Lacksley Castell - The Collection 1978 - 1983

A really good collection here of top quality Roots Reggae from the late, great, Lacksley Castell.

We have Deluxe Editions of his two wonderful albums, Morning Glory and Princess Lady.
Also we include an almost complete round up of Lacksley's finest singles, b-sides and album cuts complete with the incredible dub versions which backed the singles, this is a fantastic set from start to finish.

Lacksley Hugh Castell was born in the ghetto's of Waterhouse, Kingston, Jamaica on April 10th 1959, although as with most Jamaican biographies this differs depending on who you ask, some say he was born as late as 1962.

Lacksley grew up with long time friends Hugh Mundell and Delroy "Junior" Reid, so when Hugh was taken under the wing as protoge to reggae producer and famed musician Augustus Pablo it wouldn't be too long before his friends would follow suit into the business.

Lacksley's first single, released in 1978, was "Babylon World" produced by Augustus Pablo on the Rockers label. It was quickly followed up by "Love In Your Heart".

Lacksley's high and light vocals were incredibly similar to his friend Hugh Mundell's and many believed it was the same person singing, in fact even today some still think Lacksley was just a pseudonym used by Mundell either to avoid legal issues or for material releases after his untimely death in the early 1980's. This of course is not the case and Lacksley Castell soon became an established reggae artist in is own right.

In late 1979 Lacksley cut the single "Jah Love Is Sweeter" at Lee "Scratch" Perry's Black Ark studio, although whether or not Perry had any involvement is not known. It's likely that Augustus Pablo may have taken Castell to the studio, but with Perry somewhat incapacitated by this time his then wife, Pauline Morrison, may well have overseen this session. Indeed on some 45's Morrison is credited as producer.

It's also very likely that it would have been further mixed at King Tubby's, possibly by Augustus Pablo. It came out on both the Orchid and Black Joy labels.

By 1980 both Hugh Mundell and Lacksley Castell began working for producer Prince Jammy. Lacksley's first single for Jammy was "What A Great Day".

Prince Jammy then produced and released an album entitled "Jah Fire" which contained five songs from Lacksley Castell (including early versions of "Princess Lady", "Million Miles" and "Black Sheep") and three songs from Hugh Mundell, put out on the Live And Love label, recent re-issues of the album include three dub cuts from Augustus Pablo.

Also around this time Lacksley was called upon by Sugar Minott to provide backing vocals on his album "Black Roots".

Other singles cut by Lacksley between 1980 and 1981 include "Mother Mitchell" released on the African Drums label and "Lost Love" for the Jah Life label both produced by Al Campbell.

Another couple were "Blackman Misery" produced by Trinity on the JB Music label and "Unkind To Myself" produced by Michael Palmer and mixed by Scientist.

By mid 1981 Lacksley began working with producer Robert "Flacko" Palmer cutting some sides including "African Queen" and "Jah Is Watching You".

Lacksley then began work on his debut solo album "Morning Glory" which would be released in 1982 on Palmer's Negus Roots label.

Recorded at Channel One and Tuff Gong studios with producer "Flacko" Palmer and mixed by Errol Brown, Lacksley was working with some excellent musicians in the 'We The People' band and the Taxi Gang including the dynamic duo of Sly And Robbie, Winston Wright on keys, David Madden on horns and "Horsemouth" Wallace on percussion.

The result is simply superb, a truly great album that contains the songs "Leaving", "Morning Glory" and "Cold Winter Night". The album has been re-issued / remastered recently and is available on iTunes.

"Morning Glory" was also released as a  dub album entitled "Dub Rockers Delight" also on the Negus Roots label in 1982. This has also been re-issued under the title "Sly And Robbie Present Dub Rockers Delight".

Lacksley Castell soon began work on the follow up, sticking with producer "Flacko" they brought in the Negus Roots Band which included drummer Mikey "Boo" Richards, bassist Randie McClean, guitarist Duggie Bryan, Robbie Lynn and Ansel Collins on keys and Dean Fraser on horn arrangements.

The recording took place at Aquarius studios in Kingston for Lacksley's second album "Princess Lady".

