Oct. 3, 2026

S9E486 - The Congos 'Heart Of The Congos' with Skip Heller

S9E486 - The Congos 'Heart Of The Congos' with Skip Heller

Bandleader, composer and music historian Skip Heller (Voodoo 5, Los duenos del Klezmer, the Hollywood Film Noirchestra), brings us the OG 1977 roots reggae album 'Heart Of The Congos' by The Congos. Produced by Lee "Scratch" Perry at his Black Ark studio in Kingston, Jamaica (initially as a very limited release said to consist of only several hundred copies), it is now regarded as one of Perry's masterpiece productions of the Black Ark era.

Songs discussed in this episode: Fisherman Dub - The Congos; Coffee In The Morning (Kisses In The Night) - Skip Heller's Voodoo 5; Moon Over Marin (Dead Kennedys cover) - Voodoo 5 (featuring Jello Biafra); Dead Puppies Aren't Much Fun - Bill Frenzer; Exodus - Bob Marley & The Wailers; Monkey Man - The Specials; Party Time - The Heptones; Return Of Django - The Upsetters; Dirty Blvd. - Lou Reed; Fisherman, Congoman - The Congos; The Wind - Nolan Strong & Diablos; Animal Day - Wall Of Voodoo; Africa Talks To You (The Asphalt Jungle) - Sly & The Family Stone; Open Up The Gate - The Congos; Heartbreak Hotel (Live on Stage Show, 1956), Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley ; Cocktails For Two - Spike Jones & His City Slickers; Earthbeat - The Slits; Children Crying, La La Bam-Bam - The Congos; Keep A Knockin' - Little Richard; Keep A Knockin' (But You Can't Come In) - Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five; Can't Come In, Sodom and Gomorrow, The Wrong Thing, The Ark Of The Covenant, Solid Foundation - The Congos; Fit and Working Again - The Fall; Telstar - The Tornados; Highway 99 - Skip Heller's Voodoo 5

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Skip Heller Profile Photo

bandleader/arranger/producer

Leads exotica band Voodoo 5. Born 1965 and bred in/around Philadelphia. Started out in garage bands, then Jewish wedding bands, then jazz gigs, then literally whatever was offered -- biker bars, old people's homes, blood drives, LGBTQ country music nights, dance classes, oldies but goodies shows.
Moved to Los Angeles in '95. Worked with Stan Ridgway, NRBQ, Hal Willner, Lalo Guerrero, Yma Sumac, Joe Bataan, Bootsy Collins, Ray Campi, Big Jay McNeely, Jello Biafra, others.
Music for Disney, Dexters, Flintstones, Dexter's Lab. Recently did string arrangements for Thee Sinseers.
Devoted husband and cat person.