One of Jamaica's most distinctive and beloved vocalists, Horace Andy is a living legend. The purity of his tone, & his idiosyncratic & emotive delivery make his voice uniquely distinctive.
His classic recordings from the '70s remain crucial listening, while his more recent work with trip-hop heroes Massive Attack has introduced the singer to an entire new generation of devoted fans.
He first began collaborating with the Bristol trip hop pioneers in 1990, on their first release, 'Blue Lines', singing on two of the album's outstanding tracks, 'Hymn Of The Big Wheel' and 'One Love', and has contributed his iconic voice to every Massive Attack album recorded so far - the only of their illustrious series of guest vocalists to do so.
In the mid-1990s he also worked with Mad Professor, releasing the albums 'Life Is For Living' and 'Roots and Branches'.
He continues to write, tour & perform, also to record new music, which is released on Massive Attack's Melankolic record label.
Horace Andy will be performing at the Slade Rooms in Wolverhampton on Sun, 18 April 2010.
Tickets priced £16.00 are available from Midland Box Office: 0870 320 7000 or online at www.wolvescivic.co.uk.
Beres Hammond + Gregory Isaacs + The Heptones - Wolverhampton Civic Hall: Sunday 2nd May 2010.
There's a phenomenal feast of reggae coming up in May at The Civic with a dream bill headlined by living legend Beres Hammond, in a late, late show finishing at 1.30am.
Beres Hammond is considered Jamaica's greatest practicing singer/songwriter and anyone who has listened to his CDs or experienced the fervor elicited by his live performances would undoubtedly agree with that top-ranking assessment. His recent appearance at Jamaica's premier music festival, Reggae Sumfest, was unanimously hailed as the finest of the three-night event as he tore through hit after hit, some dating back to the mid 70s, consistently captivating an audience of nearly 20,000 who sang along so loudly to his beloved songs, they sometimes threatened to drown him out. That Sumfest 2008 performance was but another special moment in time within this adored artist's enduring and truly exceptional career.
The passionate singing, superb songwriting and consummate showmanship displayed by Beres Hammond at Sumfest, which has distinguished his music over the past 35 years, brilliantly shines throughout his latest release, the aptly titled "A Moment In Time". Estimated by Beres to be his 25th album, "A Moment In Time" offers organically crafted rhythms, created by Jamaica's finest musicians, ranging from sultry R&B to rousing gospel accents, avant-garde jazz to mesmerizing roots reggae. An almost entirely self produced effort recorded at Beres' Harmony House studio in Kingston, "A Moment In Time" features fourteen new selections including the devotional "I'll Live Again", a percussive driven homage to the motherland "Talking Africa" and several lovers rock tunes reflecting the vicissitudes of romantic relationships for which Beres sets the standard in contemporary (Jamaican) music. "Reggae is my foundation so I give much respect and love to it, but I don't call myself a reggae singer, the Father would never forgive me for that," says the 53 year old singer/songwriter/producer. "I sing what feels good, so any which form the music comes in, a hard-core reggae vibe or a little more subtle, you find a rhythm that complements what you are saying. When I started out, I never saw R&B, reggae, ballads, no, I just knew I had a voice and I wanted to make music that fits the voice."
Beres' voice, as rich and flavorfully bittersweet as dark chocolate, embodies the spiritual passion heard in the secular ballads of Sam Cooke, the laid back cool of Marvin Gaye and the gut wrenching "Pain In My Heart" grit of Otis Redding. The aforementioned soul icons profoundly influenced Beres in his youth, as did such Jamaican greats as Leroy Sibbles, lead singer of the Heptones, velvety vocalist Ken Boothe and legendary singer Alton Ellis, one of the pioneers of Jamaica's rock steady, reggae's direct forerunner. It was Alton, Beres says, "who reassured me that I should use melody in my style."
Beres' heartfelt delivery reinforces his unique perspective on romance, detailing everything from the sly antics of the philandering male on "Double Trouble" to championing the overlooked female on "Show It Off" to celebrating an inevitable relationship in "They Gonna Talk", from his 2001 Grammy nominated album "Music Is Life".
