King Jammy

JA PRODUCER AND DUBMASTER

What music are you currently grooving to? I listen to a lot of American soul and jazz – Dizzy Gillespie and Percy Sledge, Marvin Gaye, those artists. And I’m working on an album that [features] Dennis Brown, he’s dead and gone, and some collaboration with other artists. And Black Uhuru. Those were my pioneer projects that I did.

What, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite album? Ha ha! That’s a hard question, but for all times, Nat King Cole, Impossible. I just like how I did it cool and natural. That record said a lot, you know?

What was the first record you ever bought? And where did you buy it? It was River To The Bank by The Skatalites, at Chin’s Radio Service on Church Street in Kingston, they sold records and they did electronics. A long long time, in the ’60s!

Which musician, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be? Well, I really like to play bass guitar, so I think first on my choice would be Family Man [Aston Barrett] of The Wailers, and Robbie Shakespeare, of Sly And Robbie.

What do you sing in the shower? A very old song by Alton & Eddy, the name of the song is Muriel – (sings) ”If I had a pair of wings, over the prison wall I’d fly.” That’s the song! I used to sing that at primary school concerts, he he.

What is your favourite Saturday night record? Something from the ’50s and ’60s, because then we didn’t have radio stations in Jamaica, so I had to listen to American stations. It was a Louis Jordan tune, I think its name was Cross Over The Bridge. He was a talented person, I like listening to him.

And your Sunday morning record? I listen to, like, church vibes, you know, on the radio. The Lord Is My Shepherd. King Jammy Presents New Sounds Of Freedom is out in December on Greensleeves/VP.