Higgs & Wilson Anthology 1959-1969 featuring Manny Oh
Digitally remastered 2012
Higgs & Wilson Anthology 1959-1962 featuring Manny Oh It is a common saying that if you want to know the branches you have to look for the root. In so far to know Jamaican Music like Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae you have to know the roots of all this what is Jamaican Boogie. And to get to know Jamaican Boogie it is best to study the music of Higgs & Wilson who are among the biggest stars of Jamaican Boogie and all the styles played at the time. It is now over 50 years ago that local Jamaican Music industry started in 1960. Before this some Jamaican Music was recorded but it was mastered or pressed in Great Britain or USA. Stanley Motta had built the first small recording studio in Kingston on Hannover Street as early as 1951 and had produced the first Jamaican recordings. These recordings were mastered by Emil Shallit of the Melodisc label in UK and pressed by Decca in UK. Stanley Motta was also the very first to release Jamaican Music in Jamaica in 1952 on the Motta Recording Studio label (MRS) on 10´´ schellac records playing with 78 rpm. In 1954 Stanley Motta had sold his studio to Ken Khouri who used some of the equipment for his Federal Studios. Ken Khouri established Records Ltd. as the first (and until the late 1950s only) record plant in Jamaica. He then in 1959 opened Federal Record Plant as his own label and then Federal Recording Studios as his recordings facilities. Most of the tracks of Higgs & Wilson were recorded at Federal Studios and pressed at Federal Record Ltd. Before Federal started to work all recordings in Jamaica were made in the recording facilities supplied by radio stations Jamaican Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) and RJR. When Ken Khouri opened his studio also for other producers like Clement Dodd and Duke Reid to record tracks for their labels, he also established a studio band to play at these sessions. This band was The Caribs. Members of The Caribs we hear backing some Higgs & Wilson tracks. Higgs & Wilson was a duo of singers consisting of Joseph Benjamin "Joe" Higgs born June 3rd 1940 in Kingston, Jamaica, and Neville "Roy Wilson" Williams born October 22nd 1939 in Spanish Town, Jamaica. Roy Wilson attended Whitefile Elementary School and had his first singing succes in Vere Johns Opportunity Hour. He then joined the comedy troup Bim & Bam and toured with them. He then met Jackie Edwards and toured with him in 1957. In 1958 both Roy Wilson and Joe Higgs participated in a singer´s contest in Kingston. The story goes that 13 acts were left over for the final round of the contest but only 12 acts should appear. So it was decided that Joe Higgs and Roy Wilson should perform together as a duo. By this small incident the duo "Higgs & Wilson" was born and a sensational singing career started. From the years 1958 and 1959 on Higgs & Wilson were much in demand for live concerts in Jamaica. On Saturday evening´s all the young couples danced to the sound of Higgs & Wilson in the large ball rooms in Jamaica of which The Carib Theatre was the most famous and largest. When Higgs & Wilson appeared live on stage they wore turbans imitating the famous US group The Turbans. The Turban´s hit "When You Dance" in 1954 had defined a whole genre then known as Doo Wop. Doo Wop was the counterpart to the aggressive Rock ´n´ Roll stressing perfect harmonies and dealing with romantic love stories most of the time. While Rock´n Roll was mostly dominated by white singers Doo Wop was Black Music and in so far very influencial. It provided confidence in the Black Human Rights struggle and was loved even in Jamaica. But while the US Doo Wop groups needed four voices to create perfect harmony Higgs & Wilson did the same combining Joe Higgs baritone voice with the falsetto voice of Roy Wilson.
