FOUNDATION:The Soul Vendors

The Soul Vendors
or
The Soul Brothers
or
The Sound Dimension

The Soul Vendors were the Session band, and musical backbone of Sir Coxsone Dodd's Studio One, during a crucial phase of Reggae's evolution. These players have laid the foundation for all of Reggae music as we know it today. Just look at this list I lifted from www.soulvendors.com. The bulk of these tunes are historical tunes, many of which have version after version of them made to this day.

"These are some of the many hits the Soul Vendors recorded at Studio One during this time.
WAILING WAILERS: Mellow Mood, Nice time, Soul Rebel, Rudie gone a jail, Put it on, Treat me good, Let him go, Bend down low, Sinner Man (Down-presser Man), Let the Lord be seen in you and White Christmas (Gospels), I'm the toughest (Peter on lead vocals)

HEPTONES: Fatty fatty, Baby be true, Party time, Only sixteen (entire "On Top" album)
CLARENDONIANS: Sho-be-do-be-do, Rudie gaan a jail, You can't keep a good man down, You can't be happy until you love someone, You won't see me, Rudie bam bam, when I call you up STRANGER COLE: Rough & tough (entire album).
HAROLD MEIKLE: Beat down Babylon (later popularized by Junior Byles)
BOB ANDY: I've got to go back home
GAYLETTS (Judy Mowatt & company): Silent River runs deep
MELODIANS: Last train to Expo, You don't care for me, Get along without you, Swing and dine, Come on little girl, Little nut tree, You have caught me baby
HOPETON LEWIS: Take it easy, Cool cool collie, Right track, Keep on coming in
KEN BOOTH: Train is coming baby, Say you, Puppet on a string, Moving away, Starlight, Rock Steady, Just another girl, Silver word, Home, My heart is gone.
GAYLADS: Lady with the red dress on, Abc, Stop making love beside me, No good girl, You bring me joy in the morning, Hard to confess.
TENNORS: Pressure and slide, Woo Doctor, Ride you donkey (entire album)
KINGSTONIANS: Winey winey.
LESTER STERLING: Pupa lick.
DELROY WILSON: Dancing mood, I'm not a king, Conquer me, Riding for a fall, Rain from the sky, Can't stand it, Once upon a time.
ETHIOPIANS: Train to Skaville, Everything crash (entire album).
LARRY MARSHALL: Nanny goat.
MARCIA GRIFFITHS: Feel like jumping, We will be together, Truly, I shall sing, Dream land, Melody life
ALTON ELLIS: I'm still in love with you girl, Sunday coming, Can I change my mind, Big it up, I'm just a guy, Girl I've got a date, Let him try, Breaking up is hard to do.
WILLIE WILLIAMS: Armageddon time (re-recorded by the Clash in 1979)
SLIM SMITH: Conversation.
FREDDY MCKAY: Picture on the wall
CORNEL CAMPBELL: Queen of the minstrel
JOHNNY CLARKE: Move out a Babylon
SOUL VENDORS: Mr. Flint, Soul serenade, Soho, El bang bang, You trouble me, Carib soul (LP) and Hot shot (Ska LP). More than one dozen full-length instrumental albums were recorded during this time."

These dudes are some real OGs!


Real Rock Riddim

Quite possibly the MOST versioned riddim in Jamaican Music History. Of course it finds it's creation in the laboratory of Sir Coxsone Dodd. The riddim has been flipped by so many different producers, through two and a half decades. Every year a new handful of versions are recorded. The tune is credited to Sound Dimension.

link deleted


Swing Easy Riddim

Another well-versioned classic riddim. The melody takes a cue from "Fiddler On The Roof", blown through horns with fierce fluidity. "Nothing in this world like the high grade in my chalice, high grade in my chalice..."-Richie Spice-High Grade In My Chalice.
link deleted

Since I'm in the mood for horns...

Sugar Belly

Although Sugar Belly wasn't in the regular line-up, Sugar Belly is an OG! His roots are planted firmly in the roots of Mento, and recorded a few albums worth of reggae tunes with Sir Coxsone. He created his own horn out of bamboo and cardboard. Sugar Belly is an OG.


link deleted

Vin Gordon

Vin Gordon started to play Trombone with the Skatalites in the Mid 60s. They called him Don Drummond Jr, since his style so closely resembled Don D. He played on various Studio One sides, including Real Rock.

link deleted

"Foundation's history, y'know"-Ranking Joe