Mikey Chung (1950 – 2021) was a Jamaican musician who played keyboards, guitar and percussion instruments.
Here with a cover of “Breezin'” (1970) by Bobby Womack.
“Breezin'” (1970) is a musical composition by Bobby Womack, originally released with Gabor Szabo on Blue Thumb Records as a seven inch single.
On the b-side was “Azure Blue”. The song was later released on Gabor’s album High Contrast.
Ernest Wilson was a Jamaican singer; known for interpreting such songs as “I Know Myself” (1974), a Channel One production and “Undying Love” (Studio One, 1968), released on in an extended mix on Studio One Showcase Vol. 1 (1999).
Jean “Binta” Breeze was a Jamaican dub poet.
Bunny Wailer was a Jamaican singer-songwriter best-known for being part of Bob Marley and the Wailers.
I shall remember him for being backed by the Roots Radics.
Bunny Lee was a Jamaican record producer and one of the major forces in the Jamaican music industry, producing hits throughout his long career.
His song “Wet Dream”, interpreted by Max Romeo, became popular in 1968 despite being banned on the BBC; and Eric Donaldson’s “Cherry Oh Baby” would be covered by the Rolling Stones.
Lee also produced the perennial riddim “My Conversation”.
The compilation ‘If Deejay Was Your Trade’ (1994), which was the debut release of the reggae compilation label Blood and Fire, consists of a selection of his productions from the period 1974-1977.
The documentary ‘I Am The Gorgon – Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee and the Roots of Reggae’ is in full on YouTube.
Toots Hibbert was a Jamaican singer and songwriter, leader for the band Toots & the Maytals. He is best-known for such songs as “54-46 That’s My Number” (1968), “Pressure Drop” (1970) and “Funky Kingston” (1972).
Hibbert was one of the first artists to use the word “reggae” in 1968’s “Do the Reggay”.
Dobby Dobson was a Jamaican reggae singer and record producer.
His signature song was “Loving Pauper” (c. 1970)
Millie Small was the singer of “My Boy Lollipop” (1964), her only hit.
She was the first Jamaican artist to break through to an international audience.
Did this mean international recognition for ska and reggae?
Well, not exactly, “My Boy Lollipop” was considered a novelty song rather than ska or reggae.
Thus reggae’s invasion into the mainstream actually only began that same year in the United Kingdom with songs such as “Al Capone” (1964) and “Guns of Navarone” (1964).
But in the United States, the wait was for 1969 with “The Israelites” (1968) to give reggae international repute and recognition.
Bob Andy was a Jamaican singer-songwriter famous for compositions like “Feel Like Jumping” (1968) and “Life” (1972).
“Life” is compiled on Nova Classics volume 1.
Irving Burgie was an American songwriter best-known for two songs: “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” and “Jamaica Farewell“, both made famous by Harry Belafonte on his album Calypso.
I’m interested in the era when traditional folk songs (which are per definition authorless) were appropriated by Western musicians and turned into pop hits.
This seems to also have been the case with the Belafonte songs Irving Burgie “wrote” .
In the words of Sholem Stein:
Harry Belafonte, a New Yorker of Jamaican origin, released wildly popular “calypso” hit records in the period 1956-1958. In reality “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” and “Jamaica Farewell” – both featured on Calypso (1956) and both written by Irving Burgie – were mento songs sold as calypso. Previously recorded Jamaican versions of these now classic “calypso” hits can be heard on the compilation Jamaica – Mento 1951-1958 (2009) [above].
Louise Bennett-Coverley gave Harry Belafonte the foundation for his 1956 hit “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” by telling him about the Jamaican folk song “Hill and Gully Rider” (the name also given as “Day Dah Light”).”
“Jamaica Farewell” was compiled and modified from many folk pieces to make a new song. Burgie acknowledged his use of the tune of another mento, “Iron Bar””.–Sholem Stein
I remember vividly how one night my parents went to a Harry Belafonte concert in Antwerp and lodged me and my brother in a fancy hotel which had a pool that was partly inside and partly outside the hotel. It was winter and the pool outside was steaming into the open air. This must have been before the first oil crisis. (update: I called my mother, it was the Sofitel, located on the Boomsesteenweg 15, Aartselaar)