In a way, Byles served the same function for the producer as Max Romeo did for Holness, giving voice to Perry’s most radical roots visions. The pair attempted to subvert the 1971 Song Festival with their entry “Rub Up Festival ’71,” which actually reached one of the final heats. It was only when Jamaican radio complained about the innuendo-laced lyrics that the judges took notice and disqualified the song. The pair got their own back the following year, when they took the less-objectionable “Festival Da Da” to second place in the contest. 1972 was a momentous year in Jamaica’s history, an election was scheduled, where for the first time the leftwing opposition People’s National Party (PNP) (headed by Michael Manley) looked likely to take control. It was a heady, if difficult, time and many of the island’s artists were making their political preferences known, Byles and Perry included. The pair recorded a number of seminal songs across late 1971 and into 1972, all of which spoke directly to the current political clime. The haunting “A Place Called Africa,” is one of the loveliest repatriation songs ever recorded; the biting “Pharaoh Hiding,” a nursery rhyme taunt aimed at the ruling Jamaican Labour Party’s (JLP) leader Hugh Shearer; “Joshua’s Desire,” putting Manley’s vision of a better world into song (his supporters referred to him as Joshua); and the most radical of all, “Beat Down Babylon,” a perfect blend of Byles’ infectious melody and Perry’s production effects, including a cracking whip sound to accompany the chorus’ “whip them, whip them Lord.” However, in the hothouse of Jamaican politics, the population occasionally wants a breath of fresh air, and it blew in with Byles’ “Fever,” his biggest hit of the year, and one of Perry’s most masterful productions. 1973 brought Byles’ debut album, Beat Down Babylon, a dread masterpiece and instant classic. The album remains one the best from the era, notable not just for Byles excellent songwriting and delivery, but for Perry’s exceptional production, and it stands to this day as his most coherent album. Byles followed through with a stream of equally powerful singles. His best work was with Perry (although the singer would also record with other producers on occasion), and the pair fired single after single onto the charts, while across the Atlantic, their songs were stirring the attention of British listeners as well. One of the best was “When Will Better Come,” an anthemic reminder to Manley that Jamaica was still waiting for him to deliver on the better times he’d promised. There were lighter hearted moments as well, like “Fun and Games,” the nursery rhyme of a counting game cum religious instruction of “Auntie Lulu,” and the apocalyptic sounding meeting with a comely girl on “Pretty Fe True.” The seminal “Curley Locks arrived in 1974, a song that arguably best illustrates Byles’ shimmering talent. Addressed by a young rasta to a girl with a very disapproving father, the singer delivers the lyrics with the perfect touch of plaintiveness, whilst never descending into pitifulness. He may love her, but he won’t sacrifice his beliefs for her and although that remains unstated, that touch of fatalistic strength is the core of the song: If she walks away, so be it, adding even more poignancy to the song. Perry’s muted arrangement and production adds heavily to the evocative mood. The producer was renowned for riding roughshod over his artists, and he often sacrificed both the song and the singer for the sake of his production. But Byles consistently brought out his best, and all of Perry’s work with the singer is notable for its more muted, yet still creative style. His sympathy for the singer’s compositions is evident. “Curly Locks” cemented Byles’ reputation in Britain, and just added to his chart success in Jamaica.

But behind the scenes, all was not well. Perry was as well-known for his volatility as his creativity and was quick to take offense. Byles was the opposite extreme, renowned for his moodiness, and he alarmingly started falling into paroxysms of deep depression. By 1975, the relationship between the two men had sundered. One of their last sessions together resulted in the “Long Way” single. Although ostensibly a moody love song, with hindsight its lyrics accurately sum up the singer and producer’s path together. Byles now moved to the Ja-Man label, run by Dudley Swaby and Leroy Hollett, and immediately knocked out three hits for the team in duet with Rupert Reid — “Chant Down Babylon,” “Know Where You’re Going,” and “Remember Me,” and a fourth, “Pitchy Patchy,” solo. It was obvious that regardless of his emotional problems, the singer was more than capable of continuing to cut excellent material. This was affirmed by further successful singles with Lloyd Campbell (“Buy-O-Boy”) and Pete Weston. The latter producer oversaw Byles second album, Jordan, which boasted the pair’s two big hits, a splendid cover of “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” and a spectacular version of “Oh Carolina,” amongst other covers and new material, and was almost the equal of Beat Down Babylon. However, virtually everything Byles released that year was to be overwhelmed by the single “Fade Away.” Produced by JoJo Hookims, this powerful dread single was a smash not just in Jamaica, but in the Britain as well, where it hit with the strength of a nuclear blast. The singer seemed unstoppable. He was one of Jamaica’s biggest stars and had also established a massive following in Britain, an international breakthrough now seemed imminent.

