Barrington Levy (born 30 April 1964, in Clarendon, Jamaica) is a reggae and dancehall recording artist.

Barrington Levy has been well recognized in reggae circles since his early recordings with Jah Life, Junjo Lawes, and Jah Screw. Always a solid voice and an expressive vocalists, Barrington has been able to stay consistently poised in the dancehall as one of reggae's most requested vocalist. In the late 1980's, Barrington began working with producer Jah Screw, and together they created some of reggae's most memorable recordings. There was the classic album of Barrington's greatest hits dubbed Broader Than Broadway, which is one of the best reggae collections ever created. This was released on the pioneering hip-hop label Profile , which helped Barrington to be more recognizable in the crossover market. After a stunning performance on the 1993 Sunsplash, Barrington was signed to MCA Records and released a less than successful album. He quickly parted ways with the label and began working with Jah Screw to make the Duets album, where Levy teamed with all the hottest DJs from Beenie Man to Lady Saw. He came back larger than life with Bounti Killer on the song "Living Dangerously". This was the undisputed biggest reggae song in Jamaica and the United States of the 1996 and for months sat at the #1 spot on the dancehall charts worldwide. Barrington was lifted to the top of the charts, his career in full swing again. Interesting enough, Barrington spends much time farming and raising animals at his large farm in Claredon. I am sure there will be a whole lot of wind left in his sails in the future. His vocals are still powerful, and we look forward to what is still to come from this prolific singer.

Jamaica's 1 singer of all time, Barrington Levy is a driving force in reggae music and remains the perennial favourite of audiences in Jamaica - and throughout the world. Always a solid voice and a uniquely expressive song style, Barrington is consistently at the forefront of the music scene, and has become the most requested vocalist in reggae music history.
In the late 1980's, Barrington Levy began working with veteran producer Jah Screw, and together they created some of reggae's most memorable recordings...

There was the classic album of Barrington's greatest hits dubbed Broader Than Broadway, which is one of the best reggae collections ever created. This was released on the pioneering hip-hop label Profile, which helped Barrington to become more recognizable in the crossover market. After a stunning performance on the 1994 Sunsplash, Barrington was signed to MCA Records, but quickly parted ways with the label and began working with Jah Screw to make the Duets album, where Levy teamed with all the hottest DJs from Beenie Man to Lady Saw.

He came back larger than life with Bounti Killer on the song "Living Dangerously" - undisputedly the biggest reggae song of 1996, both in Jamaica and the United States, and for months held the 1 spot on the dancehall charts worldwide. Barrington was lifted to the top of the charts, his career in full swing again, and continues to remain at the top of playlists on every radio station in Jamaica, and dancehalls throughout the world.

The Moon Invaders were formed in early 2001 in Belgium by vocalist
Matthew Hardison and drummer Nicolas Leonard. Over the years, the
band has had several band member changes, but the Moon Invaders
of today is composed of nine members: vocalists Matthew
Hardison & Thomas Hardison, tenor saxophonist David Loos,
trombonist Manghi Murinni, trumpeter Rolf Langsjoen, keyboardist
Sergio Raimundo, guitarist Michael Bridoux, bassist Arnaud Pemmers,
and drummer Nicolas Leonard.

They recorded in several studios and put out their first EP “First Wave” in 2002.
After many enthusiastic reactions and constant touring the Moon
Invaders planned their first longplayer. The self-titled studio album was
produced in Brussels by the well-known Victor Rice and Grover
Records released this astonishing debut in 2004. “Breakin’ Free” the
second release on Grover Records followed in 2005: again supported by
Vic Rice, but this time mixed in the basement of the well-known
Jammyland Record shop in NYC.

Since the release of their first album, the Moon Invaders have toured all over
Europe through Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy,
Spain, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovenia, France and
Luxembourg; and became one of the best ska acts of the Belgian
scene. In May 2007, the moon invaders have had the pleasure of being
the backing band of the legenderay Mr. Rocksteady Alton Ellis for a
special show in Brussels.

