Somehow the Hammond Organ crossed the ocean in several directions and, thankfully, one of the places it settled was Jamaica. In Jamaica, the organ found many uses, most notably providing the "bubble" pattern in roots reggae. Jackie Mittoo also used it in reggae but for a different purpose, to overdub leads on pre-existing riddim tracks. In practice, Mittoo's use of the organ to replace vocals wasn't really so different from McGriff or Earland covering pop songs with their bands and the results are equally as great, yet totally different.
Even when performing live in studio with a group, the sensibility of reggae accompanists is to find a groove and stick with it. So Mittoo works differently on top of his band than his American contemporaries, leaving lots of space and not really throwing bones for the rhythm section to gnaw on and spit back out so much. Mittoo has a way with a melody, and the tunes on this 1972 album Macka Fat prove it. My two favorites are "Lazy Bones," which Mittoo lends an Eastern flair, and "Ghetto Organ" which just cruises.
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I first heard this gem courtesy of youandmeonajamboree about a year ago. How i'd never heard of Jackie Mitoo before, I can't explain, but as soon as the weather gets sultry, I play this one over and over. I've heard a few other collections of his since, but this one's got it all. His version of Let's Get It On, (no doubt renamed so's not to pay royalties), is killer. Gotta check out if yer files sound better than the one I already got . . . Thanks!
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