King Jammy | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Lloyd Woodrowe James [1] |
Born | Montego Bay, Jamaica | 26 October 1947
Genres | |
Occupation | Record producer |
Labels | VP Records, Greensleeves Records, King Jammy's, |
Lloyd Woodrowe James (born 26 October 1947), [2] better known as Prince Jammy or King Jammy, is a Jamaican dub mixer, sound system owner and record producer. He began his musical career as a dub master at King Tubby's recording studio. His dubs are known for their clear sound and use of effects. [3]
After earning money from building amplifiers and repairing electrical equipment from his mother's house in Waterhouse in the late 1960s, he started his own sound system. [4] He also built equipment for other local systems. [4] After leaving Jamaica to work in Canada for a few years in the early 1970s, he returned to Kingston in 1976 and set up his own studio at his in-laws' home in Waterhouse, [4] and released a couple of Yabby You productions. [2] When Phillip Smart left King Tubby's team to work in New York City, Jammy replaced him, getting to work with Bunny Lee and Yabby You. [4]
In the late 1970s he began to release his own productions, including the debut album from Black Uhuru in 1977. [4] In the 1980s, he became one of the most influential producers of dancehall music. His biggest hit was 1985's "Under Me Sleng Teng" by Wayne Smith, with an entirely digital rhythm hook. Many credit this song as being the first "digital riddim" in reggae, leading to the modern dancehall era. Later into 1980s, Jammy improvised Reggae and Dancehall, he digitalized old riddims, like Real Rock, and Far East. King Jammy then began working with top artists in Jamaica throughout the 1980s and 1990s such as Admiral Bailey, Admiral Tibet, Chaka Demus, Frankie Paul, Lieutenant Stitchie, Pinchers, and even Dennis Brown. Jammy's productions and sound system dominated reggae music for the remainder of the 1980s and into the 1990s. [4] [5] He continues to work as a producer, working with some of today's top Jamaican artists, including Sizzla.
Year | Album Title | Artists | Label |
---|---|---|---|
1975 | Prince Jammy vs King Tubbys – His Majestys Dub [6] | Prince Jammy, King Tubby | Original Music, Carell Music, Sky Juice |
1977 | Prince Jammy in Lion Dub Style [7] | Prince Jammy | VP |
1979 | Crucial Bunny vs Prince Jammy – Fatman Dub Contest [8] | Crucial Bunny, Prince Jammy | Auralux UK |
1979 | Kamikazi Dub [9] | Prince Jammy | VP, Trojan |
1979 | Harder Na Rass [10] | The Rasses Band, Prince Jammy | Warrior UK |
1980 | Fatman vs. Jah Shaka in a Dub Conference | Prince Jammy, Barry Brown, Johnny Osbourne | Third World Recording Co. Ltd. |
1980 | Big Showdown [11] | Scientist v. Prince Jammy *Scientist said that Jammy never mixed one track on this album | Greensleeves |
1981 | First, Second And Third Generation of Dub | King Tubby, Prince Jammy, scientist | KG Imperial |
1981 | Strictly Dub [12] | Prince Jammy | Pressure Sound, Arawak |
1982 | Black Uhuru in Dub [13] | Black Uhuru, Prince Jammy | VP, Wesgram, CSA |
1982 | Prince Jammy Destroys The Invaders [14] | Prince Jammy | Greensleeves |
1982 | Dub Landing Vol: 2 [15] | Scientist, Prince Jammy | Greensleeves, Starlight |
1983 | Dub Culture [16] | Prince Jammy | Dressed To Kill |
1983 | Osbourne in Dub [17] | Prince Jammy | VP, Charly |
1983 | Scientist & Jammy Strike Back [18] | Scientist, Prince Jammy | Trojan, Music On Vinyl, Real Gone Music, Charly |
1986 | Computerised Dub [19] | Prince Jammy | Greensleeves |
2011 | Crucial in Dub [20] | Prince Jammy | Greensleeves/VP |
2015 | Alborosie Meets King Jammy – Dub of Thrones [21] | Alborosie, King Jammy | Greensleeves/VP |
2015 | Jammy's Dub Encounter [22] | King Jammy, Keith Hudson | VP |
2016 | Rasta State [23] | King Jammy, Mykal Rose | VP |
2016 | King Jammy Presents: New Sounds of Freedom [24] | King Jammy, Black Uhuru | VP |
2017 | Waterhouse Dub [25] | King Jammy | VP |
2018 | King Jammy Presents Dennis Brown: Tracks of Life [26] | Dennis Brown, King Jammy | VP |
2022 | King Jammy Destroys the Virus with Dub [27] | King Jammy | VP |
2023 | Rebirth of the Cool Ruler [28] | Gregory Isaacs, King Jammy | VP |
Lesser, Beth (1989). King Jammy's . Muzik Tree, UK. ISBN 1-55022-525-1.
Bradley, Lloyd (2002). Reggae: The Story of Jamaican Music. London, UK: BBC Worldwide. ISBN 0563488077.
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