****AL PANCHO - MY STORY****

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****AL PANCHO - MY STORY****

TRACKLIST


1. Me Herbs
2. Praise Jah (Feat Lutan Fyah)
3. Chant Nyabinghi (Feat Telegram & Judah Fari)
4. Don't Deserve It
5. Just Love (Feat Natty King)
6. I'm Coming Home
7. Spread Love (Feat Luciano)
8. Love Is The Solution
9. My Story
10. Part A Your System
11. No Space
12. Wake Up
13. What You Would Say  
LABEL I Dwell Records
VOCALS: Own Brown, Anthony Martin
BASS: Rankin Scroo
DRUMS: Rankin Scroo, Tyler Linder
LEAD GUITAR: Jason Gaffner, Omar Bojahil, Austen Zombres
KEYBOARDS: Rankin Scroo
SAX: Rankin Scroo
TRUMPET: Hap Mapel
PIANO: Rankin Scroo
ORGAN: Rankin Scroo
PERCUSSION: Rankin Scroo, Jack Mapel
CONGOS: Jeremy Campbell
SYNTHESIZER: Jack Mapel
FLUTE: Rankin Scroo, Jack Mapel
CLARINET: Rankin Scroo

****AL PANCHO - JOY BELLS RINGING****

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****AL PANCHO - JOY BELLS RINGING****

TRACKLIST


1. Joy Bells Ringing
2. More To Life (With Lutan Fyah)
3. Anything You Want
4. Man Of Truth (With Natty King)
5. A Nuh One Day
6. Paradise
7. Worlien
8. Dem Own Trap
9. Unity Is Strength (With Luciano)
10. Nah Go Reach
11. Musical Mission
12. Bruk Yuh Bread
13. Buss Dem Head
14. Empress
15. Ithiopia (With Yamia Bolo And Prince Bob)

 LABEL Lustre Kings
 DATE 2008
"Joy Bells Ringing" is the the title of the third album from Rastafarian deejay Owen Ricardo Brown, whose moniker Al Pancho most likely will ring a bell when you're into contemporay roots reggae. After the European release of "Righteous Men", his debut set on Brotherman's Minor7Flat5 imprint, it lasted four years before Al Pancho's sophomore album "My Story" finally hit the streets. And now, one year after that hardly known second cd, there's the "Joy Bells Ringing" set coming from the much acclaimed Lustre Kings production camp from Oakland, California. Their production work for Lutan Fyah's "Time And Place" (2005) and Turbulence's "The Future" (2003) was very satisfactory as they managed to get the very best out of these two artists, and also their "one riddim" sets proved to be worth of hearing.


A good production team that could take Al Pancho to the next level in his musical career was long overdue as he has released too many lacklustre efforts in recent years. Our overall impression is that he has truly benefited from his working together with people like Digital Ancient, Nick Fantastic, King Corrin and Zion High, because this "Joy Bells Ringing" set is Al Pancho's most solid collection of tunes so far. It's obvious that not every track on this album can get a gold medal, but for most of the pieces featured here counts that you can see a glint of gold shining through.


The musical backings, recorded live with only few exceptions, differ greatly and include such wicked riddims as "Credential" ("Joy Bells Ringing"), "Alarm Clock" ("Unity is Strength"), "Talking Drum" ("Buss Dem Head"), "The Shining" ("Bruk Yuh Bread"), "Red Razor" ("Nah Go Reach"), and "Hard Times". The latter is known from boom tunes like for example Capleton's "That Day Will Come" and I-Wayne's "Living In Love", and now there's Al Pancho cut entitled "Own Trap" that can take its place amongst the best efforts for the riddim. Meanwhile it's one of the strongest solo tracks of this album together with Joy Bells Ringing", "Anything You Want", "Nah Go Reach", "Musical Mission" and "Bruk Yuh Bread", which comes across a riddim that has overtones of Sly & Robbie's classic "Baltimore" riddim.


