This ‘Anthology’ is a new compilation featuring a selection of some of the best of many song recorded by King Sounds during more than 35years of making music in the UK.
His career numbers ten albums to date, including an as yet unreleased live album recorded at the Notting Hill Carnival and a score of more singles both in 7” and disco mix format.
Born and raised in Jamaica, King Sounds first foray into the music business was when he danced to Ska music in talent shows on the island.
He recorded his first record at King Tubby’s Studio under the supervision of Bunny Lee and John Holt. A rendition of Jackie Opel & Doreen Schaffer’s ‘Welcome You Back Home’. He came to the UK in 1964 when he was simply known as Sounds and was given the name ‘King’ Sounds by the late Alton Ellis who was impressed by his performance as Master of Ceremonies at one of his shows.
In 1975, Sounds made his first British recording at Chalk Farm studio in North London with ‘Rock And Roll Lullaby’ which is now known as ‘Reggae Rock Lullaby’ and included on the Anthology set. The song was backed by Cimarons Band and issued on the Feel Good Record Label.
The following year he help found the Grove Music Collection based in Ladbroke Grove together with Aswad’s Manager Mikey Campbell and for the next decade the pair built an impressive catalogue of recordings, not just King Sounds but also of other Grove musicians like Brimstone, Sons of Jah and Aswad, plus a slew of releases from Jamaican artists such as Yabby You, Glen Brown, Ras Ibuna, Tommy McCook, Trinity, Judy Mowatt, BB Seaton and others.
Most of the music on Anthology was recorded during the golden period of the music. His first album ‘Come Zion Side Happiness’ was laid at the Channel One studio in Kingston, Jamaica and completed at Treasure Isle under the supervision of singer, songwriter BB Seaton and released in 1979. Three of the songs on Anthology came from the set: The Anthemic, Brass led ‘Zion Side’ and ‘Kill Them Dead’ are both King Sounds Originals; ‘To The Other Man’ a single from 1978, is a sensitive reading of Luther Ingram’s soul classic.
However, the majority of the tracks on ‘Anthology’ come from the 1985 album ‘There Is A Reward’. These include King Sounds warm rendition of the Heptones melodic ‘Book of Rules’, the proceeds of which were donated to the Maxfeild Park Children’s Home in Kingston and The Ethiopians reggae classic from 1971, ‘Love Bug’. Spend One Night In A Babylon’, another single from 1978 was written by Sounds following his regular visits to the infamous Columbo’s Nightclub in London’s West End, while both ‘Greetings’ and ‘Meadow’ reflect his strong affiliation with the Twelve Tribes of Israel Movement of Ras Tafari.
Later tracks include ‘I Really Don’t Want To Hurt You’ from 1987’s ‘Strength To Strength LP’ and a favoured update of Judy Mowat’s ‘I Shall Sing’ from the 1992 album of the same name. Now an elder statesman of the London reggae scene and the proprietor of a wine bar and restaurant selling West Indian food in North West London, King Sounds remains the serious but affable personality he was when guiding younger musicians back in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
His ‘Anthology’ is the fitting tribute not only to the joyous music that has been his life but also to his spiritual journey over the past four decades.
Written By
Penny Reel
Visa Records
September 2010