But Beres' catalogue is also rife with uplifting anthems for the downtrodden including the 1978 hit "Last War" (heavily sampled in Collie Buddz' 2007 breakthrough hit "Come Around"), the timeless "Putting Up Resistance", the most popular reggae song of 1990/91 and the viscerally empowering "Not Over Until Its Done" from his 2004 release "Love Has No Boundaries". In this inspirational vein "A Moment in Time" offers "Picking Up The Pieces", its shimmering, R&B inflected rhythm underscoring a clarion call for peace, as Beres sings: "Pull ourselves together, try to sort it out, gather all peace makers, scattered all about/find a new direction this one ain't working out/ talking to all of those with the clout." The song was inspired by various global maladies from Jamaica's escalating crime rate to the never-ending war in Iraq, as well as the role Beres ideally sees music playing in redirecting our individual actions towards making the world a better place. "When I see so much bad news I say Beres why do you keep singing so much love songs, are they listening or what?" he wondered aloud. "That's what that song is about; every time I try, something else happens. Nevertheless I am still going to try because when I see the smiles on peoples faces as I perform, that gives me strength to keep going"
Those smiles reflect the many special moments in time that Beres Hammond has brought to his fans, moments that have changed their lives, and perhaps their perception of contemporary Jamaican music, forever. Beres isn't sure how he has maintained his lyrical freshness, vocal excellence and sonic inspiration over the past thirty-five years, but he is not questioning it, either. "I just see myself as one of the instruments who come to do what they do. I don't know what it is but it's working and if its not broken, you don't mend it."
http://www.myspace.com/bereshammond
'My goal for the future is jus' to keep on doin' my work and trying to uplift who I can uplift' - Gregory Isaacs
Toot, Lonely Lover or simply Cool Ruler are just some of the nick names of the rude boy of reggae. Born in Fletchers land Kingston Jamaica on the 15th July 1950, Gregory Anthony Isaacs was the first son of Lester Isaacs and Enid Murrary.
He was inspired by singers such as Sam Cooke, Percy Sledge, Delroy Wilson, Alton Ellis and Ken Boothe. Gregory began his recording career in the late sixties with "Another Heartache" for singer/producer Winston Sinclair. Although the record was not successful he was not discouraged and in 1969 he formed a group called The Concords with Penro Bramwell. They recorded a few 45s "Buttoo", "I Need Your Loving" and "Don't Let Me Suffer" for producer Rupie Edwards. Success did not follow so Gregory Isaacs decided to move on his career as a solo artist. He went on to record for Prince Buster a tune entitled "Dancing Floor". Still not content he decided to start his own label, assisted by his friend Errol Dunkley, around 1973 and that was the beginning of the legendary African Museum record label, until this day producing classics. in 1974 Gregory recorded "Love Is Overdue" for Alvin "GG" Ranglin at Duke Reid's Treasure Isle Studio which was a major success. In 1975 he sold over 42,000 copies of the album "In Person". Gregory continued to record for a number of producers as well as maintaining his own African Museum label. He produced "Mr. Isaacs" in 1976-77 and "Extra Classic" in 1977.
In the following year he signed a deal with Virgin and recorded two albums for their "Frontline" label, "Cool Ruler" in 1978 and "Soon Forward" in 1979. When his contract wih Virgin expired, UK-based label Charisma wasted no time in signing him up. For this record company he produced the classic albums "Lonely Lover" in 1980 and "More Gregory" in 1980. In 1982 Island Records made an undiclosed offer that Gregory Isaacs could not refuse. Gregory opted for a short term contract. He then demonstrated his unique talent and produced the album "Night Nurse", which was a huge international success. In 1984 by mutual agreement he left Island Records and recorded for a friend and producer Tads "Green Back" Dawkins and produced two fine albums, "Easy" around September 1984 and "All I Have Is Love, Love, Love" in May 1986. In those mid-eighties he was beset by personal and legal problems and was even jailed in Kingston's General Penitentiary. After being released from prison he served his fans with a new album entitled "Out Deh". Due to these problems - including financial problems - Gregory was willing to record for anyone and everyone who was prepared to pay him.
In the second half of the eighties he was the most high profile reggae artist recording for producers like King Jammy, Bobby Digital, Steely & Clevie, Redman, Sly & Robbie, Gussie Clarke, & King Tubby, among others. With a musical career that spans over three decades by now, and having delivered a trailer load of reggae classics - singles as well as albums - his legendary status and reputation in the reggae business are truly second to none.
http://www.myspace.com/gregoryisaacsmon
Leroy Sibbles, Earl Morgan and Barry Llewellyn first came together as "The Hep Ones" in 1965 in Kingston but they soon changed their name to "The Heptones".
The Heptones recorded for major Jamaican record producers at the time. They began their career, after one unsuccessful single for Ken Lack's "K Calnek" label, under the watchful eye of Coxsone Dodd of Studio One. The Heptones had a number of Jamaican hits for Studio One, beginning with "Fattie Fattie", their first Studio One single in 1966. This began a long run of success for Coxsone, including "Pretty Looks Isn't All", "Get In The Groove", "Be a Man", "Sea of Love" (a cover of the Pat Phillips and the Twilights doo-wop classic), "Ting a Ling", "Party Time" and "I Hold the Handle." They were the chief rivals to The Techniques, who recorded for Arthur "Duke" Reid, as the top vocal act of the rocksteady era.
