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Compass Point All Stars
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The Compass Point phenomenon is meant to be to reggae-based pop/rock music of the 80s, what Nashville was to country music, or the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section was to soul and R&B in the 60s. It all started with Compass Point Studios built in 1977 in Nassau (Bahamas), by visionary Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records. The core of what would later be called the Compass Point All Stars, stricto sensu, was a recording band that Blackwell put together in 1980, based on jamaïcan (reggae) foundation shaped around legendary combo Sly & Robbie Sly Dunbar (drums), Robbie Shakespeare (bass), joined by Mikey Chung (guitar) and Sticky Uzzaiah Thompson (percussion), with british rock flavour brought by Barry Reynolds (guitar, of Marianne Faithfull's Broken English fame), spiced up by synth-dominated keyboards from french-african Wally Badarou (of burgeoning Level 42), and Tyrone Downie later (keyboards of The Wailers fame).
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The Compass Point phenomenon is meant to be to reggae-based pop/rock music of the 80s, what Nashville was to country music, or the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section was to soul and R&B in the 60s. It all started with Compass Point Studios built in 1977 in Nassau (Bahamas), by visionary Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records. The core of what would later be called the Compass Point All Stars, stricto sensu, was a recording band that Blackwell put together in 1980, based on jamaïcan (reggae) foundation shaped around legendary combo Sly & Robbie Sly Dunbar (drums), Robbie Shakespeare (bass), joined by Mikey Chung (guitar) and Sticky Uzzaiah Thompson (percussion), with british rock flavour brought by Barry Reynolds (guitar, of Marianne Faithfull's Broken English fame), spiced up by synth-dominated keyboards from french-african Wally Badarou (of burgeoning Level 42), and Tyrone Downie later (keyboards of The Wailers fame). Together, under Blackwell's direction in person, and building on co-producer Alex Sadkin's skills at engineering and mixing, the recording band managed to deliver a highly praised and distinct sound, for what are today viewed as seminal albums by Grace Jones and Joe Cocker, right from the begining .
Another early prestigious resident of the era was Robert Palmer, who augmented the CPAS sound on Joe Cocker's project. Sly & Robbie went on to use some of the CPAS for Black Uhuru and Gwen Guthrie projects, eventually adding Darryl Thompson and Monte Brown (guitars) to the core of the band. The stars would eventually be encompassing all Compass Point resident stars of the era, most notably Chris Franz (drums) and Tina Weymouth (bass) of Talking Heads fame. Together with co-producer Steven Stanley engineering and mixing, they would start Tom Tom Club. Brit engineer Andy Lyden came to work on Badarou's solo project, and turned into a resident engineer too. The core of CPAS resided in a condominium called Tip-Top, at top of the hill behind the studio. It was a highly productive body by then, even appealing to business giants such as the godfather of soul James Brown himself.
A little musical community was born, the Compass Point All Stars. . The CPAS label would eventually extend throughout the 80's to anything either originating from Compass Point Studios, remixes by Larry Levan and François K Kevorkian included, or somewhat related to what went on over there, from resident or non-resident artists, regardless of genre and sonic identity, starting back from The B-52s. This largo sensu acception has been displayed on compilations such as Funky Nassau/The Compass Point Story/1980-1986 released by Strut Records, incorporating works by Chaz Jankel, Cristina, Will Powers, Guy Cuevas, along with extensive interviews by David Katz. Hard rock acts such as AC/DC and Iron Maiden made very succesfull recordings at Compass Point, but were never labelled Compass Point All Stars.
Despite the overall excitement for what was produced over there, the experience did not make it pass the early 90's, mainly due to every one's personal agenda. About half of the greatest recordings that took place were hardly planned in detail. Things were done in a constant happening fashion most of the time, for the groove to rule, to the cost of efficiency sometimes. Virtuoso Alex Sadkin no longer was, and Blackwell's growing interests in other ventures did not allow the momentum to sustain any further. The studio itself went through rough times in the early 90's, only to be succesfully salvaged by producer Terry Manning and his wife Sherrie: a long list of prestigious personae, from Julio Iglesias, Diana Ross, Celine Dion, Sade to Mariah Carey, has kept the studio's spirit high ever since.
In 1987, for Island Records 25th belated anniversary, some of the initial CPAS performed live for the first time, backing Eric Clapton on "I Shot The Sheriff". Mikey Chung and Sticky Thompson did not participate. Event took place at Pinewood Studios dubbing stage, UK, of 007 James Bond fame. Video of it has been released as Island 25: Alright Now.
To celebrate Island 50th anniversary, chances are, a genuine CPAS live performance might be scheduled in 2009, date, time and venue yet to be defined.
Discography
Deemed as genuine CPAS work (i.e. involving all initial musicians):
Produced by (or contributed to by) some CPAS members at Compass Point in the 80s (list is far from complete):
- Barry Reynolds: I Scare Myself (by Barry with Mickey, Sticky & Wally)
- Charlélie Couture: Pochette Surprise (with Barry, Mickey, Sticky, Wally & Steven)
- Gregory Isaacs: Night Nurse (with Wally)
- Gwen Guthrie: Just For You (with Wally)
- Jimmy Cliff: Give The People What They Want (with Sly, Robbie, Sticky & Wally)
- John Martyn: Sapphire (with Barry, Sticky, Andy & Steven)
- Ian Dury: Lord Upminster (with Sly, Robbie & Tyrone)
- Lizzy Mercier Descloux: Mambo Nassau (with Wally & Steven)
- Mick Jagger: She's The Boss (with Sly, Robbie & Wally)
- Robert Palmer: Pride (by Robert)
- Robert Palmer: Riptide (by Robert, with Wally)
- Talking Heads: Speaking In Tongues (by Chris & Tina, with Wally & Alex)
- Wally Badarou: Echoes (by Wally, with Andy & Steven)
- Wally Badarou: Words Of A Mountain (by Wally)
- Will Powers: Dancing For Mental Health (with Steven)
External Links
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