featured artist

 

"COME SHARE SOME GOOD TIMES" with EGO TRIPP BAND
Release date: Unknown
Label: GBI

 

Sharing Good Times
Lonely
Island Pearl
Party
The Generation
Party (Inst.)
Babe
Precious Lord
Drive? Don't Drink

 


 

CONCH JUICE
Release date: Unknown
Label:
Unknown


01 - What Is Conch Juice
02 - Commission Talk
03 - Play By Ma'sef
04 - Sweet Potato Bread
05 - Coo Coo Soup
06 - 21 Gun Salute
07 - Ya Windin
08 - She Bawl
09 - I'm A Freak
10 - Riddim And Rhyme
11 - One Voice
12 - Don't Be Shy
13 - If U Go Away
14 - Promise Me
15 - Last But Not Least

 


 

ISLAND BOY
Release date: Unknown
Label: She Fat Productions


Lick Me With The Rhythm
Robinson Yard
U Gon Get Hook
They Come Back For More
Party Get Hot Hot
I Soca
They Come Back For More
U Gon Get Hook (inst.)

 


 

K.B. BAHAMIAN HITS
Release date: Unknown
Label: She Fat Productions

 

She Fat
Au De Meat
Juicy Suzy
She Jump
Lick Me With The Rhythm
Robinson Yard
U Gon Get Hook
Party Get Hot Hot
I Soca
They Come Back For More
Ghost In The Well
Please, Please

 


 

K.B.'s BAHAMIAN HITS 2
Release date: Unknown
Label: Quickdraw Productions

 

01 - Crazy Boyo
02 - Start Me Up
03 - Catfight
04 - Anything
05 - De Centre
06 - Stick & Move
07 - Dey Like The Wind
08 - She Bawl
09 - Send Her Home
10 - Hard Heel Gal

 


 

BUSH MECHANIC
Release date:
Label:

 

Bush Mechanic
Biggest Box In The World
Turn Her Loose
Hard Drive
Where Ya Drawz
We Goin To Party
Maggie May
Dat Ain' Right
Trickey Number
Bahamian Limerick

 


 

ISLAND CLASSICS I
Release date: 2003
Label: Quickdraw Productions


01 - Delia Gone
02 - 8 Babies
03 - Brown Skin Gal
04 - I Need It
05 - Bad Woman
06 - Sad Movies
07 - Ole Liza
08 - Goombay Papa
09 - Island Woman
10 - Straw Market Money
11 - Oh Misery
12 - Sausage And Bread Medley


 


 

KB over the years has been one of the driving forces behind the new Bahamian sound. The genre used in his compositions range from Rake 'n' Scrape, calypso, and various other hybrids and fusions of funk, junkanoo, rock, and a host of other influences. Like Dry Bread, it is at times very difficult to put a liable on the genre. I find that in this developmental process of the Bahamian sound, our being a tourist destination and being so heavily influenced by the music of the United States, it is near impossible not to have the feel emanating from some of these foreign neighbors.

One thing for sure, KB has followed the tradition of those like Ronnie Butler, Eddie Minnis, and some of the older composers from the Bahamas. This is evident in his lyrical content, melodic interpretation, but to a lesser extent, his stylistic approach. I believe that unlike other countries in the Caribbean, our music, especially music of the modern day composers place greater emphasis on the strong beats in the measure. This can be heard in the first song to be featured in this review. "She Fat" opened the doors for the resurgence in Bahamian music in the early nineties. Years prior to that, there was quite a dry spell in the recording of Bahamian music.

The moral got the composers, entertainers, and local club musicians were at an all time low around this period. With little Bahamian being played, artists in turn produced less recordings which sent the music industry in a downward spiral. KB however recorded a few songs which peaked the interest of the Bahamian public with his humor and dance grooves which led to others getting back into the studios. This first featured song borrows from funk, junkanoo, and a bit of soca in the keyboard rhythm.

 

Click play to hear "She Fat" -


 

This next song entitled 'Annie" is your classic story telling tradition in song. Other artist like Phil Stubbs, would later re-introduce this tradition to the Bahamian public. The music, like most story telling songs is quite repetitive, thus relying on the lyrics to grasp the interest of the listener.

Click play to hear "Annie" -


 

In 2003, KB released a compilation of classic Bahamian songs. These songs, most of which were recorded well over thirty years ago were re-done in KB's own way. The next song was recorded by Blind Blake among other Bahamian greats, but KB deviated from the waltz style in which it was originally done in order to appeal to today's listener. Take a listen to this rendition and compare it with that of Blind Blake. This style, I'm going to refer to as classic "Bush". Artist like Frank Penn would be very impressed with the old style of raking the guitar which makes on want to do the dance called skullin'. In addition, KB uses a beat on the snare drum usually found in the soca rhythms of Trinidad, the merengue guitar lines like those from Haiti, while the underlying rhythm play rhythms similar to that of a Rake 'n' Scrape band.

Click play to hear "8 Babies" - KB

Click play to hear "8 Babies" - Blind Blake