As Higgs & Wilson were the stars of the time they were also among the first to be asked to release their hits on 7-inches. In 1959 between Higgs & Wilson and Edward Seaga, the later first Jamaican Prime Minister, the first of a couple of hand shake agreement was made as it was typical at the time. Edward Seaga was given permission to release a row of Higgs & Wilson on his new founded WIRL label and to license them to UK and US labels for a release at the time. In 1960 and 1961 Higgs & Wilson had five Jamaican Number 1 chart hits: "Manny, Oh", "I Long For The Day", "It Is A Day", "Come On Home" and "Sha-Ba-Da". With 50.000 copies sold in Jamaica "Manny Oh" was a monster hit that dominated the dances during the whole year 1960 so that the people remember "Manny Oh" as the first Jamaican hit at all. "Manny Oh" was also a Top 100 chart hit in USA as one of the very first songs from the Caribbeans to enter the US charts. Higgs & Wilson furthermore recorded for other producers as the otherwise unknown Miss Linf and all the famous Jamaican producers like Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Duke Reid, Leslie Kong, Lindon O. Pottinger, Prince Buster and Clancy Eccles. With all of them some hand shake agreements were found that allowed the producers to release some Higgs & Wilson tracks on the labels at the time. Higgs & Wilson never signed a contract or recorded exclusively for one producer. It was them who helped some producers to start their own labels by releasing some tracks of these early stars of Jamaican music. Simply because this music was recorded and released before all the sophisticated written contracts, exclusive music deals and all such started, this precious music was never an object of the re-releases during the times of LPs and CDs. Because no written and exclusive contracts were made at the time, no producer later could license Higgs & Wilson music to labels for reissues. Only some illegal bootlegged 7´´s exists. Both Roy Wilson and Marcia Higgs for the Joe Higgs family gave us permission for this first complete anthology of this great and influencial music. Between 1962 and 1965 Higgs and Wilson recorded a string of further chart hits like: "How Can I Be Sure", "Saturday Night", "Let Me Know", "If You Want Pardon", "Last Saturday Morning", "Kisses", "Gone Is Yesterday", "Pain In My Heart" and finally "There´s A Reward". In fact every record of Higgs & Wilson was a hit release. The people even were full of expectation and asked around who might play their newest hit. In 1965 Roy Wilson left the music scene while Joe Higgs struggled to establish a solo singing career. In 1969 Roy Wilson joined Joe Higgs for a last recording session before leaving to USA. Joe Higgs died in Los Angeles, California USA, on December 18th 1999. Roy Wilson died aged 72 in Palm Beach, Florida, USA, on May 26th 2012. Higgs & Wilson´s music covers all the styles of Jamaican music: Jamaican Boogie also known as Boogie Shuffle or Shuffle Beat, Bolero, Blues Ballads, Gospel, Ska and Reggae. Jamaican Boogie was the first typical native homegrown music the people in Jamaica could relate to. Jamaican Boogie is played by a small combo consisting of acoustic bass, drums, guitar and piano. While the bass drives the rhythm the piano plays the melody. It is heavily influenced by US american rhythm and blues by artists like Fats Domino, Louis Jordan and Wynonie Harris but is a native creation of Jamaican musicians. In fact "Manny Oh" and some other early Higgs & Wilson hits are the perfect examples of Jamaican Boogie. Bolero was popular in Jamaica since its creation in the 1940s in Cuba. It is the slow romantic counterpart to the faster Jamaican Boogie. Ska was invented by Cluett Johnson and Ernest Ranglin for Clement Dodd´s newly formed World Disc, Coxsone and All Stars labels. Ska became Rocksteady in the middle of 1966. Rocksteady was popular in Jamaica for two and a half years.
Reggae started at the end of 1968 to become popular from 1969 on. The final tracks of Higgs & Wilson recorded in 1969 show their singing abilties in a completely new musical content. Higgs & Wilson are backed on these records by nobody else but the créme de la créme of Jamaican musicians: Arkland "Drumbago" Parks, Lowell Morris, Lloyd Knibbs, Winston "Sparrow" Martin, Esmond Jarrett and Paul Douglas on drums, "Blues" and Lloyd Brevett on acoustic bass, Colson Chen, Desmond Miles and Clifton "Jackie" Jackson on electric bass, Ken Richards, Dennis Sindry, Jerome "Jah Jerry" Haines, Harold McKenzie, Wallace Wilson, Trevor Lopez, Wallin Cameron, Hux Brown and Ranny "Bop" Williams on guitar, Theophilius Beckford, Herman Sang and Gladstone Anderson on piano, Monty Alexander, Jackie Mittoo, Herman Sang, Neville Hinds and Winston Wright on organ, Val Bennett, Trenton Spence, Roland Alphonso, Bobby Gaynair, Tommy McCook, Stanley Ribbs and Cedric "Im" Brooks on tenor saxophone, Lester Sterling on alto sax, Rico Rodriguez and Don Drummond on trombone, Baba Brooks and Raymond Harper on trumpet, Charles "Charlie Organaire" Cameron on harmonica and Beverley Kelso and Ermine "Cherry Green" Bramwell of the Wailers on backing vocals. Some of these musicians you should know from the ska period as they are members of The Skatalites. Some of them you should know as they are the players of instruments on classic reggae albums. And Roland Alphonso and Tommy McCook - if not everybody in this list - are Giants of Jamaican music with their abilities shining on 1.000s of tracks recorded over decades. Keith Scott – the brother of Roy Wilson - provided all the precious and exclusive informations given here. Keith Scott worked at Tropical Recording Company in 1960, at Federal Records from February 1961 to 1968 and then also at Merritone Records from 1966-1968. He is one of the last surviving witnesses of the very beginning of Jamaican Music. His information is accurate and authentic. He is the True Jamaican Music Historian. He also did supervise the sound restoration and shared most recordings and label scans. Without him this project would not have been possible. Let us wish him health, prosperity and a long life to continue telling the true story of Jamaican Music. Roy Wilson provided the photo of 1960 and the poster of 1964 what are the only known original pictures of Higgs & Wilson. I can only thank him for his trust in this project and myself to distribute his music again after such a long time. Thanks of Herman Sang and to Dennis Sindry for providing further beautiful and rare original photos of the time. The project is realized furthermore with full support by Marcia Higgs for the Joe Higgs family. Also a big thanks for her trust. I am looking forward to the coming cooperation to discover the Joe Higgs solo music from the very start in 1965. While a lot of music is now spread without asking anybody I like to tell you that this project is providing full royalties to the artists and families. Humble I ask you to let your friends know about this project but to avoid copying the music for free. Furthermore this project provides to you the music in digitally restored form using the best available sources and the most advanced technology to reduce sound problems as best as possible while keeping the original sound and groove. A big thanks to my old friend Holger Klotz / Tymachine. Not every sound problem could be solved fully, but: Keith Scott told me that this music never sounded that good. Check it out!
