Words by Jesse Serwer—
Best known today as the riddim on Dawn Penn’s “You Don’t Love Me (No No No),” Jackie Mittoo’s Studio One classic “Ghetto Organ” is one of reggae’s all-time great instrumentals. We’ve heard covers of “Ghetto Organ” before but none as exuberant or energetic as this one our Japanese connects at Extra Classic Mag just put us on to from Japanese keyboardist Mi3. Whether rocking a keytar in his bedroom or taking his Hammond Xb-1 to the streets, Mi attacks the keys in his “Ghetto Organ” video with an energy that oddly reminds us of Mad Lion. Studio One gone crunk! Watch the video below, and check out some behind-the-scenes footage of mostly indifferent (and occasionally perplexed) Japanese subway commuters taking in the shoot here.