But then, on August 27, 1975, Haile Selassie died. Obviously, all devoted Rastafarians were deeply affected by his death, but Byles, already emotionally fragile, couldn’t cope. He attempted suicide, but thankfully didn’t succeed and he was taken to Bellevue Hospital. He was released soon after, but wasn’t really recovered. Over the next few years, Byles continued to attempt to work, but proved to be able to for only brief periods of time. Having poured singles down on the island like rain, the singer’s output slowed down to a few releases a year. He managed to cut only a couple of tracks in 1976, overseen by Holness, a cover of Delroy Wilson’s classic “Run Run” and a new version of “King of Babylon.” The following year, he rejoined Lloyd Campbell and recorded “Can You Feel It” and “Weeping,” a song whose lyrics reflected Byles’ own emotional state. The singer also linked with DJ Big Youth for a version of the Archies’ “Sugar Sugar (utilizing the rhythm from the Mighty Diamonds’ “Right Time”). In 1978, he reunited with his first producer, Joe Gibbs, now working in conjunction with Errol Thompson as the Mighty Two, and cut another pair of singles — “Dreadlocks Time” and “Heart and Soul.” Every single one of these songs was masterful and each was a hit, but that didn’t change the fact that the singer’s life was in shambles and his career equally so. In between these sparse recording sessions, Byles retired to the quiet of the hills or back into the hospital. The sessions with the Mighty Two were to be the last for four years, and the singer disappeared entirely from the music scene. In 1982, Byles returned determined to relaunch his career. He began recording a new album with producer Black Morwell for Bullwackies, it would not be ready for release until 1986. In the interim, the singer’s life took further turns for the worse. He and his mother were close, and he was devastated by her death during this period. They say tragedies strike in threes, and this was followed by the loss of his house in a fire; adding to his misery, his wife and two children left Jamaica and emigrated to the U.S. During this sad time, Morwell released two new Byles’ singles, “Better Be Careful and “Don’t Be Surprised,” while the singer also cut “Dance Hall” for Winston Riley. Finally, his new album was released, but after the sheer brilliance of his last two, Rasta No Pickpocket was a disappointment. The title-track was a re-recording of an old single cut back in his days with Perry, and while there were still flashes of genius within, the overwhelming aura of the album is one of talent slipping away. Horrifically, by late 1987, the singer was homeless, penniless, and virtually unrecognizable.

Two years later, Holness took Byles back into the studio and recorded a new single, the superb “Young Girl.” In 1992, the pair reunited again and cut the equally good “Little Fleego.” After each release, the singer again faded into oblivion. Five years later, Byles took the stage with guitarist Earl “Chinna” Smith for a small number of Jamaican shows over 1997 and 1998. Since then, Byles has slipped from view once again. Even with these vast gaps between releases, Byles has not been forgotten, something the burgeoning reissue market has expertly seen to. The singer, both on his own and with the Versatiles, appears on numerous various artists and producer compilations, while the Trojan label has ensured that much of his work with Perry remains available. In response to his live appearances, the Heartbeat label has also released Curly Locks: The Best Of, an excellent compilation of the singer’s work.
All Music-Jo-Ann Greene.

Clarke was born in Whitfield Town, Jamaica, in January, 1955. He began his career in the talent contest circuit, and a win in 1971 at Tony Mack’s talent show brought him a meeting with Clancy Eccles. The producer was impressed enough to record the singer’s debut single, “God Made the Sea and the Sun,” but was apparently unwilling to publicize it, at least that’s how Clarke interpreted the song’s lack of success. Impatient, he left Eccles and eventually hooked up with producer Rupie Edwards. Perhaps Clarke’s complaint was correct, for he immediately scored a clutch of hits with Edwards. “Julie,” “Everyday Wondering,” and “Ire Feelings” all shook the charts in 1973. The latter single provided the template for the producer’s own massive success with “Ire Feelings (Skanga).”