Finally this is also a tribute to 50 years of Jamaican music and it is the start of a study of 40 years of Joe Higgs music 1959 - 1999. Higgs & Wilson´s music is the first music recorded by Joe Higgs. It includes the first versions of later major tracks like "There Is A Reward" (re-recorded in 1972 and again in 1988) and "Saturday Morning" (re-recorded 1990). It is because of this music that Joe Higgs is known as the teacher and Bob Marley and The Wailers, The Wailing Souls, Jimmy Cliff and many more were known as his students. Enjoy! This collection is as complete as a Higgs & Wilson anthology can be today. Only one further known recording of Higgs & Wilson is known but could not be located. Higgs & Wilson in 1959 recorded "First on The Air, Everywhere" produced by George Edwards for his brother Vincent Edwards of the King Edwards sound system on a unique acetate / soft wax for exclusive play. Werner Kajnath / www.wailer.de
01 "Manny, Oh" is written by Wilfred "Jackie" Edwards, the "Jamaican Nat King Cole"who recorded the track by himself much later as "Oh Manio". "Manny Oh" is a perfect example of a Jamaican Shuffle or Jamaican Boogie or Shuffle-Beat as other say. "Manny Oh" was the very first #1 Top Hit, recorded, produced and pressed in Jamaica to say: The very first completely local hit in Jamaica. Higgs & Wilson are backed by Ken Richards & His Comets with Ken Richards playing the guitar. "Manny Oh" was recorded in 1959 at Jamaican Broadcasting Corporation Studio and released in 1960 by Edward Seaga in Jamaica on his WIRL label, in UK on Blue Beat BB 3 and in USA on Time 1028. The Blue Beat label a few years later dominated the UK ska market that much that the name "Blue Beat" became a synonym for ska. Joe Higgs told in an interview that Higgs and Wilson at the time of thr recording of this track were the first and only artists signed to WIRL. 02 "When You Tell Me Baby" again written by Wilfred "Jackie" Edwards was released as the flipside of the formentioned JAM WIRL, UK Blue Beat and USA Time Wind 7´´s. This Jamaican Shuffle backed by Ken Richards & His Comets is featuring Rico Rodriguez improvising on trombone. 03 "Give Me A Try" is written by Higgs & Wilson as are all following tracks. Higgs & Wilson were not only talented singers but also remarkable song writers who wrote love songs as well as social comments on recent problems. "Give Me A Try" was released in 1960 only in Jamaica by a chinese woman called Linf on Tom "The Great" Sebastian´s label Luxor (FTW 101). "Give Me A Try" is a bolero. It features Arkland "Drumbago" Parks on drums and Val Bennett on tenor sax. Arkland "Drumbago" Parks was the most demanded drummers before Lloyd Knibbs of The Skatalites took over that position in around 1963. Val Bennett led his own band "The Val Bennett Orchestra" since the late 1940s, where Jerome "Jah Jerry" Haines, Lloyd Knibbs and guitar genius Ernest Ranglin started their professional lifes as musicians. 04 "Gun Talk" was the flipside of "Give Me A Try" released on Luxor (FTW 102) only in Jamaica. This Jamaican Shuffle again features Arkland "Drumbago" Parks on drums and Val Bennett on tenor sax. "Gunning is the latest news." Higgs & Wilson reply to this: "There is no pretty fight. No more talking about the left and right." 05 "I Long For The Day" was the second Number One hit of Higgs & Wilson for Edward Seaga. It was released in 1960 in Jamaican on WIRL 203 (ZSP 50415) and in UK on the 1958 found label Starlite (ST.45 035 A with matrix (ZSP 50415). At this Jamaican shuffle Higgs & Wilson are backed by Ken Richards & His Comets featuring Trenton Spence on tenor sax same as on "Pretty Baby". 06 "Pretty Baby" is also a Jamaican Shiffle and was released as the flipside of "I Long For The Day" in Jamaica on WIRL 203 (ZSP 50414) and in UK on Starlite ST.45 035 B (ZSP 50414). 07 "It Is A Day" was the third a-side and the third Number One hit of Higgs & Wilson for Edward Seaga in 1960. Released in Jamaican on WIRL 45-101 (ZSP 50417) and in UK on Starlite ST.45 036 (ZSP 50417). It is another Jamaican Shuffle with Higgs & Wilson being backed by guitarist Ken Richards & His Comets featuring Trenton Spence on tenor sax.
