Harry Mudie
Encyclopedia
Harry A. Mudie is a Jamaica
n record producer
.
"Mudies Hi-Fi", before going to the UK
to study electronics and photography
.
Back in Jamaica in the late 1950s, Mudie began producing, mainly Jamaican R&B records; His first production was "Babylon Gone" (1962) by rasta
drummer Count Ossie
and saxophonist Wilton Gaynair
, released in the UK in 1962 on Blue Beat. He moved away from production in the 1960s, operating his Scaramouch Garden Amusement Center in Spanishtown, opened in 1962. He returned to production in the late 1960s, launching his Moodisc label and working with artists such as Winston Wright, Winston Shand, Lloyd Jones, Count Ossie and was the first producer to put I Roy on record. In the early 1970s, Mudie was the first to record the deejay
Big Joe
. He was the first producer to use string sections in reggae, starting with (John Holt
's 1973 album Time is the Master. Also in the 1970s, he produced several dub albums with King Tubby
(the Dub Conference series). From the mid to late 1970s he had his greatest success, producing artists such as Gregory Isaacs
, The Heptones
, Joe White, Cornel Campbell and Prince Heron.
Mudie became based in Florida in the 1980s. He has since reissued much of his back-catalogue of productions.
Compilations:
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
.
Biography
Harry Mudie attended the St Jago High School. In the mid fifties, he launched his own sound systemJamaican sound system
In the context of Jamaican popular culture, a sound system is a group of disc jockeys, engineers and MCs playing ska, rocksteady or reggae music...
"Mudies Hi-Fi", before going to the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to study electronics and photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
.
Back in Jamaica in the late 1950s, Mudie began producing, mainly Jamaican R&B records; His first production was "Babylon Gone" (1962) by rasta
Rastafari movement
The Rastafari movement or Rasta is a new religious movement that arose in the 1930s in Jamaica, which at the time was a country with a predominantly Christian culture where 98% of the people were the black descendants of slaves. Its adherents worship Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia , as God...
drummer Count Ossie
Count Ossie
Count Ossie, born Oswald Williams was a Jamaican drummer and band leader.-Biography:As a young boy Ossie grew up in a rasta community where he learned techniques of vocal chanting and hand drumming under the tutelage of Brother Job...
and saxophonist Wilton Gaynair
Wilton Gaynair
Wilton 'Bogey' Gaynair was a jazz musician, whose primary instrument was the tenor saxophone...
, released in the UK in 1962 on Blue Beat. He moved away from production in the 1960s, operating his Scaramouch Garden Amusement Center in Spanishtown, opened in 1962. He returned to production in the late 1960s, launching his Moodisc label and working with artists such as Winston Wright, Winston Shand, Lloyd Jones, Count Ossie and was the first producer to put I Roy on record. In the early 1970s, Mudie was the first to record the deejay
Deejay
A deejay is a reggae or dancehall musician who sings and toasts to an instrumental riddim .Deejays are not to be confused with disc jockeys from other music genres like hip-hop, where they select and play music. Dancehall/reggae DJs who select riddims to play are called selectors...
Big Joe
Big Joe
Big Joe was a subprogram of America's Project Mercury space program. It comprised a single flight using an Atlas launch vehicle, and a boilerplate Mercury capsule. The purpose of the Big Joe program was to prove the ablative heat shield which would be needed for the re-entry of orbital Mercury...
. He was the first producer to use string sections in reggae, starting with (John Holt
John Holt (singer)
John Holt is a reggae singer and songwriter.-Biography:Holt was born in Kingston in 1947. By the age of 12, he was a regular entrant in talent contests run at Jamaican theatres by Vere Johns...
's 1973 album Time is the Master. Also in the 1970s, he produced several dub albums with King Tubby
King Tubby
King Tubby was a Jamaican electronics and sound engineer, known primarily for his influence on the development of dub in the 1960s and 1970s...
(the Dub Conference series). From the mid to late 1970s he had his greatest success, producing artists such as Gregory Isaacs
Gregory Isaacs
Gregory Anthony Isaacs was a Jamaican reggae musician. Milo Miles, writing in the New York Times, described Isaacs as "the most exquisite vocalist in reggae". His nicknames include Cool Ruler and Lonely Lover....
, The Heptones
The Heptones
The Heptones are a Jamaican rocksteady and reggae vocal trio most active in the 1960s and early 1970s. They were one of the more significant trios of that era, and played a major role in the gradual transition between ska and rocksteady with their three-part harmonies.-History:Leroy Sibbles, Earl...
, Joe White, Cornel Campbell and Prince Heron.
Mudie became based in Florida in the 1980s. He has since reissued much of his back-catalogue of productions.
Discography
- The Rhythm Rulers & Mudies All Stars - Book Of Drifters (1970), Moodisc
- The Rhythm Rulers - Mudies Mood (1970), Moodisc
- Harry Mudie with King Tubby in Dub Conference Volume 1 (1975), Moodisc
- Harry Mudie with King Tubby in Dub Conference Volume 2 (1976), Moodisc
- Harry Mudie with King Tubby in Dub Conference Volume 3 (1977), Moodisc
Compilations:
- Harry Mudie & Friends - Let Me Tell You Boy (1988), TrojanTrojan RecordsTrojan Records is a British record label founded in 1968. It specialises in ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music. The label currently operates under the Sanctuary Records Group. The name Trojan comes from the Croydon-built Trojan truck that was used as Duke Reid's sound system in Jamaica...
- Various Artists - Quad Star Revolution Volume 1 (1972)
- Various Artists - Quad Star Revolution Volume 2 (1975)
- Various Artists - Reggae History A-Z Volume 1, Moodisc
- Various Artists - Reggae Jamboree (1972–1992), Moodisc
- Various Artists - Drifting With Mudies All Stars & The Rhythm Rulers (2004), Papa Charlie
- Various Artists - Reggae History Volume 1 (1985), Moodisc