guess that's it. I'm looking for the conceptual bridge and I don't know what it is, except that this is a great music, and these records together cross nearly every conceptual and cultural bridge of the music played on this blog.

So, my dear readers, I give up. You tell me.
My head hurts, and I'm going to sleep now.


Download:



"Pipe Dreams" mp3
by Jimmy Beck and his Orchestra, 1959.
available on Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues 1945-1970)

"(Music Is My) Occupation" mp3
By Tommy McCook, 1963.
available on This Is Reggae Music: The Golden Era 1960-1975

"Ring of Fire" mp3
by Johnny Cash, 1963.
available on Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash

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"Blue Night" mp3
by Jimmy Beck and his Orchestra, 1959
out of print



"Baby, Baby, What's Wrong With You" mp3
by Earl Gaines with Louis Brooks and His Hi-Toppers, 1955.
out of print



"Gimmick" mp3
by Kid King's Combo, 1953.
out of print

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"Help Me Make It Through The Night" mp3
by Joyce Bond, 1971.
available on Trojan Singles Box Set

"Help Me Make It Through The Night" mp3
by Kris Kristofferson, 1969.
available on Kristofferson