Well, some of the final pieces of my first album project, “The Harder They Strum,” are in place. As many of you know, it’s an instrumental homage to the original soundtrack album of “The Harder They Come,” the iconic movie that originally inspired my long journey into the world of Jamaican music. Here’s the latest.
After a few dances with various independent labels, I’m going home alone: the album will be released on Registered Alien Records, my own label. Registered Alien Records was established in Jamaica in 1985 for my first solo 45 release, “Skateland Rock/Too Sweet For Words.” (Ace engineer Liu Ortiz is busy rescuing the music from the original session tapes and these songs will soon be available again digitally.) I thought about a few other naming possibilities, but decided to revive the label as an outlet for both this project and future releases.
Discmakers will be manufacturing the CDs, which will be available for order on this site as well as through some other outlets to be determined. Initially the album will be available as a CD and in digital format. Vinyl may follow later, depending on perceived interest.
Projected release date is now April 4 (of this year!).
I’m about to step on the promotion merry-go-round as well. Junior Hinds of I Never Knew TV and Father German of Power Of Reggae have already done wonderful interviews with me, as has Vintage Guitar Magazine on line and on Facebook video. Other interviews, album reviews, and related adventures are in the works.
Track Listing:
- You Can Get It If You Really Want: Andy Bassford
- Stop That Train (Draw Your Brakes): Andy Bassford with Monty Alexander, New Kingston, and Klaryti Yaad
- Rivers Of Babylon: Andy Bassford
- Many Rivers To Cross: Andy Bassford
- Sweet And Dandy: Andy Bassford with Soul Sisters Six
- The Harder They Come: Andy Bassford with George Naha and The Blue People
- Johnny Too Bad: Andy Bassford with New Kingston and The Blue People
- 007 (Shanty Town): Andy Bassford
- Pressure Drop: Andy Bassford with Soul Sisters Six
- Sitting In Limbo: Andy Bassford with Monty Alexander and New Kingston
Singers And Players Of Instruments:
- Karl Wright: drums/congas/percussion
- Jeff Ganz: electric bass
- Mitch Margold: piano/organ
- Courtney M. Panton (New Kingston): drums/vocals
- Courtney Panton (New Kingston): bass
- Tahir Panton (New Kingston): keyboards/vocals
- Stephen Suckarie (New Kingston): vocals, dialogue on “Johnny Too Bad”
- Earl Appleton (New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble): electric piano/organ
- Monty Alexander: piano/melodica
- Willie Martinez: timbales/percussion
- Al Street: electric guitar/acoustic guitar/tenor banjo
- Mikey Chung: electric guitar
- Paul Sutton: drums
- Derrick Barnett: electric bass
- Larry McDonald: congas/repeater/percussion, dialogue on “Johnny Too Bad”
- Sidney Mills: piano/organ
- Janice Pendarvis: vocals/section leader/contractor, Soul Sisters Six
- Shevon (Shae) Lawrence: vocals, Soul Sisters Six
- Audrey Martells: vocals, Soul Sisters Six
- Simone (Simone G) Gordon: vocals, Soul Sisters Six
- Andrea (Magano) Sawyers: vocals, Soul Sisters Six
- Kim Miller: vocals/tambourine, Soul Sisters Six
- Leroy Guy: electric bass
- Ronnie Murphy: drums
- George Naha: electric guitar
- Troy (Klaryti Yaad) Auxilly-Wilson: drums, DJ intro on “Stop That Train”
- Ethan Bassford: electric contrabass
- Hassan Abdul-Ash Shakur: upright bass
- Andre Blackwood: piano
- Brett Tubin: electric guitar
- James K. Smith: trumpet
- Kevin Batchelor: trumpet
- Anant Pradhan: alto sax
- Fred Reiter (New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble): tenor sax
- Clark Gayton: trombone
- Andy Bassford: electric guitar, acoustic 12-string guitar, six string bass
Engineers:
- Gordon (Commissioner Gordon) Williams
- Josh Hahn
- Duff Harris
- Liu Ortiz (mastering)
Studios:
- EastSide Sound
- The Relic Room
- Almshouse Studios
- House of Ortiz
Cover Art
- Earth Maxwell
Cover Design
- Brett Yancy Collins, Counterspace