The following year, Clarke cut a number of singles for a variety of different producers, including “Jump Back Baby” for producer Glen Brown. However, although Clarke was already a well-known figure, it was only after he joined forces with producer Bunny Lee that the singer reached his full potential. Lee, who had made his name in the rocksteady era and helped inaugurate the shift to reggae, was undergoing his own period of creative brilliance, introducing the “flying cymbal” sound that swiftly became his trademark and earned him the nickname “Striker,” whilst also delving into the possibilities of dub. Together the two men would unleash a host of unforgettable singles, opening with the massive hit “None Shall Escape the Judgement.”

Intriguingly, Clarke would divide his time between radical roots and exquisite lovers rock, with a third pole of remarkable cover versions, with by John Holt and Delroy Wilson particular favorites. Over the next two years, the singer inundated Jamaica with hit singles including “Move Out of Babylon Rastaman,” “Rock With Me Baby,” “Enter Into His Gates With Praise,” “Too Much War,” “Joyful Festival.” But most notable of all was a cover of Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry,” an international smash which sold a whopping 40,000 copies in Jamaica alone but was to have unforeseen consequences. The singer’s first two albums, 1974′s None Shall Escape the Judgement and the following year’s Moving Out, were both hits-heavy collections while also boasting some hefty doses of cover versions. The U.K. Vulcan label’s I’m Gonna Put It On, also released in 1975, featured both. The Trojan label would later also compile up much of this material for the Enter Into His Gates With Praise album. Half the record was culled from None Shall Escape, with the rest rounding up other hits and covers. The British Attack label’s Don’t Trouble Trouble offered up more recordings from this period and includes songs that didn’t make it onto None Shall Escape the Judgement album. Virtually all of the tracks, however, were worthy of inclusion on that debut record. There was little surprise when Clarke clinched the Artist of the Year award in 1975 and 1976 (and then annually for another three years after that).

By 1976, the singer had come to the attention of the Virgin label’s Front Line subsidiary, to whom he now signed. The new relationship was cemented with the fabulous Authorized Version album, again produced by Bunny Lee and boasting another big hit, “Roots Natty Roots Natty Congo.” That album was masterful; Rockers Time Now was an absolute masterpiece. The production is a dream, the flying cymbal rhythms as sharp as a scythe, with Lee’s house band, the Aggrovators, laying down a potent mix of roots, rock, and almost dreamy backing as always. With King Tubby giving it all a dubby mix, the record remains one of the crucial releases of the roots era. Again a mixture of originals and covers, Rockers is pure dread and boasts incredible versions of gems from the likes of the Abyssinians and the Mighty Diamonds; the former’s “Satta Massa Gana” is an absolute stunner, as is the cover of the latter group’s “Them Never Love Poor Marcus.” However, apparently the sales of the album didn’t live up to Front Line’s expectations, and the label, having received one of the greatest record’s of the age, promptly dropped the artist. In 1991, the label would cull from both these albums for the Authorized Rockers compilation.

Undeterred, Clarke released his third album for the year, Don’t Stay Out Late, made available in Britain by the Paradise label. The only reason it received somewhat less acclaim than Rockers Time Now is because people were still raving about that album. However, it was its equal and features such seminal songs as “Judgement Day” and “Blood Dunza.” 1977 brought two more albums, Up Park Camp and Girl I Love You, both picked up for the U.K. Justice label, where Clarke now had a sizeable fan base. Understandably, although both are excellent albums, neither could equal their predecessors. Afterwards, Clarke inked a deal with Third World for his U.K. releases and kicked it off with 1978′s Sweet Conversation, less dread than some of its predecessors, but boasting some exceptional John Holt covers. King of the Arena was a quick follow-up this same year and perhaps suffered accordingly and was not quite up to Clarke’s previous standards. Better was Lovers Rock, a shared album with former Paragon Pat Kelly and Hortense Ellis (sister of the soulful Alton). Sadly, Clarke and Kelly never share a mic, but the sublime duets between Ellis and Clarke make up for this lack. A follow-up the next year, Lovers Rock, Vol. 2, boasting the mighty Delroy Wilson and Doreen Schaeffer, was not as successful, brought down by the less than stellar choice of material. Clarke was also paired by Bunny Lee with Barry Brown for the Sing Roots & Culture album, which featured a slew of hard-hitting cultural songs from both artists. Confusedly, some of the tracks are retitled, such as Clarke’s “Blood Durza,” which here appears under the title of “Fight for Money.”