08 "Lover´s Song" shows that Ken Richards & His Comets featuring Trenton Spence on tenor sax are also able to play a beautiful romantic bolero. It was released as the flipside of "It Is A Day" in Jamaica on WIRL 45-101 (ZSP 50416) and in UK on Starlite ST.45 036 (ZSP 50416). 09 "Come On Home" is a spiritual adapted by Higgs & Wilson. It was their fourth Number One hit for Edward Seaga released in 1961 in Jamaica on WIRL 114 (ZSP 53126) and in UK on Starlite ST.45 042 (ZSP-X-1B). Higgs & Wilson are backed by Ken Richards & His Comets, this time featuring Rico Rodriguez on trombone and Theophilius Beckford on piano, here and at "The Robe". 10 "The Robe", the flipside of "Come On Home" on JAM WIRL (ZSP 53127) and UK Starlite ST.45 32 (ZSP-X-1A) is another spiritual adapted by Higgs & Wilson. It was inspired by the movie "The Robe" of 1953 featuring Richard Burton. 11 "Sha-Ba-Da" is the fifth Number One hit of Higgs & Wilson for Edward Seaga and the last song to reach that top position. 1960 and 1961 were the years of Higgs & Wilson. Each of their five number one hit stayed in the charts for months up to half a year going a bit down and up again. At times a couple Higgs & Wilson tracks were in the Top 10. "Sha-Ba-Da" was released in 1961 in Jamaica on WIRL (ZSP 53125) and in UK on Starlite ST.45 053 B (ZSP 53125). At the Jamaican Shuffle "Sha-Ba-Da" and its flipside "Change of Mind" Higgs & Wilson are backed by Ken Richards & His Comets this time featuring Rico Rodriguez on trombone and Herman Sang on piano. 12 "Change Of Mind" is a slow blues ballad. It was so much demanded by the audience, that the Jamaican WIRL (ZSP 53124) 7´´ was in fact a double hit release. The UK issue is on Starlite ST.45 053 A (ZSP 53124). 13 "How Can I Be Sure" is a bolero recorded at Federal Records. Following "There´s Always Sunshine" by The Blues Busters this was the second release on Clement Dodd´s Supreme label in 1961. The first pressings of these two 7´´s came on a colourful orange and yellow label with green writing while later pressings use blue and other colours. Later it was repressed on the Studio 1 label to advertise his new studio with the same name. The UK issue of 1962 is on Blue Beat BB 95 A and the US issue on Time. All of them have "Mighty Man" on the flipside. At "How Can I Be Sure" Higgs & Wilson are backed by Herman Sang & His City Slickers. This new founded band was featuring Lowell Morris on drums, "Blues" on bass, Dennis Sindry on guitar, Herman Sang on piano, Don Drummond on trombone and Roland Alphonso on tenor sax. This is the place to tell the widely unknown story of the Australian – Jamaican connection that helped starting the Jamaican music business: Lowell Morris, Dennis Sindry and another Australian, the pianist Peter Stoddard, were the key members of The Caribs, the studio band of Ken Khouri at Federal Records Studio that was the firsdt of it´s kind in Jamaica. These three Australian musicians in 1958 had played a gig at Glass Bucket in Kingston and had decided to stay in Jamaica for most of their lives. Now Dennis Sindry lives in Florida, USA and Lowell Morris went back to Melbourne. Graeme Goodall also from Australia worked at RJR radio and was the sound engineer from 1956 until middle 1962 at nearly all Federal sessions. He was the one who helped Stanley Motta to built his recording studio. 14 "Mighty Man" is a Jamaican Shuffle by Higgs & Wilson with Herman Sang & His City Slickers.
