Where is the LOVE for Gregory Isaacs?

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Oh yeah. That reissue is amazing. "Black A Kill Black" is just one of his all time great tracks. Slocki any of the albums I recommended above (and Extra Classic and Best of Vol 1 & 2) are excellent starting points.

Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 2 February 2006 22:49 (eighteen years ago) link

He steals Rockers as soon as he comes out and does "Slavemaster". Mr. Isaacs is The Man. How ae his recent live shows? He's playing NYC soon and I'm curious.

Jay Vee (Manon_70), Thursday, 2 February 2006 23:13 (eighteen years ago) link

"[H]is voice has been well and truly shot for a number of years now" is basically my understanding of his live shows.

Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 2 February 2006 23:19 (eighteen years ago) link

I absolutely love Gregory Isaacs. I was going to see him live in Jamaica, but the show was cancelled because it was raining. Obviously outdoor, but even so - I guess Brits have a different attitude to a bit of rain. Perhaps he would have been disappointing, but I was there, and the temptation was too great.

As well as the famous classics, I'm a big fan of some early numbers like Love Is Overdue and Loving Pauper.

Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Thursday, 2 February 2006 23:32 (eighteen years ago) link

"Night Nurse" has to be one of the greatest songs of all time.

Niall sadly otm about his current state, tho, I heard some recent tracks on Germaica compilations and it seemed unbelievable that this could even be the same performer.

Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Sunday, 5 February 2006 18:40 (eighteen years ago) link

i just got love is overdue, his voice is fantastic. the title track discomix feat. u-roy is so good.

Tuomorous (eman), Sunday, 19 February 2006 18:15 (eighteen years ago) link

hmmm!

s1ocki (slutsky), Sunday, 26 February 2006 06:31 (eighteen years ago) link

i think tomorrow i will buy a gregory isaacs album. for some reason i remember seeing a bunch of 2-disc comps at the store, maybe i'm wrong though. but if not does anybody know what i'm talking and whether they're worth checking?

s1ocki (slutsky), Sunday, 26 February 2006 06:32 (eighteen years ago) link

Hmmn. There are three that I can think of. One is The Sensational Extra Classics which basically consists of The Sensational Gregory Isaacs and Extra Classic. I've not heard this CD version, but both albums are pretty essential. The second is the Trojan 2CD collection (All I Have Is Love) which is career spanning and probably typical for that sort of thing (lots of stuff you wanted to hear, a few things you didn't with variable sonic quality.) And the third is a Recall CD collection (which might also be called Cool Ruler?? confusingly enough) which is probably shoddily put together if their other releases are any indication. I don't know what the sound is like on any of them, but I can attest the Trojan version Extra Classic is pretty decent sounding (although the great dubs on the second half are shaky-ish, but that's not shocking given their rarity.)

Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Sunday, 26 February 2006 07:00 (eighteen years ago) link

thanks alex! i guess i will go for sensational extra classics or best of vol 1 & 2 as i am stingy and as good as the albums look i kinda want to go for quantity!

s1ocki (slutsky), Sunday, 26 February 2006 07:13 (eighteen years ago) link

I see you can now pick up 'Mr Isaacs' from B&F's website for £4.25:

http://www.bloodandfire.co.uk/album_detail.php?id=BAFCD035

Bargain!

Niall, Sunday, 26 February 2006 10:33 (eighteen years ago) link

Get the B&F s1ocki!

cybele (cybele), Sunday, 26 February 2006 15:12 (eighteen years ago) link

He's going on tour in the US. He'll be just outside DC at the Crossroads club in Bladensburg, MD Sunday March 5th

curmudgeon, Sunday, 26 February 2006 17:15 (eighteen years ago) link

i got mr. isaacs! i also wanted to get that b&f version of the congos album but they did not have :(

s1ocki (slutsky), Sunday, 26 February 2006 23:41 (eighteen years ago) link

wow crossroads. i saw lee perry there a few years ago. isn't isaacs voice shot now (alluded to upthread) ?

lil' flipper (eman), Monday, 27 February 2006 01:47 (eighteen years ago) link

p.s. ilm needs more cybele posting

lil' flipper (eman), Monday, 27 February 2006 01:50 (eighteen years ago) link

word to that!!

s1ocki (slutsky), Monday, 27 February 2006 02:17 (eighteen years ago) link

one year passes...

night nurse record = A+++++++

deej, Saturday, 18 August 2007 22:57 (sixteen years ago) link

'cool down the pace' = <3

deej, Saturday, 18 August 2007 22:57 (sixteen years ago) link

The comparison to Prince Far I above still boggles my mind.