During this same period, Clarke was also mashing up the dancehalls in collaboration with Dillinger. A couple of years back, the DJ had utilized Clarke’s “Move Out a Babylon Rastaman” rhythm for his own “Commercial Locks” hit. It was actually the third time around for the rhythm, and Clarke’s own was based on John Holt’s “Sad News.” The two now paired up for a clutch of hits including “Empty Chair,” “Waiting in Vain,” and “Babylon Yard.” Clarke also tried his hand at self-production for the wonderful “Jah Love Is With I,” utilizing the potent talents of the Revolutionaries. He also took a seat behind the desk for recordings by Alphonso Love and Biddy Brown. The singer ended the decade with the Satisfaction album, while the Showcase compilation bundled up another batch of recent Bunny Lee-produced singles. Two compilations nicely showcase the best from this period. Originally Mr. Clarke from the Clock Tower label features the singer at his most dread, bundling up a clutch of Bunny Lee-produced rebel masterpieces. The U.K. label Blood & Fire adds rarities to the concept on Dreader Dread 1976-78 and boasts a number of long-lost 12″ mixes.

As the ’80s dawned, Clarke linked up with producer S Douglas and continued down his hit-strewn path. 1980 brought the seminal Down in a Babylon album, with the title track proving to be another sizable smash. The following year saw “Rude Boy,” “Can’t Get Enough,” and “Guide Us Jah” all hit the charts. The singer rejoined Bunny Lee for the I Man Come Again, and if the last few albums had seen a slight lessening in intensity, this new one found the singer performing with a full charge. 1983 brought a split album with Cornell Campbell for the Johnny Clarke Meets Cornell Campbell in New Style album, which found the singer moving effortlessly into the age of dancehall. Clarke’s singles continued to clamber up the charts; “Give Me Love,” “Young Rebel,” “Get in the Groove,” “Stop Them Jah,” and the Joe Gibbs-produced “Like a Soldier” all impacted across the island over 1981 and 1982.

But even as the hits were chalked up, inexplicably Clarke’s record sales were sagging, possibly due to the fact that for the singer, getting radio play was like pulling teeth. Even stranger, year after year he remained a prominent omission from Reggae Sunsplash. Clarke saw a conspiracy and put the blame firmly on the estate of Bob Marley. The point of contention was the singer’s cover of “No Woman No Cry” back in 1976, a song that Marley himself had deliberately not released as a single, in hopes of it pushing up sales of his album. It’s hard to imagine that these imaginary lost profits were behind Clarke’s increasing difficulties, but the singer could find no other explanation. Certainly his succession of hits and five triumphs as Artist of the Year should have seen him starring at Sunsplash, never mind insuring heavy radio play. It was indeed peculiar. In disgust, Clarke left Jamaica and immigrated to London in 1983. There he hooked up with producer Neil “Mad Professor” Fraser and recorded Yard Style, which included such crucial cuts as “Mount Zion” and “Nuclear Weapon.” The following year, “Nuclear Weapon” was released as a single and swiftly smashed its way up the chart. The pair followed it up in 1985 with Give Thanks, an equally strong set. Clarke joined forces with the Rydim Twins for the same year’s Sly & Robbie Present the Best of Johnny Clarke which features some marvelous updates of old classics.

Over the rest of the decade, Clarke continued cutting excellent singles as well, in partnership with longtime collaborator King Tubby (responsible for many of the singer’s B-sides), and for more dancehall-flavored offerings with both Prince Jammy and Errol Thompson. However, Clarke’s presence on the music scene has remained somewhat muted since then. In 1992, the singer linked with DJ Prince Jazzbo for the Rasta No Fear album, an intriguing mix of techno and superlative vocals. Equally pertinent was 1997′s Rock With Me, which saw the singer joining forces with legendary producer Niney the Observer Holness. In between times, in 1995, Clarke, quite out of the blue, was invited to play Reggae Sunsplash. He accepted and turned in a superb performance. The singer continues to record and tour. All Music-Jo-Ann Greene.