15 "Saturday Night" is a swinging Jamaican Shuffle with Higgs & Wilson being backed by Prince Buster´s Group featuring Val Bennett on tenor sax, Herman Sang on piano and Jerome "Jah Jerry" Haines on guitar. Jerome "Jah Jerry" Haynes was a veteran guitarist and a a founding member of The Skatalites. "Saturday Night" was released in 1962 only in Jamaica by Prince Buster on his own Islam label with "Mule Train" by Prince Buster on the flipside. The credit "Higgs & Buster´s Group" on the label is to be understood as "Higgs & Wilson". The track was recorded again by Joe Higgs solo in 1965. 16 "My Baby" is a Bolero recorded early in 1962 and released only in Jamaica on the Rolando & Powie label with Powies Hop" by Roland Alphonso & His Alley Cats on the flipside. The trombone is by Rico Rodriguez, the tenor sax is by Roland Alphonso, Monty Alexander on organ, Arkland "Drumbago" Parks on drums, bass by "Blues" and Jerome "Jah Jerry" Haines on guitar. 17 "Let Me Know" is a Bolero written by Higgs & Wilson. The recording is backed by Lloyd Knibbs on drums, Lloyd Brevett on bass, Jerome "Jah Jerry" Haines on guitar and Bobby Gaynier on tenor sax. "Let Me Know" was released in Jamaica on the N D in early middle 1963 and was produced by Clement Dodd. In UK it was released on R & B JB 109 B in 1963. The UK issue has the Jamaican sides reversed. The R & B label was founded in 1963. 18 "Bye And Bye" is a Bolero with a bossanova feel. Written by Higgs & Wilson the music is played by Lloyd Knibbs on drums, Lloyd Brevett on bass, Herman Sang on piano, Jackie Mittoo on organ, Tommy Mc Cook on tenor sax. Backing harmonies by two unknown girls of which one was a girlfriend of Joe Higgs. "Bye And Bye" was released in Jamaica by Clement Dodd on the ND label in 1963 as the flipside of "Let Me Know". In UK on R & B JB 109 A, also released in 1963 it became the a-side. 19 "If You Want Pardon" is a Ska with a spiritual theme. Written by Higgs & Wilson and recorded early in 1963 is is backed by the Baba Brooks Orchestra: Baba Brooks on trumpet, Bobby Gaynier on tenor sax, Lester Sterling on alto sax, Lloyd Knibbs on drums, Lloyd Brevett on bass, Harold McKenzie on guitar, Gladstone Anderson on piano and Charles "Charlie Organaire" Cameron on harmonica. Charles Cameron aka Charlie Organaire is a veteran harmonica and organ player and also a early producer. He coworked with Theophilius Beckford since 1961. Baba Brooks born as Oswald Brooks in 1935 is a veteran trumpet player. He started with the Eric Dean Orchestra in the 1950s. After establishing his own band he had a big hit with "Independence Ska" in 1962. In Jamaica "If You Want Pardon" was released on the Dutchess label in 1963 produced by Duke Reid. The flipside is "Musical Communion" by Baba Brooks. In UK it was released on Blue Beat BB 190 B in 1963 as the b-side to "Musical Communion" by Baba Brooks. 20 "Last Saturday Morning" is a Ska written by Higgs & Wilson. It has Arkland "Drumbago" Park on drums, Lloyd Brevett on bass, Jerome "Jah Jerry" Haines on guitar, Herman Sang on piano, Charles "Charlie Organaire" Cameron on harmonica and Stanley Ribbs on tenor sax. In Jamaica "Last Saturday Morning" was released on Beverley´s WI-081 A in 1963 produced by Leslie Kong. In UK it appeared on Island WI 081 A in 1963.
21 "Praise The Lord" is a spiritual adapted by Higgs & Wilson. It is no gospel dance record, but a religious song. The music is by Arkland "Drumbago" Parks on drums, Lloyd Brevett on bass, Jerome "Jah Jerry" Haines on guitar and Herman Sang on organ. In Jamaica it was released on Beverley´s WI-081 B in 1963 produced by Leslie Kong as the flipside of "Last Saturday Morning". In UK it appeared on Island WI 081 A also in 1963 also as the flipside of "Last Saturday Morning". 22 "Kisses" is a Ska written by Higgs & Wilson. It features backing by The Vagabonds: Winston "Sparrow" Martin on drums, Coleson Chen (a Chinese) on electric bass, Wallace Wilson and Trevor Lopez on guitar, Herman Sang on piano and Cedric Brooks on tenor sax. The electric bass was introduced to Jamaica in 1963. In Jamaican it was released on Gaydisc G 19 (LOP 109) in 1963 produced by Lindon Pottinger and distributed by Tip Top Records. The flipside is "Deep In My Heart". The same record appeared in UK on Rio R20 in 1963. 23 "Deep In My Heart" is a Bolero written by Higgs & Wilson. Backing is by The Vagabonds: Winston "Sparrow" Martin on drums, Coleson Chen (chinese) on electric bass, Wallace Wilson and Trevor Lopez on guitar, Herman Sang on piano and Cedric Brooks on sax. Released in Jamaica on Gaydisc G 19 (LOP 110) in 1963 produced by Lindon Pottinger as the flipside of "Kisses" in Jamaica as in UK on Rio R20. 24 "Gone Is Yesterday" is a Ska written by Higgs & Wilson and backed by Arkland "Drumbago" Parks on drums, Lloyd Brevett on bass, Wallace Wilson on guitar, Baba Brooks on trumpet and Cedric Brooks on tenor sax. In Jamaica it was released on blank Gay Disc (LOP 127) in 1964 produced by Lindon Pottinger. The UK issue on Rio R 29 B released 1964 has the Jamaican sides reversed. 25 "Love Is Not For Me" is a Ska written by Higgs & Wilson and backed by Arkland "Drumbago" Parks on drums, Lloyd Brevett on bass, Wallace Wilson on guitar, Baba Brooks on trumpet and Cedric Brooks on sax. The Jamaican issue on blank Gay Disc (LOP 128) was released in 1964 and was produced by Lindon Pottinger. The UK issue on Rio R 29 A of 1964 has the title in mistake as "Love Not For Me" and has the Jamaican sides reversed. 26 "Pain In My Heart" is a Jamaican Boogie with a doo wop flair. It was written by C. Campbell aka Prince Buster and co-written by Higgs and Wilson. The recording is backed by Prince Buster All Stars: Arkland "Drumbago" Parks on drums, Lloyd Brevett on bass, Jah Jerry on guitar, Theophilius Beckford on piano, Raymond Harper trumpet and Stanley Ribbs on sax. The Jamaica issue was released on the Islam label (6183) in 1964 and was produced by Prince Buster. The flipside is "To Spend An Evening" by Joe Higgs. The UK issue on Blue Beat BB 277 A was released in 1964 with "Going West" by Prince Busters All Stars as the flipside.
