Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Scorpio
There was a time in Jamaica when several active sound systems were named after Zodiac signs, among them, Aries, Gemini, Virgo, Aquarius and Taurus. Most have long gone down the dusty road to sound system retirement, which is lined with old amplifiers, creaky turntables and cracked dub plates.
However, there is one sound that still breathes under a sign which will soon haul its way into sight for the annual go-round. And the owner of that sound system will celebrate his birthday and long-term involvement in the music in one fell swoop.
Maurice 'Jack Scorpio' Johnson points proudly to his lasting impact in the dancehall, the most recent evidence being a stint at the popular 'Uptown Mondays' street dance at Savannah Plaza, Constant Spring Road, where a set of Bounty Killer dub plates were among the records that scored big.
And when the owner of Black Scorpio sound system, record label and recording studio celebrates his 37th anniversary in the business of making music on Saturday, November 4, at La Roose, Port Henderson, Portmore, he will be covering many years and venues between the street dances of today and the house parties of 1968.
"I really started out with a little sound, one side is a turntable and one side is a speaker. That was 1968. I buy my first sound, like the amps, in 1969," he said.
The name he started with is not the one he is renown for, but turbulent political times dictated the change. He first called his sound 'Special I', but then the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) started using the term 'I up' and it had to go. He decided to use his Zodiac sign and the other popular catchword of those early 1970s, 'Black'.
And Black Scorpio was born.
Scorpio points out that his celebration is nothing new, as he used to do it with Stone Love for many years, up to just over a decade ago. It was at about that time that the sound system gradually retreated from the nightly round of dances. "The vibes of the dance did change, the violence thing, and police did a take away sound. I did get scared and true them take away Inner City (another sound system) equipment it kinda embarrassing, the time to get it back, the up and down. People did get scared too," he said.
However, since last year he has been getting the sound system in order to hit the road again, new boxes and equipment being a part of the process. Scorpio said he was going to "let the young people see me. People like me build dancehall to what it is".
The response at the Uptown Mondays session was very encouraging, Scorpio saying that he spoke about deejays, such as Sassafras (Poco Jump), giving the story behind the song before he played each tune.
"It was like a headmaster come to school and talk and the youth them listen. I give thanks that I can be here to say hi to the youths now," he said. And, Scorpio, whose tall frame, obvious enthusiasm and perpetual grin make for an engaging figure behind the turntables, is pleased that he got a passing grade from the dancehall class, including an invitation to play at Weddy Weddy Wednesday.
Ironically, street dances are nothing new to Scorpio, but the venues his sound played at in the 1970s were far removed from the uptown locations that free dancehall has reached, as Black Scorpio's regular Thursday night gig was in Drewsland.
Notable names who passed through those sessions are Junior Reid, Half-Pint, Shabba Ranks and Beenie Man. "I used to keep it long before Tropics and House of Leo," Scorpio said, referring to very popular dancehall mid-week venues associated with Stone Love Movements in the early 1990s.
Unbelievable
"My yard in Drewsland was zinc fence. Right now when you go to my yard everywhere there is wall. General Trees make that happen with a lyrics named Kick It Een. People kick it down," Scorpio said, laughing.
And it was General Trees who caused the transition from sound to studio. "General Trees come with a style that was unbelievable. It was different from anything else" It go on till me go into producing. Trees and Sassafras make me really start produce," he said.
"Trees a dominate as a live deejay, but Trees never a voice (records) like Josey and Yellowman. Jammy's a my bes' frien' inna de business an Jammy's voice Trees, but him a focus pon fi him artiste, Admiral Bailey, Pampidoo," he said.
So Scorpio and his crew headed to the legendary King Tubby's studio and Sassafras did Pink Eye in 1979 or 1980. "Pink Eye really inspire me. Me an' Sassafras go up a Harry Jan voice Poco Jump, my first number one tune," he said. This led to an album with Sassafras, who now lives in Canada, and Scorpio then turned to General Trees, putting out the Minibus and $50 Bill, among many others in the mid-1980s.
And so the Black Scorpio sound system, record label and eventually studio progressed, still based in Drewsland, until a relocation to the upper section of Molynes Road, close to the intersection of Red Hills Road, in 1999 to 2000 as the violence got really bad. "It wasn't only Drewsland, but Drewsland was bad. Mi clients was intimidated. Drewsland is a place that I love. I feel it to my heart. I still go there," he said.
And just as Maurice Johnson returns to his community roots, he will be revisiting musical stamping grounds at the November 4 celebratory dance in Portmore.
Artiste friends
He will be among a host of sound system and artiste friends, with whom his association goes way back. "King Jammys over the years is my rival in the music industry, but is my best friend. Stone Love is one of the sounds over the years that I play with. The artistes are people who I have worked with over the years. They have promised me they will be there. I did not sign any contract. It is like I am their father in the business and they offer their respect. The list of artistes includes Yellowman, Capleton, Luciano, Ken Boothe, Gregory Isaacs, Ninja Man, Vybz Kartel and General Trees.
Then later in November it will be off to England for a date with Metromedia, Jammys and Kilamanjaro, a year after a European tour with General Trees that covered Italy and Germany, among other countries, as Black Scorpio keeps going and going.