“When Me Come” was Demus’ first single. It became available to fans in 1991. Luke Records released Demus’ debut full-length album, Bad Fowl, three years later. Some of the tracks from this effort are “Come Quick,” “Son of a Gun,” and “Hold Me Down.” He has also recorded a number of other singles, including “One Master,” “Good Over Evil,” and the popular number “Cabin Stabbin,” which he completed with Super Cat and the late Nicodemus. They also worked together on the album The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, and the Crazy for Sony Music in 1994.

Demus has lent his talents on several dancehall and reggae compilation albums filled with hard hip-hop tunes by artists like the Frisco Kid, Wicka Man, Foxy Brown, Rob Symeonn, Sugar Minott, Sluggy Ranks, and many others.
All Music-Charlotte Dillon.

In 1958, the 12-year-old Holt entered his first contest, run by promoter Joseph Verejohn. Over the next four years, the youngster became a staple of these shows, notching up a record-breaking 28 titles. His dulcet tones were soon familiar to a much larger audience, as a number of these contests were broadcasts of Radio Jamaica. For his final victory in 1962, Holt performed Solomon Burke’s “Just Out of Reach.” The talented teen was quickly snapped up by producer Leslie Kong, who recorded Holt’s debut single, “Forever I’ll Stay”/”I Cried a Tear.” From there, the youngster began working with producer Clive Chin, debuting the partnership with “Rum Bumper,” a duet with Alton Ellis.

More singles followed, but none really captured the island’s imagination. That all began to change in 1964 when Holt joined the vocal group the Paragons, replacing founding member Leroy Stamp. It was about this time that another founding member, Junior Menz, also departed and his place taken by Howard Barrett. The group’s lineup was completed by veteran members Bob Andy and Tyrone Evans, and it was this grouping that recorded “Good Luck and Goodbye” for Coxsone Dodd. Ironically, this is precisely what Andy said to his bandmates soon after the single’s release, as he quit the group to pursue a solo career. Now reduced to a trio, and with both Evans and Barrett holding full-time jobs, Holt was entrusted with the dual role of composer and arranger, positions for which he turned out to be ideally suited. And the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Ska was withering under the hot Jamaican sun, with rocksteady rising to take its place. Its slower tempo was perfect for vocal groups and Holt’s pen seemed especially cut for the easy going beat and pop flavor that the style embraced. Soon after, the trio linked with Duke Reid, a producer never at home with ska, but the ultimate purveyor of rocksteady.

By 1968, the Paragons were Jamaica’s premier vocal group, with virtually every one of their releases a hit. Although the group did record covers (notably “Island in the Sun”), much of their material was composed by Holt and the popularity of his songs is evident by the number of other prominent vocalists who recorded their own cover versions of them. In 1968, Holt set off on a parallel solo career, recording for producers Bunny Lee and Harry J. The following year, the Paragons returned to Dodd, where the trio continued on a successful path. 1970, however, brought an abrupt end to the group when Evans and Barrett both went to the U.S. after being awarded scholarships. Holt, however, merely picked up the pace of his solo recordings, cutting songs for a variety of different producers. His work with Dodd was particularly exemplary and boasts a slew of classics, including “Tonight,” “Stranger in Love,” and “A Love I Can Feel.” The latter song titled Holt’s 1971 album, which compiled many of his hits with Dodd. Like a Bolt, released that same year, bundles up recordings done with Duke Reid, including the hit “Ali Baba,” which quickly became one of Reid’s most-versioned rhythms. Prince Buster cut a number of gems with the singer, including the exquisite “Rain From the Sky,” while Alvin Ranglin also recorded a number of charming numbers, notably “Son of the Wise.” During this same time, Phil Pratt scored a hit with a re-cut, “My Heart Is Gone,” a song Holt initially recorded for Dodd. Arguably the best work the singer recorded in the early ’70s was for Bunny Lee, including the classic “Tonight.” However, their biggest success was a cover of “Stick By Me,” deliberately arranged to take advantage of the latest dance craze, the John Crow. The song stuck to the Jamaican charts for an amazing 23 weeks and became the biggest-selling single of the year.

Amidst the growing pile of hit singles was also a clutch of albums, many picked up for U.K. release by the Trojan label. 1973′s Holt and Still in Chains both helped Holt establish himself as a reggae artist extraordinaire and have since been repackaged on one CD by the British label See for Miles. In 1974, though, the singer released three albums — The Further You Look, Dusty Roads, and Sings for I — that showcased his penchant for ballads. Many of the tracks were self-penned, an exception to the cover-heavy records he’d previously released. Presenting the Fabulous John Holt is also comprised of ballads, but Duke Reid slathers them in a wondrously rootsy production, while Coxsonne Dodd gave the ballads Holt cut for him a superbly earthy atmosphere on A Love I Can Feel. That same year, the singer released the Harry Mudie-produced Time Is the Master, featuring the ultimate MOR package of covers accompanied by lush string arrangements. The title-track was another smash and the album spawned a clutch of further Jamaican hits.