27 "There´s A Reward" is a Ska track and was a chart hit in Jamaica. The track was re-recorded by Joe Higgs in 1973 for the album "Life Of Contradiction" and again in 1988 for the album "Family". It is written by Higgs & Wilson. Backing is by The Mighty Vikings: bandleader Desmond Miles on electric bass, Esmond Jarrett on drums, Wallin Cameron on guitar (later he became the guitarist for the Soul Brothers), Neville Hinds on organ (he became Byron Lee and the Dragonaires´ organ player). Backing harmonies by Beverley Kelso and Ermine "Cherry Green" Bramwell of The Wailers. Released only in Jamaica in 1965 on Wincox. The first pressing has green writing on yellow background and later pressings has black writing on white background. Also released on coloured vinyl in red, in green and in blue. The flipside is "Your Love Is Mine". It was produced by Clement Dodd. In fact this is the very first release on the Wincox label. The second release was The Wailer´s "Lonesome Feeling / There She Goes". These two records were recorded at the very same session with the same band playing. Recently it was reissued in Jamaica on Studio 1. A recent USA reissue is on Coxsone with "Chariot Rock" by Clue J & The Bluesbusters on the flipside. 28 "Your Love Is Mine" is a ballad in doo wop style written by Higgs & Wilson and backed by The Mighty Vikings: bandleader Desmond Miles on bass, Esmond Jarrett on drums, Wallin Cameron on guitar, Neville Hinds on organ. Backing vocals by Beverley Kelso and Ermine "Cherry Green" Bramwell of The Wailers. Released only in Jamaica on Wincox as the flipside of "Ther´s A Reward". 29 "Don´t Mind Me" is an early reggae track written by Clancy Eccles and co-written by Higgs & Wilson. Labels only credits Clancy Eccles as the writer, but this is more an expression of a widely common habit of some Jamaican music producers to put their own names on a record they produced. It should not be taken all too serious like a confirmed fact. "Don´t Mind Me" was recorded at Randy´s recording studio with backing by the Dynamites: Paul Douglas on drums, Clifton "Jackie" Jackson on electric bass, Hux Brown and Ranny "Bop" Williams on guitar. Keith Scott told me the background story of this track and how it came that Higgs & Wilson reunited in the studio four years after their last session: In 1969 Joe Higgs went into the studio to record this track for Clancy Eccles. Joe Higgs recorded the vocals twice so that we hear his voice doubled. He sings a duet with himself. But after the recording was done, Joe Higgs found that the track would sound much better when his old partner would do the second vocals with his falsetto voice. At that time Roy Wilson was working at a hotel on the north of Jamaica. So Joe drove all around the island to bring him back to the studio after five years to record the vocal take again as a duo using the very same riddim. The resulting song was a big hit in Jamaica what is confirmed by the various different label colours of pressings. A second track "Again" was also recorded for Clancy Eccles by Higgs & Wilson at the time but released later in the following year 1970. "Don´t Mind Me" was released in Jamaica in 1969 and produced by Clancy Eccles for his newfound label Clan Disc DYNA CE-713-1-X with black writing on white background and brown writing on white background, maybe also on further colours, maybe also on matrixes ending as 7131-A and further with "Herb Man Shuffle" by King Stitt, Andy Capp & The Dyamites as the flipside. The UK issue of 1970 on Clan Disc CLA 218 A has "Angel" by Glen & Roy as the flipside. It is worth to mention that "Don´t Mind Me" mis-credited to Higgs & Wilson on UK Clan Disc CLA 207-B in 1970 is in fact the rejected first vocal take by Joe Higgs alone with his voice doubled. There are two pressings, one has red writing on white background and the other has silver writing on green background. A-side of that issue is "Herbman" by King Stitt & Andy Capp aka Lynford Anderson. If this track was also released in Jamaica is unconfirmed.
