This one is for "The Fig".
She asked me to make mp3s of this LP by Mohamed I and the I&I Sound months ago.
This LP is very curious both in it's sound, label and line up.
The sound: first of this is a reggae album - but with an Islamic twist. The singer (Mohamed I) makes some Islamic references but also talks about Jah and Selassie. I'm not sure when the LP was recorded but would guess it was the in the 80s.
The album is on the I&I Sound record label - which was known to make very roots music especially with the artist A. Doeman whose name appears in the credits on this album. Here's a link showing the Natty Result album by A. Doeman.
Things get stranger with the line up though. Between some Google works and my memory of the times here's what I can tell you:
- Mohamed I - no idea who he is and no other album that I know of.
- Frankie Jones (background vocals) seems to have made several records
- Robert Turman - one of the original members of experimental/noise/industrial band NON
- Coozie Mellers (dj) - his name appears on various reggae records on the Bullwackies label
- Timothy Hendricks (drums) - seems to be the band leader for an ambient dub group called 23 degrees
- Steve Potterf (bass) seems to have played bass for a punk/r&b group called the Crawdaddys but shows up on some other I&I records
- Paris Treantafeles - his name shows up on other I&I releases with credits in mixing and drums - but seems like now he does something with graphics and game music?
As far as I know, this album has been out of print for a long time so I am happy to share it with you.
Posts
strange but nice -i like.
ReplyDeleteyes, it is a strange album - still a few nice tracks i think.
ReplyDeletewhere does it come from ? it shows a flags which is - i think- a Huygur / Xinjiang flag.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to have come from Los Angeles.
ReplyDeleteYea...I knew Mohamed I. Very talented but very conflicted. Last time I saw him he was in a VW bus full of red bearded Afghanistani mushahadeen. I've often wondered where he is these days. I always thought I'd see him on CNN translating some Taliban demands made to the west....you just never know.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous who posted about knowing Mohamed I,
ReplyDeleteIf what you say is true, this is quite interesting story. Ok - thank you for sharing.
Peace!
I know Mohammed I. This album was recorded at I&I Sounds Studio on Western Ave in South Central Los Angeles. I used to hang out down there and it was a beautiful place. Sadly the building was burned down during the Rodney King Riots of the 1990's but I still have the fondest memories of that studio and the whole posse of dreads that used to hang out there.
ReplyDeleteAnd no, Mohammed I will not be seen translating Taliban demands on CNN. I exchanged emails with him two months ago and he is very much a nice guy and living a good life.
Cheers to the room.
greetings grooVemonzter!
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing this info.
big respect for I&I Sound!
i would love to see a dub album of music like Natty Result. very deep roots vibe in that music!
peace!
I am so happy I found this link. You have no idea how long I've been looking for this since I loaned my LP to someone who never returned it.
ReplyDeleteI love this album!!!
I've never been able to get some of these tracks out of my mind. Great beats!
Hi Anonymous!
ReplyDeleteYou had this LP? I rarely have heard that.
Glad to share with you.
i have this lp
ReplyDeleteand was there when it was recorded
all good