Roots Archives Forum

BLACK MUSIC: APRIL 1976:

FROM JA TO UK - A BRITISH REGGAE ROUND-UP:
An in-depth survey by Carl Gayle:-

WINSTON CURTIS:
Record Company: Third World...
Latest Release: "Please Don`t Go" (R and G).
Background: Sang with the reputed Clarendonians in Jamaica for two years, partaking on a record like "Why Did You Do It" for producer Duke Reid. Came To Britain in 1967 and sang with an eight-piece band called the Favourites until 1972. First record for Count Shelly was "Love Me Tonight" in 1973. Since then there have been things like "Never Get Away", "Pick Up The Pieces", "Will You Still Love Me", "Freedom Train", "Send You", "So Many Ways" and others for the Count Shelly label. And for Cactus there was "Didn`t You Know" in 1974.
Prospects: A good singer suffering from a lack of strong material and too many old fashioned love songs. Needs a return to JA and some serious rethinking.
Carl Gayle-
Black Music April 1976:

peace

BLACK MUSIC: APRIL 1976:

FROM JA TO UK - A BRITISH REGGAE ROUND-UP:
An in-depth survey by Carl Gayle:-

MAUREEN DAVIS:
Record Company: Cactus...
Lastest Release: "Hey Hey Hey" (Cactus).
Background: First recorded last year for Cactus. Her cousin (?) Honeyboy produced the song entitled "Own True Love".
Prospects: A good young singer who should be persevered with.
Carl Gayle-
Black Music April 1976:

peace

BLACK MUSIC: APRIL 1976:

FROM JA TO UK - A BRITISH REGGAE ROUND-UP:
An in-depth survey by Carl Gayle:-

DESMOND DEKKER:
Record Company: Creole...
Latest Release: "Israelites" (re-release).
Background: Born Kingston, Jamaica, grew up in St. Thomas. Recorded his first hit (an original song called "Honour Your Mother And Your Father") for producer Leslie Kong while still learning welding. A string of hits followed notably "Get Up Adinah", "Rock Steady" on which DD was backed vocally by the Four Aces. Was ever popular through rock steady and early reggae with hits like "007", "Unity", "Sabotage", "Intensified", "Israelites", "It Mek", "Pickney Gal", "Hey Grandma", etc. First toured Britain in 1967. Returned in `69 and stayed. After Knog`s death in 1971, Dekker signed with Creole Records and since then has declined, despite hits like "You Can Get It If You Really Want", "Song we Used To Sing"and "Sing A Little Song". Listen to the LPs "Double Dekker" (TRLD 401), and "The Israelites" (CTLP 111).
Prospects: Grim. He now lacks motivation and direction. Desperately needs a long stay in Jamaica before any sort of re-emergence can take place.
Carl Gayle-
Black Music April 1976:

peace

BLACK MUSIC: APRIL 1976:

FROM JA TO UK - A BRITISH REGGAE ROUND-UP:
An in-depth survey by Carl Gayle:-

STRECKER DECKER:
Background: A rather mysterious vocalist who prefers to keep his real name to himself and who was recorded last year on Mike Dorane`s privately distributed Mich label.
Prospects: Despite the excellence of "Girl You Have Left Me" his split from Dorane and his lack of interest in the music business will probably see Mr. Decker remaining in obscurity.
Carl Gayle-
Black Music April 1976:

peace

BLACK MUSIC: APRIL 1976:

FROM JA TO UK - A BRITISH REGGAE ROUND-UP:
An in-depth survey by Carl Gayle:-

GEORGE DEKKER:
Background: (see Jackie Robinson.) Joined the Pioneers (Jackie and Sydney) after they heard and liked his song "Nana". George, Desmond Dekker`s half-brother, had already had a hit song, "Keep The Pressure On", with his vocal partner, Winston. The three Pioneers recorded and released "Nana" with their own cash under the pseudonym, the Slickers. George was the best songwriter amoung the three. He wrote hits like "Time Hard", "Feeling High" and "Pardon" which he recorded with the Pioneers as lead singer and released under a group pseudonym. Solo things include "Drift Away", and the delightful "Nosey Parker".
Prospects: A very good songwriter with an interesting vocal style. It was a shame that he was not given more encouragement by Trojan, who forced the trio unwittingly in a pop direction. He has plenty of potential as "Nosey Parker" shows, but he must forget about Dobie Gray.
Carl Gayle-
Black Music April 1976:

peace

BLACK MUSIC: APRIL 1976:

FROM JA TO UK - A BRITISH REGGAE ROUND-UP:
An in-depth survey by Carl Gayle:-

ROCKY DELVAR:
Real Name; Les Foster.
Record Company: Jama...
Latest Release: "Give It To Me" (Love).
Background: Came to Britain in the early `60s. Produced his own tapes and leased them to companies like President, Trojan and Pama with very little success. Produced T.T. Ross singing "Single Girl" originally, which Pama released in 1973. Sang with a group called the Classics who made a very good disc entitled "History Of Africa" in 1970 for Pama.
Prospects: His solo disc, "John Tom" released on Love by Jama last year, was an average effort. Needs a good release.
Carl Gayle-
Black Music April 1976:

peace

BLACK MUSIC: APRIL 1976:

FROM JA TO UK - A BRITISH REGGAE ROUND-UP:
An in-depth survey by Carl Gayle:-

DENZIL DENNIS:
Age: 29.
Record Company: Jama...
Latest Release: "Let`s Pick Up The Pieces" (Jama).
Background: Recorded for Duke Reid before coming to Britain in the very early sixties. First recorded a thing called "Hush", produced and written by Dandy Livingstone, for Phillips in 1968. Spent his longest spell with Pama Records releasing things like "My Way", "South Of The Border", "Nothing Has Changed" and "Christmas Message" between 1970 and `73. Had a short spell with Trojan before releasing "As Long As You Love Me" on Jama last Year.
Prospects: A good singer/songwriter who should do well once he`s had a few releases under his Jama belt. Strong potential.
Carl Gayle-
Black Music April 1976:

peace

BLACK MUSIC; APRIL 1976:

FROM JA TO UK - A BRITISH REGGAE ROUND-UP:
An in-depth survey by Carl Gayle:-

ERROL DUNKLEY:
Age: 24.
Present Record Company: Third world...
Lastest Release: "Train To Zion".
Background: Introduced to the recording scene by his friend Junior English, another British based reggae artist> Recorded an original song called "Fay Is Gone" for Prince Buster in 1964, after singing in talent parades at church and school. In 1965 he made "You`re Gonna Need Me" for producer Joe Gibbs. It was a big hit. So were "Please Stop Your Lying", and "I`m Going Home", in 1966. By 1968 he was no longer recording. He felt he`d been treated too unfairly. He recorded again in `69 for Bunny Lee and then Clement Dodd., but suffered, with no hits and no releases, under Lee and Dodd respectively. In 1970 he teamed up with Gregory Isaacs and released "Movie Star", a big hit. Other hits like "Black Cinderella", "Darling Oooh", and "Three In One" followed , for individual producers. In 1972 he made "You`ll Never Know"for Mrs. Sonia pottinger, even though he`d decided never to sing for another producer again. Later that year an LP titled "Darling Oooh" was made for Pottinger, which Trojan released in Britain in 1974.

Dunkley came to Britain in November 1973 with the help of Third World`s director Count Shelly, who has released British-made Dunkley recordings like "Soothe Me Baby", "Little Angel", and "I`m Going To Sit Right Down And Cry". The LP "Sit Right Down And Cry" is Errol`s first British-made album, while the single "Letter To Myself", released by the Fat Man label in 1974, is amoung his best.

Prospects: Errol is a talented, rootsy, singer and a good songwriter. His story is one of struggle for artistic expression in the face of injustice and frustration. His music is slow, deep, and hypnotic. His vocal, sad and sometimes painful. With interest in roots reggae widening Dunkley should be one of those to benefit.
Carl Gayle-
Black Music April 1976:

peace

BLACK MUSIC: APRIL 1976:

FROM JA TO UK - A BRITISH REGGAE ROUND-UP:
BAn in-depth survey by Carl Gayle:-

ALTON ELLIS:
Age: 33.
Record Company: Third World...
Lastest Release: "Follow My Heart" (Count Shelly).
Background: First record was a slow R&B thing called "Muriel" for Clement Dodd. With Dodd he made reels of recordings and hits like "Dance Crash", "Girl I`ve Got A Date", "Get Ready Rock Steady", "I`m Just A Guy", "I`m Still In Love", "Only Sixteen", "Sunday Coming", and many more. He has recorded hits upon hits for other top producers in JA, including "La La Means I Love You", "Baby I Love You", "Breaking Up", "Remember That Sunday", "Susie", "I Can`t Stand It", and others. Made three LPs for Dodd and one for Duke Reid. Ellis has been settled in England since 1973. One of his first British made discs was "Sho-Be-Do-Be Do", released on A And M in `73.
Prospects: Seems to have lost motivation and interest in recording. A great name in Jamaican music and one of its oldest heads. He can still come up with the goods if pushed.
Carl Gayle-
Black Music April 1976:

peace

BLACK MUSIC: APRIL 1976:

FROM JA TO UK - A BRITISH REGGAE ROUND-UP:
An in-depth survey by Carl Gayle:-

JUNIOR ENGLISH:
Present Record Company: Trojan...
Latest Release: "Back On The Scene" (album) "Hear My Train" (45).
Background: Came to Britain from JA in 1964 to join his parents. Went to school in Willesden and later won a talent contest at Club 31 run by the Palmer brothers who own Pama Records. Joined a band called the Magnets which toured Europe on a small scale, playing ska, rock steady soul, and pop. Made a record called "Somewhere", which gave him a small West Indian following. Then he joined another band, the Nighthawks. With Saga Records he made one 45, "Jesamine", and an LP, "Man It`s Reggae". In 1970 his friend Ellis Breary produced him on a song entitled "Miss Playgirl". His biggest seller to date, "Daniel" was also produced by Breary. "I Don`t Wanna Die" was another good record. Since then the partnership has worked well together with a minute budget on good material that has resulted in the single "Back On The Scene" and the LP titled "The Great Junior English".
Prospects: Junior believes in undiluted reggae. He`s a good singer and bass player, but his scope is severely limited by the lack of finance. "The Dynamic Junior English" is as good an LP as the most recent one. It was released by Cactus. If only Trojan would spend some bread!!!
Carl Gayle-
Black Music April 1976:

peace