30 "Again" is another early reggae track written by Clancy Eccles and co-written by Higgs & Wilson. It was rcorded in 1969 at the same session as "Don´t Mind Me" at Randy´s Recording Studio with backing by The Dynamites: Paul Douglas on drums, Clifton "Jackie" Jackson on bass, Hux Brown and Ranny "Bop" Williams" on guitar, Winston Wright on organ. It can well be understood as an immediate expression of the joy to be together and also as an byebye after twelve years working together as Higgs & Wilson. "Again" was released in Jamaica on the Humasound label in 1970 produced by Clancy Eccles. The UK issue on Clan Disc CLA 209 B was also released in 1970 and has "Open Up – The Piper" by Clancy Eccles on the flipside. The title "Agane" on the UK issue is a mistake. It should be "Again". In late 1969 or early 1970 Roy Williams left Jamaica and immigrated into the USA where he lived until his death on May 27th 2012. He had left behind the music business. Only once in the late 1970s or early 1980s he entered again a studio to sing with a band called The Echoes. While Roy Wilson never recorded solo records or any other music aside of Higgs & Wilson his partner Joe Higgs had started a solo singer´s career in around 1964 that lasted for three and a half decades until his untimely death on December 18th 1999.
Autographed photography of 1960 with Higgs & Wilson performing at the Carib Theatre, Kingston, Jamaica
Wilfred "Jackie" Edwards
Rico and Don Drummond
Edward Seaga
Theophilius Beckford
Herman Sang in Federal recording studio with his combo recording for Lindon Pottinger
Herman Sang, Clancy Eccles, Jimmy James and Clement Coxsone Dodd 1961 at a rehearsal at Coxsone premises in Love Lane
Roland Alphonso, Clancy Eccles, Don Drummond (with hat), Clement "Coxsone" Dodd (with cap), Desmond Elliott, and Herman Sang in 1961 in the control room of Federal Studio.
Don Drummond
The Caribs with Lloyd Brevett on bass.
Dennis Sindry on guitar
Dennis Sindry on banjo, Carl McCloud on drums.
Roland Alphonso
Jerome "Jah Jerry" Haynes
Lloyd Knibbs
Lloyd Brevett Lloyd Knibbs and Lloyd Brevett are the rhythm section of The Skatalites. For the next 18 month they were that much in demand that we hear them on most of the famous tracks of the ska period 1963-65.
The Skatalites 1964 Lloyd Brevett on bass, Jackie Mittoo on piano, Jerome "Jah Jerry" on guitar, Tommy McCook on tenor sax, Lester Sterling on alto sax, Johnny Moore on trumpet, probably Don Drummond on trombone
The Skatalites 1965 Lloyd Brevett on bass, Tommy McCook on tenor sax, Roland Alphonso on tenor sax, Lester Sterling on alto sax, Johnny Moore on trumpet, and probably Jerome "Jah Jerry" Haines on guitar
Lloyd Brevett on bass, Clement Dodd, Roland Alphonso on tenor sax and Johnny Moore on trumpet
The Skatalites
The Skatalites Johnny Moore on trumpet, Lloyd Knibbs on drums, Lester Sterling on alto sax, Roland Alphonso on tenor sax, Lloyd Brevett on bass, Tommy McCook on tenor sax, Tony DaCosta on alto sax, Jackie Mittoo on piano and Harold McKenzie on guitar
The Skatalites
Baba Brooks
Duke Reid
Winston "Sparrow" Martin and Trevor Lopez are in this picture the 5 th and 6th from left side. The picture shows parts of the Carlos Malcomb Band leaving for Nassau in 1965. In this photo: Winston "The Whip" Williams, Alphanso Castro, Lascelles Perkins, Larry Mac, Trevor Lopez, Winston "Sparrow" Martin, Aubyn Hall
Prince Buster and Rico (left on top), Clement Dodd (left below), The Dynamites right above.