They recently completed their third album due to hit this November on
Grover Records. On Moovin’ & Groovin’, the band has had the pleasure
of collaborating with Slacker’s frontman Vic Ruggiero who produced
and mixed this exciting brand new record.

rocksteady

various artists - fathers of ska

Chris Murray is a unique force on today's music scene. A gifted songwriter and dynamic performer, he has captivated audiences throughout the US, Europe, South America, Japan, Mexico and Canada with his embracing music, penetrating lyrics and soulful presence. From the prestigious Fuji Rock Festival to poverty stricken Oaxaca, Chris delivers his message of hope and humanity with a raw sincerity that connects with the hearts and minds of all.

Born in Toronto, Chris formed influential Canadian group King Apparatus in 1987 and toured North America at a time when ska was virtually unknown to mainstream audiences. Upon the band's breakup, he relocated to Los Angeles, emerging as a solo artist with his debut album The 4-Track Adventures Of Venice Shoreline Chris. This and subsequent releases have forged Chris' reputation as ska music's premier singer/songwriter.

Life has led Chris down a musical path to the very roots of reggae music. From trading songs on acoustic guitar with the late boogie-ska pioneer Laurel Aitken and performing with Jamaican music legend Prince Buster, to jamming with The Specials in a basement club and recording with Jamaica's original drums and bass masters, Lloyd Knibb and Lloyd Brevett, Chris has served his apprenticeship with the finest musicians connected with the genre.

As host of Bluebeat Lounge, his long running residency at Knitting Factory in Hollywood, Chris has presented close to 300 concerts over the past five years and provides strong leadership to LA's thriving ska community.

Additionally, Chris finds time for a remarkable array of collaborative efforts, co-writing with and producing for many highly respected artists. As well as producing three albums for Montreal's Planet Smashers, his writing credits have appeared on releases by Hepcat, The Slackers, Neville Staple and Westbound Train. His soulful reggae ballad, Let There Be Peace, was featured on the recent Give Em The Boot IV compilation (Hellcat/Epitaph).

As a child, Murray was exposed to popular ska-influenced songs such as "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" by The Beatles, "I Can See Clearly Now" by Johnny Nash, and Eric Clapton's cover of "I Shot the Sheriff" on the radio. At the age of 12 he heard Madness' cover of "[One Step Beyond (song)|One Step Beyond]" for the first time and instantly fell in love with two-tone ska and listened to it through his high school days, during which he also played the trumpet.

first wave ska

Track 1 - Carry Go Bring Home by Justin Hinds & The Dominoes
Track 2 - River Bank by Baba Brooks
Track 3 - Musical Communion by Baba Brooks
Track 4 - Feeling Fine by Roland Alphonso
Track 5 - Strongman Sampson by Baba Brooks
Track 6 - Over The River by Justin Hinds & The Dominoes
Track 7 - Next Door Neighbour by Owen & Leon Silvera and The Skatalite Band
Track 8 - When I Call Your Name by Stranger Cole & Patsy Todds with Baba Brooks and his band
Track 9 - Yeah, Yeah, Baby by Stranger Cole & Patsy Todds with Baba Brooks and his band
Track 10 - Hog In A Cocoa by The Skatalite Band
Track 11 - Musical Storeroom by Frank Anderson and The Skatalite Band
Track 12 - Corner Stone by Justin Hinds & The Dominoes

In the winter of 1989, The Israelites emerged from the city of La Cresenta, California as a "modern sounding ska band." However, as years passed and the line-up changed, The Israelites experienced a musical revolution. They began mimicing the authentic sounds of early jamaican ska, and fusing jazz, soul and dancehall into their sound. By working hard, keeping faith in God and giving him all the glory, The Israelites have earned a reputation as one of the top authentic ska and reggae bands around - both to christian, and secular audiences alike.

