LUCIANO
All inspired the young Jepther McClymont
back home in Davey Town, a small community in the country parish
of Manchester, Jamaica. After singing in the local church choir
and being taught guitar by his father he eventually moved to Central
Village in Kingston, working as an upholsterer whilst singing
on sound-systems in the evenings.
From thereon he never looked back,
recording his debut song Ebony & Ivory in 1992
for Aquarius record shop owner Earl Haynes. By then he'd
been renamed after the Lucky Luciano movie character and before
long was sharing a debut album release with fellow singer Presley
for producer Sky High, playing most of the riddim tracks himself.
It was a start, but not altogether satisfactory. Frustrated
by having to sing so many covers including versions of songs by
Stevie Wonder and Bob Marley, he left for Castro Brown's
New Name studio, where he recorded his first Jamaican hit Give
My Love A Try in 1993.
It was at New Name where he met
Freddie McGregor who encouraged Luciano to write and construct
original material for his and Dalton Browne's Big Ship
label. With license to work on both lovers and cultural songs
as well as participate in his own preferred musical direction,
the young singer's career quickly blossomed. Shake
It Up Tonight became Luciano's first UK No. 1
reggae hit and soon led to an acclaimed album of the same name
in early 1994.
It was at this point that he auditioned
for Phillip Fattis' Burrell's Xterminator
label. Castro had failed to release Luciano's New Name
album and Freddie's hectic touring schedule meant the Big
Ship association began to falter, leaving Luciano to seek his
future elsewhere. After a decade of recording some of Jamaica's
finest talent, Fattis was poised to become one of the all-time
great reggae producers. His releases were famed for their incisive
roots themes, invariably voiced over riddim tracks of real heavyweight
status. He uses only the best musicians on his sessions, including
Sly & Robbie, the Firehouse Crew, Dean Fraser and Third World's
Cat Coore. With such expertise at hand, Luciano truly came into
his own.
Fattis motivate me to push
on more seriously with the culture he says with characteristic
modesty. I've always had material available but
didn't get the chance to really express my ideas before. Now I'm writing international songs; songs I think will
be in the interests of humanity.
Luciano has remained loyal to Xterminator
ever since, creating a rich legacy of work that is prized for
its profusion of strong message songs as well as his exceptional
vocal performances. Many have now become dancehall anthems; proof
of his influence upon today's reggae market.
This sequence of Xterminator releases
began with his Moving Up album; a set which included
his early UK hits Poor & Simple and Chant
Out. Back To Africa was next, another
impressive collection hosting the hit singles Neighbourhood
Watch, Wicked Haffe Run Way, the sublime
Bounty Lover and lovers rock favourite Time Is
The Master. By now his songs were all self-penned, and
his every release eagerly awaited by a growing band of worldwide
admirers.
Nor were they disappointed with
his third Xterminator album One Way Ticket, with
songs like Chant Down Babylon, Raggamuffin, UK
hit One Way Ticket itself and the inspirational
Turn Your Life Around, reinforcing
his reputation as the most outstanding reggae artist of his generation.
The scene was now set for wider
recognition, and enhanced by his and Beenie Man's
thrilling cover of Bob Marley's Crazy Baldhead
for Sly & Robbie's Taxi label in early
1995. Yet even this record was eclipsed by his next release,
the double A side single of Your World And Mine
and It's Me Again Jah which Island Jamaica
chose to be his debut after signing him to the label earlier that
year.
Again produced by Fattis, these
two songs topped reggae charts in Jamaica, New York and England,
and were promptly followed by Luciano's most accomplished
album to date, Where There Is Life. That set also
contained wonderful songs like Who Could It Be
- currently remixed as a hit crossover track in collaboration
with U.S. rap group The Jungle Brothers - and is
now regarded as a modern reggae classic. More importantly, it
at last brought him to the attention of a mainstream audience
tired of ragga's obsession with guns, sex and violence.
In Luciano they found a singer who embodies the timeless appeal
of traditional roots reggae, yet brings to it a freshness of execution
and purpose that is unrivaled among his dancehall contemporaries.
In the wake of the Where There
Is Life album Luciano undertook several major tours,
marking his first proper UK shows with a magnificent New Year's
Eve performance in London and seeing his next single How
Can You fly to the No. 1 slot on reggae charts worldwide.
That song is but one of many stunning
moments from his latest album Messenger, his second for
Island Jamaica. The consistency of his songwriting has now reached
such heights of spiritual and musical expression that overground
fame can only be a short step away for this humble, likable young
man from the Jamaican ghetto. On the title track he announces
he's come to teach the youths about roots
and culture and does precisely that over eleven
exceptional songs, all featuring the innovative sounds of Fattis
and the Xterminator Crew as recorded in Jamaica's finest
studios.
Listen to songs like Carry
Jah Load, Friend In Need, the stirring Over The
Hills or Never Give Up My Pride - itself
voiced over a cut of Bob Marley's One Drop
riddim - and you'll discover a singer with the most clearly
defined agenda in reggae. He's a man on a mission; likening
his work to a spiritual crusade for the benefit
of all mankind but ever-mindful of the hardships
he's left behind. Mama pays tribute to the
struggles endured by not only his mother, but all mothers, and
is a ballad, a love song with searing reality lyrics. Clearly
here is a singer who hasn't forgotten where he's
coming from, and tells his own rags-to-riches story
on the triumphant Rainy Days, announcing that he's now
ready for the world. With Life
riding a delightful reggae/bossa nova riddim and Feel Like
Moving - itself a successor to songs such as Moving
Up and I'm Stepping On It recorded
years earlier - showing just what a free spirit like himself can
achieve with crossover ragga beats powering behind him, you'd
better believe it.
