Jah Stitch

Jah Stitch

Also known as: Melbourne James

Jah Stitch (born Melbourne James, 27 July 1949 - 28 April 2019) was a reggae deejay best known for his recordings in the 1970s.

Biography
After an introduction to music singing in a yard with the likes of The Wailers, The Heptones, Roy Shirley, and Stranger Cole, James became well known in Jamaica by deejaying with the Lord Tippertone and Black Harmony sound systems, working as Jah Stitch. His debut single was the Errol Holt-produced "Danger Zone". Big Youth was an early influence on Stitch's deejay style and he had several hits working with producer Bunny Lee, with deejay versions of songs by Johnny Clarke, as well as tracks such as "African Queen" with Yabby You. Shortly before the One Love Peace Concert in 1976, Stitch survived being shot, providing the inspiration for "No Dread Can't Dead". His success in Jamaica continued and in 1977 he toured the United Kingdom. In the mid-1980s, he worked as a selector on Sugar Minott's Youth Promotion sound system, now under the name Major Stitch. He resumed his recording career in 1995, working with Trevor Douglas and Jah Woosh. His peak 1970s output for Bunny Lee and Yabby You was collected in 1996 by Blood and Fire on the Original Ragga Muffin (1975-77) compilation. He died on 28 April 2019, aged 69.

Discography (8)

Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
No Dread Can't Dead Jah Stitch No Dread Can't Dead TWS 401 LP Third World 1976 1976
Watch Your Step Youth Man Jah Stitch Watch Your Step Youth Man TWS 701 LP Third World 1977 1977
Moving Away Jah Stitch Moving Away LAP 009 LP Live And Love 1979 1979
Original Ragga Muffin Jah Stitch Original Ragga Muffin BAFCD 010 CD Blood And Fire 1975-77 1996
The Killer Jah Stitch The Killer CP 44513-2 CD Culture Press 1975-77 1999
Dread Inna Jamdown Jah Stitch Dread Inna Jamdown KSCD 012 CD Jamaican Recordings 197X 2007
Love & Harmony Jah Stitch & Jackie Mittoo Love & Harmony RNCD 2058 CD Rhino 197X
No Dread Can't Dead Jah Stitch No Dread Can't Dead ATTACKCD 039 CD Attack 197X 2008

Credits & Appearances (7)

Musicians
Vocals 7
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Original Ragga Muffin Jah Stitch Original Ragga Muffin BAFCD 010 CD Blood And Fire 1975-77 1996
The Killer Jah Stitch The Killer CP 44513-2 CD Culture Press 1975-77 1999
No Dread Can't Dead Jah Stitch No Dread Can't Dead TWS 401 LP Third World 1976 1976
Watch Your Step Youth Man Jah Stitch Watch Your Step Youth Man TWS 701 LP Third World 1977 1977
Love & Harmony Jah Stitch & Jackie Mittoo Love & Harmony RNCD 2058 CD Rhino 197X
Dread Inna Jamdown Jah Stitch Dread Inna Jamdown KSCD 012 CD Jamaican Recordings 197X 2007
No Dread Can't Dead Jah Stitch No Dread Can't Dead ATTACKCD 039 CD Attack 197X 2008

Also Appears On (41)

Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Dubwise & Otherwise Various Artists Dubwise & Otherwise BFCDS 903 CD Blood And Fire 2000
Every Mouth Must Be Fed Various Artists Every Mouth Must Be Fed PSCD 59 CD Pressure Sounds 1973-76 2008
Straight To I Roy Head Bunny Lee & King Tubby & The Aggrovators Straight To I Roy Head LG2-1109 CD Lagoon 1973-77 1995
2 Heavyweight Various Artists 2 Heavyweight BAFCD 017 CD Blood And Fire 1973-79 1997
Get Wise Horace Andy Get Wise PSCD 83 CD Pressure Sounds 1974 2014
If Deejay Was Your Trade Various Artists If Deejay Was Your Trade BAFCD 001 CD Blood And Fire 1974-77 1994
Bushyard Telegraph Various Artists Bushyard Telegraph TWCD 1023 CD Tamoki Wambesi 1974-83
Sky High & The Mau Mau Origination Various Artists Sky High & The Mau Mau Origination CD RAS 1974-84 1995
Roots, Vibes & Vision Various Artists Roots, Vibes & Vision TWLP 1025 LP Tamoki Wambesi 1975-83
Dread Locks In Jamaica Various Artists Dread Locks In Jamaica LALP 05 LP Live And Love 1976 1976
Psalms Of Wisdom Jah Woosh Psalms Of Wisdom WAXLP 2 LP Black Wax 1976 1976
Rasta Have Ambition Various Artists Rasta Have Ambition LALP 011 LP Live And Love 1976 1976
Straight To Babylon Chest Various Artists Straight To Babylon Chest LALP 06 LP Live And Love 1976 1976
Strictly Rockers In A Dread Land Various Artists Strictly Rockers In A Dread Land LALP 07 LP Live And Love 1976 1976
DJ Specials Various Artists DJ Specials LP 1905 LP VP 1977 1977
Third World Disco Vol 2 Various Artists Third World Disco Vol 2 TWLP 205 LP Third World 1977 1977
DJ Spots Various Artists DJ Spots JSLP 005 LP Jamaica Sound 1978 1978
His Majesty Is Coming In Crowd His Majesty Is Coming TJDDD 257 CD Trojan 1978 2005
Roots Rock Reggae Vol 2 Various Artists Roots Rock Reggae Vol 2 SAVL 1001 LP Savannah 1978 1978
Roots Rock Reggae Vol 2 Various Artists Roots Rock Reggae Vol 2 CD Castle Communication 1978
Roots Rock Reggae Vol 2 Various Artists Roots Rock Reggae Vol 2 DBCDD 058 CD Doctor Bird 1978 2020
The Magnificent 7 Various Artists The Magnificent 7 BS 1017 LP Burning Sounds 1978 1978
The Magnificent 7 & Rough Road Various Artists The Magnificent 7 & Rough Road BSRCD 967 CD Burning Sounds 1978 2017
Rasta Don't Take Bribe Knowledge Rasta Don't Take Bribe TWCD 1061 CD Tamoki Wambesi 1978X 2006
A Skanking Rockers Party Bunny 'Striker' Lee A Skanking Rockers Party D.B.D. 123 LP Dr. Buster Dynamite 197X 2011
Bunny Lee Meets King Tubby & Aggrovators Bunny Lee Meets King Tubby & The Aggrovators & Various Artists Bunny Lee Meets King Tubby & Aggrovators CD Culture Press 197X
DJ Jamaica Inna Fine Dub style Various Artists DJ Jamaica Inna Fine Dub style JRCD 028 CD Jamaican Recordings 197X 2008
DJ's Of The 70s Various Artists DJ's Of The 70s CD Creole (Rhino) 197X
Dread Enter The Gates With Praise Bunny Lee & Various Artists Dread Enter The Gates With Praise SJRCD 435 CD Soul Jazz 197X 2019
Dreads Enter The Gates With Praise Bunny Lee & Various Artists Dreads Enter The Gates With Praise SJRCD 435 CD Soul Jazz 197X 2019
Original Foundation Deejays Various Artists Original Foundation Deejays ATTACKCD 048 CD Attack 197X 2008
Reggae Mix-Tures Enos McLeod & Friends Reggae Mix-Tures PRCD 609 CD President 197X 2003
Return To Orange Street Various Artists Return To Orange Street KSCD 009 CD Jamaican Recordings 197X 2006
Step Forward Youth Various Artists Step Forward Youth VPGS 7059 CD Greensleeves 197X 2018
The Bunny Striker Lee Story Various Artists The Bunny Striker Lee Story CRCDB 3138 CD Jet Star 197X 2005
Dread Prophecy Yabby You Dread Prophecy CD 45072 CD Shanachie 197X-8X 2015
Mastercuts Reggae Various Artists Mastercuts Reggae MCUTCD 01 CD Mastercuts 197X-8X 2005
Trojan Roots and Culture Box Set Various Artists Trojan Roots and Culture Box Set TJETD 226 CD Trojan 197X-8X 2005
Sunsplash Showcase Various Artists Sunsplash Showcase KVL 9007 LP Kingdom 1981 1981
Rockers From The Land Of Reggae I-Mo-Jah Rockers From The Land Of Reggae PSCD 100 CD Pressure Sounds 1982 2018
Original Yardie Various Artists Original Yardie TWLP 1059 LP Tamoki Wambesi 198X
8 albums
7 credits
7 labels
1976 - 2008