The Israelites play traditional Jamaican Ska which was first created in 1956. Many artists back then attended Christian Chruches (before the rise of Rastafarinism) and many origianl artist sang spirtual songs on their albums. The Israelites are continuing what the original artist began but in a more evangelical way. The Israelites also play Rocksteady (which is a bit slower than Ska) and Reggae.The main purpose of "The Israelites" is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to a dying world.

Born Desmond Adolphus Dacres
July 16, 1941(1941-07-16)
Kingston, Jamaica
Died May 25, 2006 (aged 64)
Surrey, England
Occupation Singer and songwriter
Website http://www.desmonddekker.com/

Desmond Dekker (July 16, 1941 — May 25, 2006) was a Jamaican ska and reggae singer and songwriter. Together with his backing group, The Aces (consisting of Wilson James and Easton Barrington Howard), he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with "Israelites". Other hits include "007 (Shanty Town)" (1967) and "It Mek" (1969). Before the ascent of Bob Marley, Dekker was one of the most popular musicians within Jamaica, and one of the best-known musicians outside it.

He was born Desmond Adolphus Dacres in St. Andrew, Jamaica and grew up in Kingston, where he attended the Alpha Boys' School. After his mother was taken ill and died, his father moved him to St. Mary, and then to St. Thomas, where he apprenticed as a tailor before returning to Kingston and taking a job as a welder, singing around his workplace while his co-workers encouraged him. In 1961 he auditioned for Coxsone Dodd (Studio One) and Duke Reid (Treasure Isle). Neither was impressed by his talents, and the young man moved on to Leslie Kong's Beverley's record label, where he auditioned before Derrick Morgan, then the label's biggest star.

Dacres spent much of his orphaned childhood near Seaforth in St. Thomas before returning to Kingston, where he worked as a welder. His workmates encouraged him to seek a recording audition and, after receiving rejections from leading producers Clement Dodd and Duke Reid, he found a mentor in the influential Leslie Kong. In 1963, the newly named Dekker released his first single, "Honour Your Father And Mother", which was also issued in the UK courtesy of Island Records. During the same period, Dekker teamed up with his backing group, the Aces. Together, they enjoyed enormous success in Jamaica during the mid- to late 60s with a formidable run of 20 number 1 hits to their credit. The emergence of rocksteady in the latter half of 1966 propelled his James Bond-inspired "007" into the UK charts the following year. A catchy, rhythmically infectious articulation of the "rude boy" street gang shenanigans, the single presaged Dekker's emergence as an internationally famous artist. In 1967, Dekker came second in the Jamaican Song Festival with "Unity" and continued his chart-topping run in his home country with such titles as "Hey Grandma", "Music Like Dirt", "Rudie Got Soul", "Rude Boy Train" and "Sabotage".

Dekker took up residence in the UK in 1969, where he was a regular club performer and continued to lay down his vocals over rhythm tracks recorded in Jamaica. A further minor success with "Pickney Gal" was followed by a massive number 2 hit with the Jimmy Cliff composition "You Can Get It If You Really Want", from the film The Harder They Come. When Dekker's long-term manager/producer Kong died from heart failure in 1971, the artist joined the Cactus label. A reissue of "Israelites" restored him to the UK Top 10 in 1975 and was followed by the pop/reggae "Sing A Little Song", which reached number 16. During the 2-Tone ska/mod revival in 1980, Dekker recorded Black And Dekker with Graham Parker's Rumour, but the experiment was not commercially successful. A follow-up, also on Stiff Records, Compass Point, was his last major attempt at chart action, though he remained a perennial performer of old hit material and has frequently been featured on compilation albums. In 1984 he was found bankrupt by a British court, and publicly complained that he had failed to receive funds from his former manager. It was a sad moment for one of reggae's best-known personalities. In 1993, during another 2-Tone revival, Dekker released King Of Kings with four original members of the Specials followed by an album called Halfway To Paradise. His unmistakable falsetto vocal remains one of reggae's most memorable, while his pioneering importance as the first major reggae artist to achieve international success deserves wider acknowledgement.