Here is the very pulse of progressive
Jamaican roots music. His is a vision shaped by love for humanity,
and by placing the emphasis on cultural and spiritual issues once
more. Luciano has helped elevate reggae music to a degree many
would have thought impossible only a short time ago.
Jamaica Messenger Cat. Nos:
Big Ship
Shake It Up Tonight Baby I Can't Believe Hold On To Your Dreams All I'm Living For I'm Stepping On It True Love It's a Jungle Out There After All Try and Remember Took Me For Granded Hold Me In Your ArmsBlacka Dread
Time Is The MasterBlacka Solidarity
I Was Born To Love (1995)Fat Eyes
Real Rastaman (with Louie Culture)Pick Out
End Of The World (1996)Saxon
Program To KillSenya Cum
(produced by Yasus Afari) Homeless ChildrenSky High
Don't Get Crazy This World Can't Blame The Youth Don't Go Changing (with Cpt. Armstrong) Love Take Me Higher - Love Me HigherTaxi
Crazy Baldhead (with Beeniman) Running Away (with Beeniman)Xterminator
Chant Out Poor And Simple Bounty Lover Bounty Lover(feat. Lady G) Give Thanks To Jah Back To Africa Neighbourhood Watch Wicked Haffe Run Way Do Me Baby I Believe In Music Movin' Up Come On Over Show You How Black Survivor Chant Down Babylon One Way Ticket Ragamuffin - Must Ragamuffin Jah Is Alive(feat. Charlie Chaplin) Nature Boy Turn Your Life Around Throw Out The Life Line That's The Way Life Goes Some Sweet Day Mr.Governor(with Cocoa Tea) Iah Rebel With A Cause (with J.Wales, C.Chaplin 1994) Forward To Africa(1994) It's Me Again Jah (1994) Lord Give Me Strength Who Could It Be He Is My Friend Just Like The Wind He Good God There's No Love In The World Where There Is Life Heaven Help Us All In This Together (with Louie Culture 1995) In This Together (with Terror Fabulous) PSALM24 (with Mutabaruka) Every Man Has A Way (with B.Hammond,T.Rebel,L.Culture) What We Need Is Love(with Spanner Banner) Your World Are Mine How Can You No Gabbon (with Beres Hammond) Luciano Medley (12") Ain't Giving Up (with C.Chaplin 1996) "Love Jah & Live" (1996)
Meets Presley (Sky High 1993)
Don't Get Crazy (Sky High/Charm/RAS 1993)
produced by H.K.R Henry A(1)Don't Get Crazy (2)This World (3)Satta Massa Gana (4)Can't Blame The Youth (5)Got A Thing For You (6)Isn't She Lovely B(1)Don't Go Changing (with Cpt. Armstrong) (2)Bob Marley Medley (3)Medley (4)Love You Higher (5)So Nice To Be With You (6)Don't Get Crazy A(3)(5)(6)B(1)(3)(4)(5) Copyright ControlShake It Up Tonight (Big Ship 1994)
produced by Freddie McGregor & Dalton Browne A(1)Shake It Up Tonight (2)Baby I Can't Believe (3)Hold On To Your Dreams (4)All I'm Living For (5)I'm Stepping On It B(1)It's a Jungle Out There (2)After All (3)Try and Remember (4)Took Me For Granded (5)Hold Me In Your ArmsBack To Africa (Exterminator 1994)
produced by Phillip "Fatis" Burrell except A(5)by Blacka Dread A(1)Bounty Lover (2)Give Thanks To Jah (3)Back To Africa (4)Neighbourhood Watch (5)Time Is The Master (6)Wicked Haffe Run Way B(1)Do Me Baby (2)I Believe In Music (3)Movin' Up (4)Come On Over (5)Show You HowOne Way Ticket (VP/Exterminator 1994)
produced by Phillip "Fatis" Burrell A(1)Black Survivor (2)Chant Down Babylon (3)One Way Ticket (4)Ragamuffin (5)Bounty Lover(feat. Lady G) B(1)Jah Is Alive(feat. Charlie Chaplin) (2)Nature Boy (3)Turn Your Life Around (4)Throw Out The Life Line (5)Give Thanks Bonus Track(CD) (1)That's The Way Life Goes (2)Some Sweet Day (3)Mr.Governor(feat. Cocoa Tea) (4)IahWhere There Is Life (Island Jamaica 1995)
produced by Phillip "Fatis" Burrell A(1)It's Me Again Jah (2)Lord Give Me Strength (3)Who Could It Be (4)He Is My Friend (5)Just Like The Wind B(1)He (2)Good God (3)There's NO Love In The World (4)Where There Is Life (5)Heaven Help Us All CD (1)It's me again jah (2)Lord give me strength (3)Who could it be (4)He is my friend (5)Your world & mine (6)Just like the wind (7)He (8)Good god (9)There's no love in the world (10)Where there is life (11)Heaven help us all (12)In this togetherAfter All (VP 1995)
produced by Freddie McGregor & Dalton Browne A(1)Shake It Up Tonight (2)Baby I Can't Believe (3)Hold On To Your Dreams (4)All I'm Living For (5)I'm Stepping On It (6)True Love B(1)It's a Jungle Out There (2)After All (3)Try and Remember (4)Took Me For Granded (5)Hold Me In Your Arms (6)Try and Remember(Remix)
Contribution to page by: Keita Maeda, maeda@estec.nk-exa.co.jp
Last modified: 29 October 1996 by 