Johnny Was A Baker

from the CD Best Dressed Chicken in Town, Keyman Records, released: 1987, recorded: 1975



One of the greatest toasters to emerge from Kingston’s vivacious sound-system scene, Winston ‘Dr. Alimantado’ Thompson comfortably strode a moderate and mellow line in his approach to MCing, dialing back the jump-up shouting of someone like U-Roy, but avoiding the monotone dirges of a Prince Far I. Toasting over what sounds like a live remix of Burning Spear’s “Slavery Days” (well, the bassline does anyways…if anyone is aware of this being an actual version, please let me know who it is), the Ital surgeon really smokes here, making this a very worthy bonus cut on an already stellar collection of his mid ‘70s output, re-released here on Thompson’s own Keyman Records; none other than Johnny Rotten himself hyped the Dr. over in England, making him a sure success. With the Jamaican music scene so saturated by clubby neo-dancehall tracks, it’d be a real blessing to see more young bucks trying to bring back this old school vibe, in my opinion anyways.