Manny, Oh (JAM WIRL)
Manny, Oh (UK Blue Beat 1st)
Manny, Oh (UK Blue Beat 2nd)
When You Tell Me Baby (JAM WIRL)
When You Tell Me Baby (UK Blue Beat 1st)
When You Tell Me Baby (UK Blue Beat 2nd)
Give Me A Try (JAM Luxor)
Gun Talk (JAM Luxor)
I Long For The Day (JAM WIRL)
Pretty Baby (JAM WIRL)
Pretty Baby (UK Starlite)
It Is A Day (JAM WIRL 1st)
It Is A Day (JAM WIRL 2nd)
It Is A Day (UK Starlite)
Lovers´s Song (JAM WIRL 1st)
Lover´s Song (JAM WIRL 2nd)
Lover´s Song (UK Starlite)
Come On Home (JAM WIRL)
Come On Home (UK Starlite)
The Robe (JAM WIRL)
The Robe (UK Starlite)
Sha Ba Da (JAM WIRL)
Sha Ba Da (UK Starlite
Change Of Mind (JAM WIRL)
How Can I Be Sure (JAM Supreme first pressing)
How Can I Be Sure (JAM Supreme second pressing)
How Can I Be Sure (JA Studio One third pressing)
How Can I Be Sure (JA Studio One fourth pressing)
Mighty Man (UK Blue Beat)
Mighty Man (JAM Supreme)
Mighty Man (JAM Studio One second)
Only to show the previous label in detail: Mighty Man (JAM Supreme first pressing) There´s Alaways Sunshine by Blues Credited to Hersang & His City Slickers Busters on JAM Supreme first pressing.
How Can I Be Sure (UK Blue Beat)
Mighty Man (JAM Studio One first)
Saturday Night (JAM Islam)
Saturday Night (JAM Islam Blank) My Baby (JAM Rolando & Powie)
Powies Hop (Roland Alphonso & His Alley Cats (JAM Rolando & Powie) Bye And Bye (JAM N D) Let Me Know (UK R & B)
Bye And Bye (UK R & B)
If You Want Pardon (JAM Dutchess)
If You Want Pardon (UK Blue Beat)
Last Saturday Morning (JAM Beverley´s Blank)
Last Saturday Morning (UK Island)
Praise The Lord (UK Island)
Kisses (JAM Gaydisc)
Kisses (UK Rio)
Deep In My Heart (JAM Gaydisc)
Deep In My Heart (UK Rio)
Gone Is Yesterday (JA Blank)
Gone Is Yesterday (UK Rio)
Love Is Not For Me (JA Blank)
Love Is Not For (UK Rio)
Pain In My Heart (JA Islam)
Pain In My Heart (UK Blue Beat)
There´s A Reward (JA Wincox, first pressing)
There´s A Reward (JA Wincox, second pressing)
There´s A Reward (USA Coxsone Reissue)
Your Love Is Mine (JA Wincox)
There´s A Reward (JA Studio 1 Reissue)
Don´t Mind Me (JA Clan Disc brown)
Don´t Mind Me (JA Clan Disc black)
Again (JA Humasound)
Again (UK Clan Disc)
Don´t Mind Me (UK Clan Disc 218)
Poster of the X-Mas Bonanza December 29th 1964 Astor Theatre, Spanish Town, Jamaica featuring Tommy Mc Cook & The Ska-talites, the main act Higgs & Wilson and further acts: Eric Morris, Derrick Harriott, Stranger Cole, Delroy Wilson, Winston Samuels, Roy Richards, Bam of the Bim & Bam fame (they were a stage act enormous popular in Jamaica), Zandra (Exotic Trinidian Rhumba Dancer)
Higgs & Wilson Anthology 1959-1969 featuring Manny Oh 01 Manny Oh (1960) 02 When You Tell Me Baby (1960) 03 Give Me A Try (1960) 04 Gun Talk (1960) 05 I Long For The Day (1960) 06 Pretty Baby (1960) 07 It Is A Day (1960) 08 Lover´s Song (1960) 09 Come On Home (1961) 10 The Robe (1961) 11 Sha-Ba-Da (1961) 12 Change Of Mind (1961) 13 How Can I Be Sure (1961) 14 Mighty Man (1961) 15 Saturday Night (1962)
16 My Baby (1962) 17 Let Me Know (1963) 18 Bye And Bye (1963) 19 If You Want Pardon (1963) 20 Last Saturday Morning (1963) 21 Praise The Lord (1963) 22 Kisses (1963) 23 Deep In My Heart (1963) 24 Gone Is Yesterday (1964) 25 Love Is Not For Me (1964) 26 Pain In My Heart (1964) 27 There Is A Reward (1965) 28 Your Love Is Mine (1965) 29 Don´t Mind Me (1969) 30 Again (1969)
Produced by Higgs & Wilson. All rights reserved Neville "Roy Wilson" Williams & Marcia Higgs for the Joe Higgs Family. Keith Scott provided the background information and allowed to use his rare original 7´´s and label scans. Further vinyl sources provided by Brian Keyo. Photos provided by Roy Wilson, Keith Scott, Dennis Sindry and Herman Sang. Digital restoration by Holger Klotz / TyMachine. Concept & realization by Werner Kajnath. Much respect & best thanks for Keith Scott for his patience during dozens of hours of interviews by phone, his continous encouragement and his positive vibes. His accurate rememberance of all the mentioned details of those early times is an unvalueable treasure to learn more about the beginning of Jamaican Music. Blessings to the families of Joe Higgs and Roy Wilson.