Besides Al Pancho's solo efforts this album also includes four combination tunes featuring guest appearances by Lutan Fyah, Luciano, Natty King and Yami Bolo & Prince Bob. In particular "Man Of Truth" with Natty King and "Unity Is Strength" with Luciano are great and a joy to listen to. Al Pancho's ('off key') deejay style may not appeal to everyone, but if you like artists such Sizzla, Anthony B and Capleton, then this album is definitely one for you.

****AL PANCHO - RIGHTEOUS MEN****

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RIGHTEOUS MEN

TRACKLIST


1. Start All Over Again (With Jah Mason)
2. Poverty
3. Good Draw
4. For So Long (With Jr. Kelly)
5. Don't Worry
6. Pollution
7. My Number
8. Things And Times
9. Stay Far (With Bounty Killer)
10. Righteous Man
11. Keep Focus (With Natural Black)
12. Children (With Luciano)
13. My Reputation (With Lutan Fyah)
14. Olden Days


LABEL Minor 7 Flat 5-INDIGO
RELEASE 28 - 07 - 2003

This is the debut album of Rastafarian DJ Owen Ricardo 'Al Pancho' Brown, born on the 8th of June, 1974 in Mayriver, St. Mary, JA. He had a tune on the Marley Boyz' "Educated Fools" riddim album, but him meeting Gran Canaria, Spain based German producer Andreas 'Brotherman' Christopherson resulted in a first recorded for Brotherman's Minor7Flat5-label, the title track of this album. In 2004 Al Pancho visited Europe again, and together with Brotherman - who already has the big albums "Different Thing" by Turbulence and "Tell It From The Heart" by Luciano under his belt - he began laying tracks for this album.


Opening with a fine combination with Jah Mason "Start All Over Again" over the 'Wadada'-riddim, a live backing recorded at Tuff Gong in Kingston, on the great sufferer's tune "Poverty" over the 'Campo'-riddim, that was also used for Spectacular's "So Long", Taffari's "People Are You Ready", Luton Fyah's "Clearance", Luciano 's"Babylon Go Down", Mikey General's "Bad Boy Natty" and Turbulence's "Facts", Al Pancho shows he doesn't need to rely on the great names featured alongside him on this album. The vibes are kept with ganja-tune "Good Draw" over the 'Freedom Train'-riddim, another nice all Brotherman built and played riddim. Then whether with Junior Kelly on "For So Long" over 'Knowledge' another at Tuff Gong live recorded riddim or "Don't Worry" over 'Grow', "Pollution" over 'Private' and balladish "My Number" over the heavy keyboard-riff-based 'Holiday' and another slower paced tune "Things And Times" over 'Step On', Al Pancho's singjaying convinces.


A typical either-love-it-or-hate-it riddim is the 'Classic'-riddim for his combination "Stay Far" with Bounty Killer is in my opinion one of the strongest tracks of the album, that should have been pressed on a 7" and could really stir up the dance. More strong combinations follow after "Righteous Man", the first track recorded by Al Pancho in 2002 for Brotherman over the 'Lili'-riddim, the minimalistic riddim that was also used for Turbulence's "Marihuana", CéCile's "Rain" and Luton Fyah's "Who Draw Last", starting the combination sequence with "Keep Focus" with Natural Black over the Firehouse Crew's one drop 'Summerfield'-riddim, "Children" with Luciano recorded like the other Tuff Gong recorded tunes with the like of Leroy 'Horsemouth' Wallace, the legendary drummer, Andrew Campbell on bass, Lloyd 'Obeah' Denton on keys, Brotherman himself on guitar and with the great horn section featured all through this album of Dean Fraser, Nambo Robinson and Dwight Richards and the percussion of Uzziah 'Sticky' Thompson over the rootsy 'Sweet.Com'-riddim. "My Reputation" alongside Luton Fyah over 'Upside Down' is yet another killer combo over a classic reggae riddim, and it is justified that the slow jam "Olden Days" over an almost early UB40-ish riddim called 'Mein Haus' has Al Pancho solo closing the album.


Proving he is so much more than a Buju Banton sound-alike, this is an album recommended for anyone who likes rootsy riddims, cultural lyrics and strong singjays and all already impressed by the earlier mentioned Minor7Flat5 releases.