Triston Palmer

Triston Palmer

Also known as: Tristan Palma, Tristan Palmer, Triston Palma

Triston Palma (born 1962) is a Jamaican reggae singer/deejay. He has been active since the mid-1970s.

Biography
Palma was born in 1961 and grew up in the Waltham Park area of Kingston, and decided from an early age that he wanted to be a singer. He began by singing to the accompaniment of Soul Syndicate guitarist Tony Chin. His first recording was "Love Is A Message" for producer Bunny Lee when he was eight years old, which was followed by "A-Class Girl" for the Black Solidarity label, which was co-run by Palma and Ossie Thomas. Palma made a major breakthrough with his performance in 1979 at the General Penitentiary Memorial Concert for Claudie Massop, which also featured Bob Marley. At one point in the early 1980s, Palma had nine songs in Jamaica's Top 40. They included his biggest career hit, the dancehall influenced "Entertainment" produced by Nkrumah Jah Thomas and using a reworking of the rhythm from Vin Gordon's "Heavenless". Palma became a popular artist in the "singjay" style in the early 1980s. enjoying further successes with Jah Thomas including: "Water Bubbling", "Spliff Tail", "Raving", "Touch Me, Take Me" and "Run Around Woman". Palma has worked with Linval Thompson, who produced his Joker Lover and Settle Down Girl albums, and also George Phang, Tony Robinson, Sugar Minott, Bunny Gemini, and Castro Brown. In the mid-1980s, Palma became involved in the famine-relief charity project Music is Life, along with Freddie McGregor, Mutabaruka, Gregory Isaacs, Third World, Edi Fitzroy, and Steel Pulse, contributing to the charity single "Land of Africa". His popularity continued through the 1980s with dancehall hits that included "Lick Shot", a track that utilized rhythms by Robbie Shakespeare and Sly Dunbar, and in the 1990s he recorded the Three Against War song and album with Dennis Brown and Beenie Man. Palma has worked as a producer himself, working with artists such as Phillip Frazer, Josey Wales, and Robert Ffrench, and has provided backing vocals for singers such as Sugar Minott, Tony Tuff, and Freddie McGregor. He also built his own Star Creation studio.

Albums (12)

Credits & Appearances (25)

Production
Arranger 1
Ruling
Sonic Sounds • 1986
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Ruling Josie Wales Ruling LP Sonic Sounds 1986 1986
Producer 7
Weekend Loving
Black Solidarity • 1985
The Favourite
Black Solidarity • 1985
Ghost Busters
Black Solidarity • 1985
Ruling
Sonic Sounds • 1986
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
The Best Of Triston Palmer The Best Of SS 928 LP Rohit 1982 1982
Fancyness Triston Palmer Fancyness LP Gorgon 1982 1982
The Big Showdown Phillip Frazer & Triston Palma The Big Showdown LP Black Solidarity 1984 1984
Weekend Loving Jennifer Lara Weekend Loving LP Black Solidarity 1985 1985
The Favourite Robert Ffrench The Favourite none LP Black Solidarity 1985 1985
Ghost Busters Early B Ghost Busters LP Black Solidarity 1985 1985
Ruling Josie Wales Ruling LP Sonic Sounds 1986 1986
Musicians
Backing Vocals 4
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Ghetto-ology Sugar Minott Ghetto-ology TRLS 173 LP Trojan 1979 1979
Presenting Mr Tuff Tony Tuff Presenting Mr Tuff BRLP 005 LP Black Roots 1981 1981
Come On Over Freddie McGregor Come On Over RAS 3002 CD RAS 1983
Rhythm So Nice Freddie McGregor Rhythm So Nice TSLP 019 LP Thompson Sounds 1983
Vocals 12

Also Appears On (32)

Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Roots Dancehall Party Various Artists Roots Dancehall Party SKCD 017 CD Silver Kamel 2003
Birth Of Dancehall Various Artists Birth Of Dancehall KSCD 031 CD Kingston Sounds 1976-79 2012
Can't Stop Us Now Linval Thompson & Friends Can't Stop Us Now ES 1011 CD Easy Star 1979-82 2002
Haul & Pull Up Selecta Various Artists Haul & Pull Up Selecta TJDDD 061 CD Trojan 1979-82 2003
The Biggest Dancehall Anthems Various Artists The Biggest Dancehall Anthems GREZCD 4101 CD Greensleeves 1979-82 2002
Greensleeves 12'' Rulers Various Artists Greensleeves 12'' Rulers GRELCD 608 CD Greensleeves 1979-83 2007
Jah Jah Dreader Than Dread Various Artists Jah Jah Dreader Than Dread MRCD 1005 CD Munich 1979-83 1997
Dancehall Explosion Various Artists Dancehall Explosion CDTRL 430 CD Trojan 1979-85 1999
Let's Go To The Blues Various Artists Let's Go To The Blues CDTRL 417 CD Trojan 1979-85 1998
Trojan 12" Box Set Various Artists Trojan 12" Box Set TJETD 084 CD Trojan 197X 2003
Bamboo Fence & Curry Goat - Foundation Dancehall Various Artists Bamboo Fence & Curry Goat - Foundation Dancehall BS1LP50 LP Black Solidarity 197X-8X
Bamboo Fence & Curry Goat - Foundation Dancehall Various Artists Bamboo Fence & Curry Goat - Foundation Dancehall BS1CD50 CD Black Solidarity 197X-8X 1999
Dancehall 2 Various Artists Dancehall 2 SJRCD 223 CD Soul Jazz 197X-8X 2016
Down In The Dub Vaults Various Artists Down In The Dub Vaults VPGSRL 7106 LP 17 North Parade 197X-8X 2023
Trojan Dancehall Box Set Various Artists Trojan Dancehall Box Set TRBCD 023 CD Trojan 197X-8X 2000
Trojan Dancehall Roots Box Set Various Artists Trojan Dancehall Roots Box Set TJETD 243 CD Trojan 197X-8X 2005
Trojan Roots and Culture Box Set Various Artists Trojan Roots and Culture Box Set TJETD 226 CD Trojan 197X-8X 2005
Midnight Rock Presents Reggae Veterans Vol 1 Various Artists Midnight Rock Presents Reggae Veterans Vol 1 LP Clocktower 1980-84
Dub Landing Scientist Dub Landing VPGS 7052 CD Greensleeves 1981 2018
Roots Reggae Party Vol 1 Various Artists Roots Reggae Party Vol 1 SCLP 003 LP Silver Camel 1981 1981
Midnight Rock Classics Vol 1 Various Artists Midnight Rock Classics Vol 1 CD Culture Press 1981-82
Jah Thomas Greensleeves 12 Rulers Various Artists Jah Thomas Greensleeves 12 Rulers GRELCD 614 CD Greensleeves 1981-84 2008
Vintage Various Artists 70s-80s Various Artists Vintage Various Artists 70s-80s none LP Corner Stone 1981-84
Shank I Sheck Various Artists Shank I Sheck TRD LP 41381 LP Tad's 1982 1982
Shank I Sheck Various Artists Shank I Sheck CD Tad's 1982 2024
The Trojan Dancehall Albums Collection Linval Thompson & Friends The Trojan Dancehall Albums Collection DBCDD 049 CD Doctor Bird 1982-83 2020
Black Solidarity Presents String Up The Sound System Various Artists Black Solidarity Presents String Up The Sound System BSLP 001 LP Black Solidarity 198X 2014
Dancehall Various Artists Dancehall SJRCD 196 CD Soul Jazz 198X 2008
Hidden Treasures Various Artists Hidden Treasures ES 1003 CD Easy Star 198X 1999
Hidden Treasures Vol 2 Various Artists Hidden Treasures Vol 2 ES 1005 CD Easy Star 198X 2000
One-A-Way Style Various Artists One-A-Way Style LP Top Rank 198X
Right Now Barry Brown Right Now TRLP 001 LP Time 198X 1984
18 albums
25 credits
19 labels
1979 - 2017