Alex in SF, Saturday, 18 August 2007 23:00 (sixteen years ago) link

six months pass...

gregory isaacs is playing here in a couple weeks. can someone verify for certain that his voice sux now so i don't end up taking a gamble on it ($25)

am0n, Wednesday, 5 March 2008 05:25 (sixteen years ago) link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JR_grqvP3s

am0n, Wednesday, 5 March 2008 05:33 (sixteen years ago) link

sounding kinda rough here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBMIqMpL_0o

am0n, Wednesday, 5 March 2008 05:37 (sixteen years ago) link

btw this is one of the best things on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cnw1nAVTmKY

am0n, Wednesday, 5 March 2008 05:37 (sixteen years ago) link

-- Kitten, the body needs it, the body cries out for Ian Riese-Moraine!

am0n, Wednesday, 5 March 2008 05:47 (sixteen years ago) link

ive got an old peel tape from the mid-90's and on it he plays a great isaacs track 'don't call me baldhead' (i might be mistaken here cos it's a while since i listened to that tape).

anyone have any idea where i might find that track on cd?

sam500, Wednesday, 5 March 2008 07:27 (sixteen years ago) link

Don't dis the cool ruler. I saw him @ The Stone in Berkeley on the Night Nurse tour w/the Radics, who were (natch) astonishing. He strolled out on stage after they ran through a medley of their greatest riddims and the ladies rushed the front of the house. Simply breathtaking.

Comparisons with DJs just don't make sense. Now if you want to argue Horace Andy, Dennis Brown, Freddie MacGregor, Sugar Minott, you might have a point, but I think it's a tough sell... and I've got about 5x as many Horace abums...

Slightly off point...I was in the hospital for a wrist operation (sic) overnight, a few years back, and just about ate my pillow when a large Jamaican lady came into the room @ shift change and announced that she was the night nurse...

factcheckr, Wednesday, 5 March 2008 13:35 (sixteen years ago) link

Appearing in DC this coming weekend.

curmudgeon, Wednesday, 5 March 2008 13:43 (sixteen years ago) link

Gregory Isaacs is great, but purely in terms of "The Voice," I think I prefer Cornell Campbell and Horace Andy.

Daniel, Esq., Wednesday, 5 March 2008 14:09 (sixteen years ago) link

three months pass...

beach partyyyyyy

deej, Thursday, 26 June 2008 03:03 (fifteen years ago) link

two years pass...

RIP

http://ht.ly/2YMRh

Gregory Isaacs dies


Gregory Isaacs
Gregory Isaacs: 1951-2010
Reggae legend Gregory Isaacs has died after a battle with cancer.

Isaacs, who was 59 years old, died on Monday morning at his home in London where he spent part of his time.

He leaves behind a wife and children.

Close friends told BBC Caribbean that he had originally been diagnosed with cancer of the liver which had then spread.

The Jamaican reggae singer, who was nicknamed the Cool Ruler, was best known for the song 'Night Nurse'.

BBC Caribbean on Twitter

Earlier this year, the reggae legend was featured in the BBC's Caribbean Masters series.

Shin Oliva Suzuki, Monday, 25 October 2010 11:40 (thirteen years ago) link

oh no!

rip

Daniel, Esq., Monday, 25 October 2010 11:42 (thirteen years ago) link

Oh no.

The first reggae album I bought was Night Nurse.

cool delivery!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OzlIuq47qA

RIP Gregory

Daniel Giraffe, Monday, 25 October 2010 12:04 (thirteen years ago) link

Sad. One of my favorite voices.

Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Monday, 25 October 2010 12:16 (thirteen years ago) link

^^^

Mine too.

