Studio 17 is the story of the Jamaican record shop run by Vincent Chin and wife Pat that became an important recording studio.
Here's the scoop...
In downtown Kingston, Jamaica, in the early 60s, Vincent and Pat Chin—a Chinese Jamaican husband-and-wife team—started a tiny used record shop. Little did they know their venture would grow into Studio 17: a groundbreaking recording studio and production company that launched the careers of iconic reggae musicians such as Bob Marley and the Wailers, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Peter Tosh and many more.
Decades later, original studio tapes from the golden age of reggae have been unearthed, providing the soundtrack (produced by London-based music journalist Reshma B) to this soulful music doc directed by Mark James. Vincent and Pat’s son and protégé, Clive Chin, recounts poignant stories from the birth of the Jamaican music industry to the 1970s political turmoil that forced the Chin family to flee to New York, as well as the still-unsolved 2011 murder of his son, music label director Joel Chin. This nostalgic treasure trove of music and stories charts the rise of reggae from its humble roots to one of the most popular music genres in the world.
Studio 17: The Lost Reggae Tapes screens at Toronto's Hot Docs Cinema (506 Bloor St. West) on Monday (August 15) at 7 pm Eastern. Director Mark James, executive producer Wael Kabbani, and music journalist and producer Reshma B will be present for a special post-screening Q&A. Get tickets right here here. Watch the trailer below.
Jay Anderson & Ian Blurton's horn-enhanced UWUW debut is out Oct. 21. Check out the lead off track "Scattered Ashes" below.
Here's the scoop...
UWUW (pronounced you-you) have just announced the release of their debut, self-titled LP with their lead single Scattered Ashes. With some of Toronto’s most experienced and revered musicians making this project possible, it’s no wonder why the sonic presence of this project demands your attention and doesn’t let you go. The impressive cast of players includes Jason Haberman of Dan Mangan and Yeahsun, Jay Anderson of Badge Époque Ensemble, Biblical and Lammping, and Ian Blurton of Ian Blurton’s Future Now, Change of Heart, and C’mon. Giving the songs a voice are two of Toronto’s most distinctive songwriters: Chris A. Cummings aka Marker Starling, adding his distinct, easy-glide, story-telling charm to Box Office Poison, and Scattered Ashes, and Drew Smith (Bunny, The Bicycles), providing his trademark, 60s harmony pop and lyrical prowess to Staircase and Landlord. UWUW's self-titled debut album – with enjoyably oblique sleeve art courtesy of Nick Sewell! – is slated for release by We Are Busy Bodies on October 21st. Pre-order it via Bandcamp right here. Fans of Euroboys, T2, and Manfred Mann Chapter Three will be enamoured with these exceptionally crafted and exciting compositions.
The lead single 'Scattered Ashes' (listen below) breathes soul and rock, while blurring sounds and influences which call to mind James Brown’s horn section and the compositional layers of experimental Beach Boys recordings. In response to the meaning behind his lyrics, singer Marker Starling says, “I attempted to shoehorn every stray apocalyptic thought I had circa Summer of 2021 into the song, including readings from the screenplay of Jean-Luc Godard's Alphaville (1965). The world is ending, or perhaps, as Sun Ra believed, we're already past the end of the world. You might end up dying for a cause, or even "just because." Who knows what tomorrow may bring, and like The Zombies, being forever Hung Up on a Dream—in this case, a lost vision of a kind of hippie or punk utopia—is the only way to live your life, the only way to maintain a healing state of mind”.
UWUW came into being when Jay Anderson and Ian Blurton came together through a run of shows, backing mutual friend and singer/songwriter, Kate Boothman as her drummer, and guitarist, respectively. Anderson suggested bringing in Jason Haberman, a talented bassist, who Anderson had seen play with Toronto indie-folk band, The Wooden Sky. Realizing they didn’t want an instrumental record, they layered on bright horns and smooth vocals, lifting the songs from instrumental jams, to the undefinable yet distinctive sound that is, UWUW. Saxophonist, Jay Hey, was brought in to provide horn arrangements, along with Tom Richardson on trombone and Patrick McGroarty on trumpet, all three contributing on every song. The result is a blissfully cool album with music that will appeal to all listeners, from record store snobs, garage rock slobs, and even psych-pop heartthrobs!
UWUW - S/T
1. Scattered Ashes
2. Staircase To The End Of The Night
3. Landlord
4. Box Office Poison
Credits
Jason Haberman - bass, keyboards
Jay Anderson - drums, percussion
Ian Blurton - guitar, keyboards, vocals, engineering, mixing
Chris Cummings - vocals on 'Scattered Ashes' and 'Box Office Poison'
Drew Smith - vocals on 'Staircase To The End Of The Night' and 'Landlord'