It was obvious to Trojan that a crossover success was in their sights. The label brought Holt to the U.K. later in 1974, and set him to work with pop producer Tony Ashfield, who had arranged the strings on Time Is the Master. The end result was the covers collection 1000 Volts of Holt, which gave Holt his first U.K. hit with “Help Me Make It Through the Night.” Inevitably, two follow-ups were recorded — 2000 Volts and 3000 Volts — with both these albums were later combined onto a single disc. However, apparently Britain felt one reggae lite cover was enough and Holt was unable to equal the success of “Help Me.”

Eventually, he called it a day and headed home. He announced his return with 1976′s Up Park Camp, which boasts both superbly re-cut classics and equally sublime new songs. The album’s title-track was a fabulous take on the Heptones’ “Get in the Groove,” with new cultural lyrics, and set the singer on the path for dancehall success. For the rest of the decade, Holt continued making the studio rounds, working with the likes of JoJo Hookim, and most notably reuniting with Bunny Lee. 1976′s Winter World of Love captures only some of the magic of this latter partnership, which produced a clutch of fine singles. However, 1977′s Holt Goes Disco suggests that the singer was beginning to lose his grip on his audience. That concern grew with 1981′s Children of the World and the following year’s Just the Two of Us, both bland AOR sets. In many ways, Holt had painted himself into a corner. As rocksteady had shifted into reggae, the singer had no trouble in transforming his songwriting toward the new genre. But as roots had taken hold, his own penchant for pop, and particularly love songs, no longer connected with younger fans. He had edged gracefully into the realms of MOR, but with age had come rebellion. In a rather belated conversion, Holt admitted to his Rastafarian beliefs in 1983 and began growing dreadlocks.

The previous year, the singer had performed at Reggae Sunsplash to much acclaim and had seen chart success with such fare as “If I Were a Carpenter” and covers of the Isley Brothers’ “This Old Heart of Mine” and Lou Rawls’ “You’ll Never Find a Love of Mine,” but at the same time, Holt was also turning his attention back to the dancehalls. His intrigue with the DJ scene dated back over a decade, when the singer had attended a King Tubby sound system dance and was blown away by U-Roy toasting over his own classic hit “Wear You to the Ball.” Holt immediately introduced the DJ to Duke Reid, who launched U-Roy to stardom (“Wear You to the Ball” was the singer’s third single for Reid, and his third number one). The DJ repaid Holt by recording a number of other versions of the singer’s hits. Dennis Alcapone had also versioned a number of his songs. Linking up with producer Junjo Lawes, the singer cut a number of dancehall singles across 1982, including the hit “Fat She Fat,” and DJ superstar Yellowman also versioned a number of Holt’s classics this same year. But none of this really prepared audiences for the Police in Helicopter album. Lawes’ deep roots rhythms turned out to be the perfect accompaniment for Holt’s songs, from the lightest pop to the heaviest hitting roots numbers. In one fell swoop, Holt had shed his family entertainer image and reinvented himself as a cultural hero.

The following year, the singer cut the equally strong “If You Were My Lover” for Prince Jammy, amongst a clutch of other recordings. 1985 brought a reunion with Bunny Lee for the Pure Gold album, which while enjoyable, didn’t hold a candle to Helicopter.

The next year, the singer joined forces with singer/producer Dennis Brown for the Wild Fire album. It was during this period that both Holt and Brown became involved in a plot by veteran singers to fight the DJ phenomenon by saturating the market with vocal material. Gregory Isaacs, the most prolific of the conspirators, Dennis Brown, Ken Boothe, Delroy Wilson, and many others were involved and began releasing a deluge of material. It certainly wasn’t personal, and in fact, virtually all the singers involved had happily collaborated with DJs over the years and continued to do so. Holt’s relationship with U-Roy wasn’t unique; Isaacs, for example, had a stream of hits with Trinity, a DJ Brown had also cut a single with. The conspirators logic was that the DJs reigned supreme only because there wasn’t enough vocal product on the market. They intended on changing that. The down side was, of course, that over time every one of those involved would sully their own reputations by releasing too much inferior product. And although each of these artists would occasionally record an album worthy of their own legendary status, too many of their releases were mediocre at best.