RIP

sonofstan, Monday, 25 October 2010 12:59 (thirteen years ago) link

How are these guys only 59. I've been listening to him forever!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8yaBa7-kwQ

on the cusp of eligibility (Ned Trifle II), Monday, 25 October 2010 14:51 (thirteen years ago) link

So, anyway RIP man, far too soon.

on the cusp of eligibility (Ned Trifle II), Monday, 25 October 2010 14:52 (thirteen years ago) link

Daniel - that Loving Pauper 12" is beautiful - thanks.

on the cusp of eligibility (Ned Trifle II), Monday, 25 October 2010 15:00 (thirteen years ago) link

aw man RIP

the first Asian legislator in our Nevada State Assembly (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 25 October 2010 16:24 (thirteen years ago) link

found out about this through an old friend's facebook feed. he was one of the best of the classic reggae singers!

guess I'll just sing dream on again (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Monday, 25 October 2010 16:27 (thirteen years ago) link

Oh man, RIP Gregory, what a voice

Tom A. (Tom B.) (Tom C.) (Tom D.), Monday, 25 October 2010 16:30 (thirteen years ago) link

shit

am0n, Monday, 25 October 2010 16:34 (thirteen years ago) link

:(

I haven't listened to him much in recent years, but I love some of his songs, including the obvious "Night Nurse."

_Rudipherous_, Monday, 25 October 2010 16:35 (thirteen years ago) link

Bummed. RIP, Cool Ruler.

EZ Snappin, Monday, 25 October 2010 16:35 (thirteen years ago) link

btw

Nevertheless as far I'm concerned Prince Far-I >>>>> Dennis Brown > Gregory Isaacs

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Friday, July 22, 2005 1:43 PM

lol @ this

am0n, Monday, 25 October 2010 16:38 (thirteen years ago) link

This

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Ca61V1Z1LU0/TMWmqGWYr8I/AAAAAAAANQo/wUMqYBYz-kU/s1600/Gregory+Isaacs+-+the+best+of+(GG%27s+label).jpg

All afternoon (it was also released as 'Willow Tree' - despite the title, it's not a comp.)

Love 'No Speech' - random thought, but you realise how much Scritti Politti owed to Lovers, and lyrically, it would even suit Green...

sonofstan, Monday, 25 October 2010 16:46 (thirteen years ago) link

btw

Nevertheless as far I'm concerned Prince Far-I >>>>> Dennis Brown > Gregory Isaacs

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Friday, July 22, 2005 1:43 PM

lol @ this

― am0n, Monday, October 25, 2010 4:38 PM (14 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

??? they're all giants so no disrespect to the dead but that would also be my exact ranking - I mean, Far I is pretty sui generis, you can't really compare the Voice of Thunder to two of the sweetest singers ever, but brown v. isaacs you'll have to concede is a fair fight

guess I'll just sing dream on again (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Monday, 25 October 2010 16:54 (thirteen years ago) link

"If I Don't Have You" has been kicking my arse in lately!

rip

buzza, Monday, 25 October 2010 16:57 (thirteen years ago) link

I paid silly money back in the day for a copy of this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq-jRexfXzM

Daniel Giraffe, Monday, 25 October 2010 21:39 (thirteen years ago) link

damn dude RIP. was just sitting here reading his interview in WaxPoetics reggae issue, talking about how active he still was. :(

hope this helps (Granny Dainger), Monday, 25 October 2010 22:43 (thirteen years ago) link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-XmNm0inyM

RIP :(

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py5OXpCllpg

loved this dude

j. sargent & lil k3v (deej), Monday, 25 October 2010 23:34 (thirteen years ago) link

Can anyone recommend a good introduction to mid-80s digital era Isaacs? I heard a song on the radio yesterday and I want to hear it again!

elan, Tuesday, 26 October 2010 17:01 (thirteen years ago) link

Warning is the Tubby produced album and Red Rose For Gregory is the Clarke one (not sure if the latter is all digital though.) Those are the best post-Night Nurse records I've heard.

Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Tuesday, 26 October 2010 17:57 (thirteen years ago) link

I'm not sure who produced this, Elan, but this is the tune I most associate with that time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G1gHz-xZkg

Daniel Giraffe, Tuesday, 26 October 2010 21:30 (thirteen years ago) link

Gussie Clark produced that iirc

elephant rob, Tuesday, 26 October 2010 21:31 (thirteen years ago) link

Gussie Clarke that is. This is a nice collection: http://www.discogs.com/Gussie-Clarke-Greensleeves-12-Rulers-Music-Works-1987-91/release/1498058.

elephant rob, Tuesday, 26 October 2010 21:33 (thirteen years ago) link

Thanks.

