Check the Winner: The Original Pantomime Instrumental Collection 1970-1974

Though not exactly a household name outside of Jamaica, producer Glen Brown is greatly respected in the reggae community and elicited some of the heaviest rhythms ever committed to tape from such studio bands as Soul Syndicate and the In Crowd. He never had enough money to release his singles in quantity, and the bulk of his output is encapsulated on three CDs released in the U.K. on the Greensleeves label in 1989, and then on Shanachie in the U.S. in 1990: Check the Winner, a collection of instrumental tracks; Dubble Attack, a program of deejay performances on those same rhythms; and Boat to Progress, a collection of vocal tracks based on the same instrumental material. The three excellent discs should be considered companion titles. Check the Winner is especially strong in that it most clearly demonstrates Brown's genius in the studio; on tunes like "Mr. Baldhead Aitken," "2 Wedden Skank," and especially the immortal "Dirty Harry," Brown fashions spare but melodically rich tunes and supports them with dense, rubbery basslines and snappy percussion. The fact that King Tubby manned the mixing board for these singles is icing on the cake. ~ Rick Anderson|