Early recording career:

With Morgan's support, Dekker was signed but did not record until 1963 because Kong wanted to wait for the perfect song, which "Honour Your Father and Mother" was felt to be.[citation needed]

"Honour Your Father and Mother" was a hit and was followed by "Sinners Come Home" and "Labour for Learning", and at this time Desmond Dacres became Desmond Dekker. His fourth hit made him into one of the island's biggest stars. It was "King of Ska", a rowdy and jubilant song on which Dekker was backed by The Cherrypies (also known as The Maytals). The song remains well known among ska fans. Dekker then recruited four brothers, Carl, Patrick, Clive and Barry who became his backing band, The Four Aces.

Dekker and the Howards recorded a number of hits including "Parents", "Get Up Edina", "This Woman" and "Mount Zion". Until 1967 Dekker's songs were polite and conveyed respectable, mainstream messages.[citation needed] In that year, however, he appeared on Derrick Morgan's "Tougher Than Tough", which helped begin a trend of popular songs glamorizing the violent rude boy culture. Dekker's own songs did not go to the extremes of many other popular tunes, though he did introduce lyrics that resonated with the rude boys starting with one of his best-known songs, "007 (Shanty Town)". The song established Dekker as a rude boy icon and he also became an established hero in the United Kingdom's mod scene.[citation needed] "007 (Shanty Town)" was a Top 15 hit in the UK, and Dekker toured that country with a posse of mods following him.

Dekker continued with songs in the same vein such as "Rude Boy Train" and "Rudie Got Soul", as well as continuing with his previous themes of religion and morality in songs like "It's a Shame", "Wise Man", "Hey Grandma", "Unity", "If It Pays", "Mother's Young Girl" and "Sabotage". His "Pretty Africa" is a long-standing favourite among his fans and may be the earliest popular song promoting repatriation.[citation needed] Many of the hits from this era came from his debut album, 007 (Shanty Town).

In 1968 Dekker's "Israelites" was released, appearing on both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles Charts, and eventually topping the latter and (in June, 1969) peaking in the Top Ten of the former. He was the first Jamaican performer to enter U.S. market with pure Jamaican music, though he never repeated the feat. Equally, the track became the first reggae song to top the UK chart. That same year saw the release of "Beautiful and Dangerous", "Writing on the Wall", "Music Like Dirt" (which won the Festival Song Contest), "Bongo Girl" and "Shing a Ling".

1969 saw the release of "It Mek", which first had only lukewarm success but was re-recorded and then became a hit both in Jamaica and the UK. Dekker also released "Problems" and "Pickney Gal", both of which were popular in Jamaica but had only limited success elsewhere.

In the patois of Jamaica's Rastafarians, the word 'ital' means pure, natural and unprocessed. These adjectives also describe the sound and message of the Itals, one of reggae music's premier vocal groups. Hailing from the beautiful countryside of Jamaica's Westmoreland Parish, lead singer Keith Porter explains, "Well, we really not like the environment of the city. We like to live in a the country and come into the city and do our work and go back. You get more better food fe eat out there, you know…more fresher food and fresh air and t'ing like that."

The Itals first appeared on record when Keith and Ronnie Davis re-voiced a riddim that had been a number one hit for Ronnie on the SpiderMan label. That tune, "Won't You Come Home," was released in 1975. The new version, "In A Dis A Time," became a number one hit in 1976, and the first recording by the Itals. Originally released as by 'Keith & Ronnie,' pro- ducer Lloyd Campbell quickly renamed them The Itals, repressing the record to meet demand. Today the song remains the Itals' signature tune.

The success of "In A Dis A Time" saw the group returning quickly to the studio with the addition of Lloyd Ricketts singing the third harmony part on a series of superb recordings for the SpiderMan label. Tunes like "Don't Wake The Lion," "Brutal," and "Temptation" followed on 45 in Jamaica and New York releases in 1977 and 1978, establishing the Itals among the best of Jamaica's singers and songwriters.

buster bust! greatest hits of Prince Buster