Produced by Pete Weston and released on Barbell as a 7″ single in 1975, “Satta Dread” features one of the most gifted singers you will hear on a Jamaican record. Moving to Hartford, CT from Allman Town, JA in the early seventies, Jarrett hooked up with Lloyd “Bullwackie” Barnes and cut his first ever single titled “African Woman” for the Wackies label. He returns to Jamaica in the mid-seventies looking to record a real “Jamaican” record. Someone hooked him up with Robbie Shakespeare, who at the time, was playing at Bunny Lee’s studio. So one night in the studio, Robbie tells him it’s his turn to sing on a riddim. On to King Tubby’s to lay the vocal. He had no lyrics written so he just made it up right there on the spot. As he explained to the great interviewer Peter-I at www.reggae-vibes.com:
“I think we end up at Tubbys at night or also the same day, very late. I believe it took us about… one somet’ing. That was late in them days, man, end up at Tubbys to voice (laughs)! So, it’s like end up at Tubbys at night, Linval Thompson and Johnny Clarke an’ them do them lickle t’ing an’ voice them voice. When I voice ‘Satta Dread’ I was like trying to tell them fe make us do it tomorrow, the next day. “Nah man, go ahead an’ just do wha’ yu can remember”. That’s what I did, ‘Satta Dread’ there. I guess a lot of people, a few people like it. My songs them, my song no really get the promotion that it should’ve got. I guess a few people kind of get fe know Wayne Jarrett.”
If you don’t know this tune, you should. Jarrett’s got the most recognizable voice with a strong tone and vibrato like no other. If you are really interested in checking him make sure to pick up his showcase album on the Wackies label.
LEGENDARY REGGAE 