yardie's reggae collection
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MIKEY
RAS STARR
FIRE & RAIN / Includes: FIRE & RAIN (1979) * * * * 
1975-1984 - Makasound - studio
- discs:1A former member of the ensamble "The Light Of Saba", created by Cedric "Im" Brooks, Michael Ras Starr is a bass player, composer and singer. He started to sing in a Poco-Baptist (some sort of Pocomania influenced Baptist creed) church. At the same time a family with all the members involved in singing and playing, also influenced his ears and his early attitude to sing. The Pocomania sounds, with its African influences and Burru drumming, never left Michael and they will reappear later in his career while joyning "The Light Of Saba" Nyahbinghi and Jazz influenced band. Born in Kingston but raised in the St. Elisabeth Parish since the age of five, he started to play piano, but due to dimensions of the instrument he opted for something easier to carry around: a bass made of corn meal box with fish lines as strings. Once back in Kingston at the age of fifteen, Michael rejoyned his father, a highly respected Rastaman by his Rasta bredren Mortimer Planno, the seminal figure inside the movement (see the Books section in this site), Uncle Joe, Vincent "Tata T" Ford and other elders as Jah Stone and Jah Lion. At nineteen, as a bass player, Michael started to check the great studios but no one seemed to be interested in him. Legend has that he did not seemed a quiet man since the people he spent his time with. Actually Michael admits that he went around with his "rude boys" friends. But soon he followed the Rastafari preachings. Subsequently Michael "Mikey" Starr, working with Tommy Cowan and Warren Kynn, became Ras Star. Another name Michael is also known as is Haile Maskel, after he was baptised by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in 1972. Ras also worked as a member of the Bunny Lee's studio band The Aggrovators. Michael debut's single "Got To Say Love" (1975) was produced by Bob Marley. Soon after Michael's father introduced him to Channel One and Ras started to play for some of the big names around: Linval Thompson, Little Roy, Hugh Mundell, Augustus Pablo, Cornell Campbell, The Itals, The Kingstonians and Johnny Clarke; to name a few. An album for Lee Perry was also scheduled, but the financial arrangements did not went well and it was never cut. Michael also played bass and arranged some classics as the singles "Why Worry" and "Same Song" from Israel Vibration; "Graduation In Zion" from Kiddus I; the "What A Man A Deal With" from Winston McAnuff; the "Black Roots" album from Sugar Minott and the stellar "Black Woman" set from Judy Mowatt; to name a few. In 1979 Michael recorded the album "Fire & Rain". This re-release features the original set plus a certain number of bonus tracks. The first ten tracks should be the originals from the "Fire & Rain" release. In any case here follows the list of this re-reissue "Some Say This", "The Time Has Come", "Coomaya", "Porgy", "Tafari Safari", "Jah Man Of Calvary", "Got To Say Love", "Jah Higher High", "Old Time Religion", "Come Back Sunday Mornin", "Fire & Rain", "Market Place Revolution", "Cornfield", "Some Say This" (original version), "Got To Say Love" (Dub version) and "Jah Man Of Calvary" (Dub version). This is the list of the players: Carlton Barrett, Mikey Boo, Llynford Miles and Shakaman (drums); Robbie Shakespeare, Val Douglas and Michael Ras Starr (bass); Peter Tosh (piano); Tyrone Downey (organ); Jeffrey Chang and Jawge Hughes (keyboards); Sowell, Mikey Chang, Little D and Dell Ricky (lead guitar); Michael Ras Starr (rhythm guitar); Bunny Wailer, Shakaman, Michael Ras Starr and Big Dread (percussions). Do not forget the Roots from Mikey. Strong messages, some very great music, from an often overlooked artist. 1. Some Say This |