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By Steve Serpiente CHICAGO - It was back in 1994 when Don Carlos recorded his last album - Strongg - as lead singer of the legendary Black Uhuru. Yet, like fellow ex Uhuru lead singers Michael Rose and Junior Reid, Carlos' identity is still very much intertwined with the reggae super group he twice fronted. No matter how many 7"s, 12"s, LP's and CD's the ex Uhuru singers release as solo artists, they are compelled to incorporate Uhuru material into their live performances. The allure of the Uhuru catalog - both out of each singer's personal connection to the powerful music as well as a surefire way to please their patrons - is too tempting to resist. Since returning to the touring circuit in the mid 90's, Michael
Rose, who along with Sly & Robbie propelled Uhuru to its highest heights during his
reign as leader of the group from 1977 to 1984, has doled out doses of his excellent
solo songs along with heaping helpings of Uhuru tracks during his shows. While Junior Reid (lead singer of Uhuru for two studio albums from 1986 to 1987) concentrates more on his solo work during live performances, he typically includes "Fit You Haffe Fit" from Uhuru's 1986 Brutal album, as well as Michael Rose penned Uhuru tunes such as "General Penitentary" and "Shine Eye Gal." Like Rose and Reid, Carlos hails from the tough Waterhouse district of Kingston and punctuates his singing with scat-like phrases such as "hey whooaaa" and "no ohhhh" as do Rose and Reid albeit with a more laid back approach than that of his younger successors/predecessors in Uhuru. (Rose and Reid both succeeded and preceded Carlos in that Carlos founded Uhuru with Duckie Simpson and Garth Dennis in the early 70's, but that trio cut only three singles before Carlos left to pursue his solo career and Dennis departed to join the Wailing Souls - with whom he had already been a part time member - on a full time basis. Simpson coaxed Carlos and Dennis back to the band in the late 80's, and the reuinted lineup put out four albums from 1990 to 1994.) So Don's rare solo concert appearance here begged the question: Which, if any, Uhuru songs would Mr. Carlos perform?
Opening with "Cool Johnny Cool" from his 1987 LP Deeply Concerned (RAS Records), Carlos lamented the plight of an immigrant youthman caught up in some illicit hustling in America and paying the price. Carlos followed with "Ababba John I" (over the Real Rock riddim) and "Lazer Beam" (on the Weatherman Skank riddim), both of which were released on the Pass Me the Lazer Beam LP (Enterprize Records, circa 1982). (Both tracks are also available on the Jah Light LP [1983], which was recently reissued by the UK label Black Arrow on both CD and vinyl.) Carlos next culled three selections from his Just a Passing Glance release (RAS, 1994): "I Just Can't Stop;" "Front Line;" and "Zion Train." It was after a brief acappella number praising Jah Rastafari that the singer delved into some Uhuru material with a medley of "Sponji Reggae / General Penitentary / Music Crave." (The latter cut is from the 1983 Don Carlos & Gold LP Raving Tonight on RAS.) Carlos continued melding solo and Uhuru works with a
brilliant medley of "Young Girl / Guess Who's Coming to Dinner /
Sinsemilla." Don cleverly transitioned from song to song as a storyteller
relating how his young girlfriend nervously took him home for dinner to
meet her parents and how her father, at first weary of the Rastaman, eventually
accepted the singer/narrator and lead him to a bountiful garden
of ganja in the back yard. While Carlos could have chosen quality cuts from his own days with Uhuru such as "Heathen," "Take Heed," "Statement" or "Genocide," that he chose Uhuru songs only from the Michael Rose era is indicative that Rose's material remains the quintessential work of the band. From his latest CD - 7 Days a Week (RAS, 1998), Carlos performed "Movin (To the Top)," after which he dipped into the Treasure Isle canon with a rendition of The Sensations' standard "Every Day Is Just a Holiday." Carlos' four piece band stoked up some thick smokey grooves on his cover of the Abyssinians' "Satta Massagana." (Attack Gold recently put out an early 80's Carlos vocal of Satta followed by a crucial toast over the riddim by Dillinger on 10" vinyl - a must have for collectors and DJ's.) The strength of Carlos' treatment of this roots anthem fueled the positive vibes in the house just as he was about to step off stage for the night. Called back for an encore, Carlos performed an extended version of "Just a Passing Glance," during which one of his contemporaries (apologies for not catching the brother's name) joined him onstage and textured some toasting over Don's singing, creating uniquely Jamaican material in the process. Carlos developed a friendly rapport with the crowd throughout the show, offering various Rasta insights into world events and life in general and repeatedly saying, "We love you all, but Jah love you more." He exuded the playfulness of a child when the engineer added reverb to his mic between songs, allowing him to indulge in some live dubbing.
Wadi Gad jump started the cultural evening with a 45 minute set featuring originals ("New Day" and "Wanted Man") in addition to selections from other roots artists (Israel Vibrations' "Strength of My Life"). A veteran Rasta diplomat with locks hanging below his knees and a beard which has dreads of its own, Gad is not only a talented roots singer but he can also drive a riddim from behind a trap set. His extensive resume as a drummer includes work with the Abyssinians, Ras Michael & the Sons of Negus, Ken Boothe, John Holt, Big Youth, Michael Rose, Yami Bolo, Eek A Mouse and Ras Shiloh, among others. He relinquished the mic to finish his own set behind the drum kit. Contact reggae addict Steve Serpiente at serpiente97@yahoo.com |
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Don Carlos @ Wild Hare, 10/2/02
Carlos took the stage at 12:35 a.m. and, aside from his
graying locks, looked much like he did in the early 90's when he was
touring alongside Simpson and Dennis. His tall, somewhat lanky frame was accentuated
by an oversized dark, shiny suit, and his onstage moves were reminiscent of the loosely
choreographed steps he had performed with Simpson during his second stint with Uhuru. 
Before the show, Carlos visited a Chicago recording
studio to voice a track with Ghana native Magic Rocker for Rocker's upcoming album. (For a
fine international collaboration, check out Carlos and Tony Rebel on a CD called Made
In Jamaica [RAS, 2002] by the Chilean reggae group Gondwana. The disc is 00's
uplifting roots reggae en espaņol - not the rude quasi dancehall stuff often
associated with Spanish reggae.) 