They also brought in a young English-based mixer named Neil Fraser who would become known as Mad Professor who mixed the album at his famed Ariwa studio in London. This being one of the earliest appearances of The Mad Professor.

The album, once again, is fantastic, including such songs as "Geenie In A Jar" and "Guiding Light", it also includes updated versions of the aforementioned "Black Sheep" and of course the title track.

Once again the album was given the dub treatment and released in 1983 as "The Mad Professor With The Negus Roots Players In A Rub-A-Dub Style", showcasing an early hint of the Ariwa studio's sound which would become hugely popular in the mid to late 1980's.

After two incredible albums, that are not only classics of the roots reggae era but that have also lasted the test of time, who knows just what Lacksley Castell may have gone on to acheive. We shall never know for in 1983 Lacksley Castell died suddenly, having been weakend by tuberculosis he suffered a fatal asthma attack. It had been widely rumoured that Castell died as many reggae artists in the early 80's had from a gunshot, however this is likely to be confusion with Hugh Mundell who had been shot down in Kingston just a short time previous.

Although Lacksley Castell doesn't have the largest body of work available the music he has left behind is certainly up there with the finest roots reggae ever pressed on vinyl.

Enjoy!

Lacksley Castell - The Collection 1978 - 1983

Lacksley Castell - Singles & Dubs 1978 - 1983

1) Babylon World
2) Babylon World (Dub)
3) Jah Children (aka Love In Your Heart)
4) Jah Children (Dub)
5) Jah Love Is Sweeter
6) Jah Love Is Sweeter (Dub)
7) What A Great Day
8) What A Great Day (Dub)
9) African Queen
10) African Queen (Dub)
11) Lost Love (Extended Mix - With Jr. Pumpkin)
12) Blackman Misery (aka Tribulation)
13) My Collie Tree
14) My Collie Tree (Dub)
15) Jah Is Watching You
16) Jah Is Watching You (Dub)
17) Mother Mitchell
18) Mother Mitchell (Dub)
19) Just Too Young
20) Some Good (aka Do Good)
21) Tug A War Games
22) Tug A War Games (Dub)

Jah Fire E.P (1980)

1) Be My Princess Lady
2) Million Miles
3) Million Miles (Dub)
4) My Woman Can
5) My Woman Can (Dub)
6) You Over There
7) Black Sheep

Morning Glory (Deluxe Edition) (1982)

Disc One - Original Jamaican L.P (1982 - Negus Roots)

1) Leaving
2) Morning Glory
3) Righteous Stand
4) MessageTo My Woman
5) Cold Winter Night
6) Speak Softly
7) Doctor Love
8) Bound In Bondage
9) Government Man

Disc Two - Dub Rockers Delight (1982 - Negus Roots)

1) Leaving Dub
2) Dub Glory
3) Righteous Dub
4) Dub To My Woman
5) Night Of Dub
6) Dub Softly
7) Doctor In Dub
8) Bound In Dub
9) Dub The Government
10) Jah In Dub

Princess Lady (Deluxe Edition) (1983)

Disc One - Original Jamaican L.P (1983 - Negus Roots)

1) Geenie In A Jar
2) Johnny Brown
3) Guiding Light
4) Unkind To Myself
5) Old Dusty Clothes
6) Untrue Love
7) Wicked Man
8) This Girl And Me
9) Black Sheep
10) Princess Lady

Disc Two - The Mad Professor With The Negus Roots Players In A Rub-A-Dub Style (1983 - Negus Roots)

1) Dubbing Jar
2) Bad Man Dubbing
3) Lightning Dub
4) Cruel Dub
5) Classic Dub
6) True Skank
7) Wicked Skank
8) Skanking Girl
9) Wolf Skank
10) Skanking Princess

Lacksley Castell - The Collection  - 

Please be aware that all download links are currently unavailable as of January 2023

What are your thoughts on Lacksley Castell and this collection of his work? Let us know below or email any of the Sweet Rare Reggae folks at:

pipecockjackxonrrm@gmail.com 

Lacksley's brother Trevor Castell runs the official Facebook page for Lacksley Castell, be sure to check it out.

Digitally Re-mastered editions of "Morning Glory" and "Princess Lady" are available on iTunes now.