Here I Come!

Entertainment

Monday, July 22, 2013

The 21st Reggae Sumfest kicked off yesterday with its beach party at Aquasol Beach Park in St James. It gets going in earnest Thursday with Dancehall Night at Catherine Hall in Montego Bay. The Observer looks at some of the artistes on this year’s show, starting with singer Barrington Levy.IT was 35 years ago that a teenage singer named Barrington Levy moved to Kingston from Clarendon in search of greater recording opportunities.He had impressed sound system fans in that parish and cut his first song, My Black Girl, in 1977. The following year, Levy was in Kingston working with producers including Alvin ‘GG’ Ranglin, who produced hit songs by Gregory Isaacs (Love Is Overdue, Border) among others.In 1979, Levy hit paydirt by teaming with producer Henry ‘Junjo’ Lawes, whose Volcano label was becoming the hottest ticket in dancehall music.Many of the songs Levy did for Lawes, with the Roots Radics Band at Channel One studio in Kingston, are still part of his live show. They include A Ya We Deh, Looking My Love, 21 Girl Salute and Prison Oval.Other songs, done for producer/writer Hyman ‘Jah Life’ Wright, such as Murderer and Under Mi Sensi, are dancehall standards that have been embraced by the hip hop community.Now 49, Barrington Levy remains active on the reggae festival circuit. He makes his Reggae Sumfest debut on Dancehall Night on Thursday.

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Here I Come!