During their five years at Brentford Road, Leroy Sibbles played bass on numerous sessions, auditioned acts, and along with Jackie Mittoo, was the chief studio arranger. (Some of their instrumental session work was released as the Soul Vendors and Sound Dimension.) Amongst the rhythms featuring Sibbles' bass playing are Alton Ellis' "I'm Still In Love", "Full Up" ( used on Musical Youth's "Pass The Dutchie") and The Abyssinians "Satta Massagana". The Heptones remained at Studio One well into the reggae era, where they cut tunes such as "Message from a Black Man", "Love Won't Come Easy", "I Hold (Got) The Handle", "I Love You" and a very successful cover of "Suspicious Minds", then went on to record with Joe Gibbs and Harry J in the early 70s. They had a big hit with "Book of Rules" (based on an American poem called "A Bag of Tools" by R.L.Sharpe) in 1973. It was one of the group's few songs not sung by Sibbles. Barry Llewelyn sang lead and co-wrote "Book Of Rules". Leroy Sibbles emigrated to Canada in 1973 and the group ceased recording, returning in 1975 to once again record at Harry J's Kingston studio.
In 1975 The Heptones signed an album deal with Chris Blackwell's Island Records. Two albums resulted: "Night Food" in 1976 and "Party Time" in 1977. "Night Food" was produced by Danny Holloway and featured several re-recorded Studio One classics as well as new originals like "Country Boy" and "Mama Say". The group toured England with Toots & The Maytals to support Night Food's release.
In 1977, The Heptones recorded "Party Time" with Lee "Scratch" Perry. They had issued a number of singles (including a cover of Billy Stewart's "I Do Love You") on his Justice League imprint five years previously. "Party Time", one of Perry's finest productions, was recorded during Black Ark's (Perry's legendary studio) peak period. Party Time also included remakes of Studio One tunes, including Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released", along with newer compositions such as "Sufferers' Time". In the same era, they released a number of 12" singles with Lee Perry, such as "Mystery Babylon", "Mr. President" (featuring DJ Jah Lloyd) and "Babylon's Falling".
Sibbles left the group once more in 1977 to start a successful solo career, having already cut a solo version of "Love Won't Come Easy" for Augustus Pablo, and having cut his own solo singles for Lee Perry ("Rasta Fari" and "Garden of Life") and Dennis Brown's DEB Music ("New Song" and "Ain't No Love"). He was replaced by Dolphin "Naggo" Morris, who had recorded "Su Su Pon Rasta" for Joe Gibbs and "You Should Love Your Brother" for King Jammys, but the group's popularity waned. By the late 1970s, their slick stage suits and covers of pop tunes found little favour with audiences more used to more "militant" dreadlocked performers singing of Rastafari, and they began to be perceived as relics of an older era. Despite being produced by Joseph Hoo Kim at Channel One, "Good Life" in 1979 saw the group treading water, and the years that followed brought little success. The original trio reunited in 1995, and released Pressure!, produced by Tapper Zukie.
Official Website: http://theheptones.com
see also: http://www.myspace.com/theheptones
Tickets priced £35.00 (Balcony) + £30.00 (Standing) are available from Midland Box Office: 0870 320 7000 or online at: http://www.wolvescivic.co.uk
NB: This is a late show finishing at 1.30am!
*S*T*O*P* *P*R*E*S*S*!*
I almost forgot to mention - if you want to warm yerselves up before all this Jamaican sunshine hits Wolverhampton, you could always check out THE DENNIS BOVELL DUB BAND, at the Severn Warehouse in Shrewsbury on March 11th.
UK reggae maestro Dennis Bovell is producer, composer, re-mixer, bandleader - and the heaviest bassist in town, pumping out the deepest of body-shaking dub grooves. From the days of his seminal band Matumbi and the radical days of punk, Dennis continues to be a massive presence - he's worked with the likes of Marvin Gaye, Fela Kuti, The Slits and Linton Kwesi Johnson - and live, the Dub Band's rock-solid horns and rhythm section never fail to move and groove.
Described by the BBC as one of 'UK music's unsung heroes', and by the Independent as an essential force in putting 'reggae music on the map' Dennis Bovell's dub outfit are truly critically acclaimed.
You can find more details about these gigs in our listings - happy skankin!