Holt was no exception. However, there are a number of albums from these later years worth picking up. For holiday parties, one can’t beat 1986′s The John Holt Christmas Album, which is split between traditional numbers and covers of rock’s festive best from the likes of Slade, Mud, John Lennon, and George Michael — bizarre, but it works. Equally effective is 1989′s Why I Care, which finds Holt back in the dancehall, accompanied by producer Hugh “Redman” James’ most militant rhythms. In 1993, the singer decided to expand his musical horizons on Reggae Hip House R&B Flavour, and while not always successful, it is certainly intriguing. 1997′s All Night Long features such guest stars as Johnnie Clarke, Screwdriver, and Latisha Vining, updating old hits and a few new numbers. But perhaps the best album of the decade, New Horizon, came at its end, a solid set overseen by Roy Francis and Computer Paul.

Across the decade, Holt made numerous acclaimed appearances at Reggae Sunsplash, and the singer continues to compose, record, and perform. All that’s missing is a compilation worthy of Holt’s genius. The best on offer was the Trojan label’s My Girl Wears a Crown, which compiles the best of the singer’s recordings with the Paragons. Of his solo material, Can’t Keep Us Apart bundles up 20 singles cut with Bunny Lee and their dub companions. All Music-Jo-Ann Greene.

Born Nkrumah Thomas in Kingston in 1955, Jah Thomas was named after Kwame Nkrumah, the celebrated African nationalist who secured Ghana’s (originally the Gold Coast) independence from the British at the beginning of the 1960s. Although not much is known of Thomas’ early years, his first foray into the highly competitive Kingston music scene came in the mid-’70s. Thomas’ story begins with the legendary Channel One studio, where the aspiring DJ first cut tracks as one of a crew of young chatters in the mold of innovators like U-Roy, Big Youth, and Dillinger. Open for business in 1973, Channel One was set up by the brothers Ernest and Joseph “Joe Joe” Hookim on Maxfield Avenue in Kingston. While also contracting out studio time to one of the day’s most important and prolific producers, Bunny “Striker” Lee, the Hookim brothers established their own line of record production, using the Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare-driven Revolutionaries as their house band (also working for Lee, the group featured such studio luminaries as keyboard player Ansel Collins, guitarist “Dougie” Bryan, tenor saxophonist Tommy McCook, and trombonist Vin Gordon, among others). Besides cutting sides by such singers as Gregory Isaacs, John Holt, and Leroy Smart, as well as vocal groups like the Wailing Souls and the Mighty Diamonds, Channel One boasted a DJ roster that not only included Thomas, but other burgeoning young toasters like Trinity, Clint Eastwood, Ranking Trevor, Doctor Alimantado, and the relatively seasoned Dillinger, as well. Working off his Channel One success, Thomas followed his fellow chatters in cutting sides for Joe Gibbs and Errol Thompson at their 16-track studio on Retirement Crescent (the studio tandem — also known as the Mighty Two — were at the height of their success at this time, recording such DJ smashes as Trinity’s “Three Piece Suit and Thing” and Prince Far I’s “Under Heavy Manners”).

Thomas’ first big Jamaican hit was “Midnight Rock,” which was cut by producer GG Ranglin in 1976. Thomas would later use the song’s title as the name of his own Midnight Rock imprint. Over the next two years, more hits followed, including “Cricket Lovely Cricket,” one of many DJ versions of the time using Slim Smith’s “My Conversation” rhythm (it proved to be one of the most successful of the many Studio One rhythms used during the dancehall era, with other hit versions coming from the DJ Lone Ranger ["Barnabus Collins"] and singer Barrington Levy ["Collie Weed"]). Eventually Thomas inked a deal with the London-based Greensleeves label and released his debut LP in 1978, Stop Yu Loafin’, which was cut at Channel One by Joseph Hookim. Following the longstanding trend in the Jamaican music industry, Thomas proceeded to hook up with a variety of local labels to put out some additional albums, including Dance Hall Style on Daddy Kool and Dance on the Corner for Abraham. As is made clear upon listening to these records, Thomas’ gruff vocal style was akin to the singing/toasting style brought to life by the DJ innovator Big Youth in the early ’70s.