"telephone love" = nice memories

Daniel Giraffe, Tuesday, 26 October 2010 21:34 (thirteen years ago) link

Rumours is definitely the right style! I'm going to check out more Isaacs/Clarke stuff.

elan, Tuesday, 26 October 2010 22:40 (thirteen years ago) link

I didn't find my song among his work with Gussie Clarke. It was a very brittle digital sound - very "Casio" - like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42loOUL1RGk

elan, Tuesday, 26 October 2010 23:09 (thirteen years ago) link

It's probably a Tubby production.

Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Tuesday, 26 October 2010 23:17 (thirteen years ago) link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJsOd3PWcAM

Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Tuesday, 26 October 2010 23:18 (thirteen years ago) link

Rumours is definitely the right style! I'm going to check out more Isaacs/Clarke stuff.

― elan, Tuesday, October 26, 2010 5:40 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

also 'beach party' has some more subtle elements of it

j. sargent & lil k3v (deej), Wednesday, 27 October 2010 00:09 (thirteen years ago) link

could be this song, "Dealing", which Basic Replay reissued:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cvNu9_wUFo&feature=related

elephant rob, Wednesday, 27 October 2010 00:16 (thirteen years ago) link

rip big man. between this and paul this is a really terrible week.

O holy ruler of ILF (a hoy hoy), Wednesday, 27 October 2010 00:26 (thirteen years ago) link

what a gorgeous voice.

curmudgeon, Wednesday, 27 October 2010 04:25 (thirteen years ago) link

three years pass...

through a slow amassing of various Trojan boxsets and other reggae compilations, I suddenly realised the other day that I had a lot of this guy's stuff...and that I love it.

Sad that he died so young, he was such a wonderful talent.

president of the people's republic of antarctica (Arctic Mindbath), Monday, 9 June 2014 22:41 (nine years ago) link

young? dude was 59

Οὖτις, Monday, 9 June 2014 22:55 (nine years ago) link

That's young in my book

curmudgeon, Thursday, 12 June 2014 20:18 (nine years ago) link

one year passes...

Can anyone recommend a good introduction to mid-80s digital era Isaacs? I heard a song on the radio yesterday and I want to hear it again!

― elan, Tuesday, October 26, 2010 1:01 PM (5 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I always assumed that I didn't need much beyond the various tracks on Trojan comps and Mr Isaacs, but I just got two of his "later" albums for a song - Maximum Respect and Let Me Be The One - and I like them both a lot. Clearly these are 'grey market' comps and I have no idea about the origin of these tracks. Can anyone shed any light of these?

Wimmels, Monday, 29 February 2016 21:33 (eight years ago) link

two years pass...

nobody wears a brimmed hat better

Scam jam, thank you ma’am (Sparkle Motion), Saturday, 29 September 2018 00:20 (five years ago) link

one year passes...

basking in the cool perfection of "cool down the place" rn

mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Wednesday, 10 June 2020 22:36 (three years ago) link

^never gets old

A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Wednesday, 10 June 2020 22:49 (three years ago) link

every gregory isaacs album i've heard is awesome but i feel like soon forward in particular should be way more well-known than it is

mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Saturday, 13 June 2020 16:58 (three years ago) link

more gregory is also *as* good as night nurse. miraculous

i'm in heaven when gregory isaacs sings

mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Saturday, 13 June 2020 17:10 (three years ago) link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywkDBhIHXnA

one of my fave Gregory joints, he covers all the bases

comparing me to Harold Shipman is unfair (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 13 June 2020 17:12 (three years ago) link

six months pass...

night nurse record = A+++++++

― deej, Saturday, August 18, 2007

Needs a few more pluses there but yes. Def top 5 reggae album.

A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Saturday, 19 December 2020 15:07 (three years ago) link

Night Nurse making this morning much better.

that's not my post, Saturday, 19 December 2020 16:34 (three years ago) link

six months pass...

Just got back from 5 days in the Caribbean and we listened to nothing but Gregory Isaacs the entire time. Bliss.

Lavator Shemmelpennick, Thursday, 24 June 2021 15:20 (two years ago) link

good

mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Thursday, 24 June 2021 15:20 (two years ago) link


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