Joining the ranks of contemporary dancehall knob twiddlers of the late ’70s and early ’80s like Henry “Junjo” Lawes, Linval Thompson, Gussie Clarke, and Winston Riley, Thomas began making his presence felt as a producer with sessions for both DJs and singers. Thomas worked with some of his DJ peers, including Ranking Toyan and Soul Imperial Hi-Fi star Early B. Of the many singers Thomas produced, the standouts include Michael Palmer, Barrington Levy, Barry Brown, Little John, Johnny Osbourne, and Sugar Minott. The big smashes to come Thomas’ way, though, were Tristan Palmer’s 1981 hits “Entertainment” and “Joker Smoker” (the later chronicling a hapless spliff roller using all but his own store of herb for the big blunt) and Anthony Johnson’s 1982 chart-topper “Gun Shot.”

Roots Radics was the main band Thomas used for his productions. This outfit, which specialized in a tight and aggressive form of rhythmic alchemy, would become synonymous with the early dancehall era of the ’80s — their most high-profile sessions were for Thompson and “Junjo” Lawes. The band backed most of Thomas’ Midnight Rock sessions, often equaling their especially dread work for Lawes in the process. Along with bassist Errol “Flabba” Holt, who supervised Thomas’ Midnight Rock session, the Radics also featured drummer “Style” Scott, guitarist Eric “Bingy Bunny” Lamont, pianist Gladstone Anderson, trumpeter Bobby Ellis, and percussionist Bongo Herman, among several other shifting personnel.

The Radics can be heard to particularly fine effect on Thomas’ many dub releases of the time. In addition to his DJ and vocal work, Thomas proved to be a stellar adherent of King Tubby’s innovative line in studio wizardry. In fact, Thomas would enlist the dub originator for a few of his best dub outings, including King Tubby’s Hidden Treasure on Trojan, Jah Thomas Meets King Tubby in the House of Dub on Majestic Reggae, and Inna Roots of Dub. The standout example of Thomas and Tubby’s way with the extreme mix down, though, has to be another of their Trojan albums, Jah Thomas Meets the Roots Radics Dubbing.

Not content to just work with Tubby, Thomas found some of his greatest dub success with onetime Tubby protégé Hopetown “Scientist” Brown. Scientist, as he is commonly known, plied a particularly exciting and effects-riddled dub style and in many ways rivaled his teacher’s output. Adding considerably to his own solo discs on Greensleeves — using many a tasty Lawes and Thompson rhythm — and various mixing contributions for everyone from Israel Vibration to I-Roy, Brown applied his patented post-apocalyptic sound sculpting to such Thomas dub releases as the rare Roots Splashdown on Body Music and Jah Thomas Meets Scientist in Dub Conference on Majestic Reggae. These last two collections also feature such young mixing talent as Soljie and — keeping in the lab mode — Peter Chemist (like Scientist, these studio prodigies cut some of their teeth at Channel One).

Although Thomas did contribute to a smattering of sessions as the ’90s came round, including sides by Gregory Isaacs and Shabba, his latter-day profile has been mostly very low-key. Fortunately there’s been enough in the way of reissues and compilations to keep fans satisfied. For listeners in the market for various artists compilations, there’s the Midnight Rock Collection: Dance Hall Connection on Culture Press and Midnight Rock Presents Reggae Veterans, the both of which boast quality sides by Anthony Johnson, Early B, Sugar Minott, Tristan Palmer, Barry Brown, and Thomas at his toasting best. Palmer’s best work with Thomas is featured on the Majestic Reggae title Tristan Palmer Meets Jah Thomas in Disco Style Entertainment, which mixes in vocal cuts by Palmer with some version sides by Thomas.

Like many of Jamaica’s most important and talented musical men and women, Jah Thomas will probably not become as well-known and celebrated as, say, Lee Perry, Tubby, or Duke Reid, but his place in reggae’s cannon can’t be denied. Joining such other relatively obscure producers as Lawes and Errol “Don” Mais, Thomas will certainly be remembered as one of the handful of producers who helped steer reggae out of it’s first roots period into the modern dancehall era of the ’80s and early ’90s, the effects of which are still in evidence as reggae moves into the new millennium. All Music-Stephen Cook.