Jah Lloyd, aka Jah Lion, The Black Lion of Judah (born Pat Francis, c.1950, Kingston, Jamaica, died 2 June, 1999) is a reggae singer, deejay and producer.
HorseMouth 4.00 stars
Jah Lloyd had during certain points in his career deals with Virgin Front Line and Island (as Jah Lion) but the albums he put out for them had no real commercial potential. Reggae Stick from a few years down the line was released on a small label and can be safely assumed to have sank without a trace given how little is known about it. But had he dropped this off at the Virgin or Island offices the powers that be would very much have liked what they were hearing.
The opening tracks showcase Lloyd's talent as a singer, on par with his popular "Guys Get a Blow" single. The title track on here is fucking essential - it could have been a hit! Scratchy disco guitar and hi-hat patterns but still quintessentially rootsy, not to mention incredibly catchy! One thing I like about the album is how much energy Lloyd is putting into his performances. Past the first few tracks he returns to deejay mode but lyrically he's certainly not falling into the same cliches mined by many other performers.
A lost gem? Definitely, and the kind of record that could have enjoyed more success had it been released on a bigger label. Not as unusual as Colombia Collie, but probably on par with it.
WhatCheer
Great Roots Reggae LP by Jah Lloyd akaPat Lloyd Francis a.k.a. Jah Lion)that was self-produced on the own His Majesty label. These tracks sound like they're Backed by the Roots Radics and Mixed by Scientist - but that might not be the case. Some of it also has the sound of older backing tracks here like "Soldier Round The Corner" and "Lego Natty Hand" which uses the riddim of Horace Andy's "Ain't No Sunshine" which was also used for the Heptones song "Drifting Away". "Flood Victim" is about the disastrous floods of June 1979 caused by months of heavy rains in Western Jamaica, which claimed 42 lives and affected an estimated 160,000 people at a cost calculated around $60 million USD. "Everything Crash" is one of those perennial laments about rising food prices and the marketplace practice of "marrying" items into forced "package deals" in order to increase sales: the vendors won't sell you rice unless you buy cornmeal with it.
Pat Francis, better known as Jah Lion or Jah Lloyd, died on 12th June 1999, after he’d been living on the streets of Kingston for years, no money for food nor his asthma medications. He was a fine singer and deejay, who – as a teenager – ended up in the Trench Town area of Kingston after he was brought up by his farming father in a district call Point Hill, St Catherine, since his mother had died when he was eight years old. There he formed the Meditators, a vocal group consisting of himself, Paul Ashley and Aston Jennings. Their first recording was Darling Here I Stand on the Coxsone label, which was followed by When You Go To A Party and Look How You Bust Style on Rupie Edwards’ Success label.
Under his own name, he then recorded King Of Kings on the Upsetter label, followed by some more tunes. He then started deejaying under his moniker Jah Lloyd and together with longtime friend Mike Brooks he launched the Teem label in 1974. His finest hour came in 1976 when he collaborated with Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry on the Colombia Colly LP, which was recorded at the Black Ark Studios and gained a worldwide release on Island Records. Because Pery insisted on his ditching the name Jah Lloyd in favour of Jah Lion, the album was credited to Jah Lion. As Jah Lloyd he released the critically acclaimed albums The Humble One and Black Moses. Jah Lloyd was also involved in producing dub albums. Starting with the great 1974 released Herb Dub (issued in the US as Kaya Dub in 1975 and in the UK as Herbs Of Dub), Dread Lion Dub followed up his first dub set before he produced the Revolutionaries’ Goldmine Dub album, which was mixed at King Tubby’s Studio by Prince Jammy.
Jah Lloyd – Fiend Victim
Label: Tamoki-Wambesi-Dove – DHV2
Format: CD, Album, Reissue
Country: UK
Released: 2009
Genre: Reggae
Style: Roots Reggae
1. Reggae Stick 4:11
2. Wipe The Weeping Eyes 3:49
3. Girl Like You 4:15
4. Learn Your Culture 3:31
5. Leggo Natty Hand 2:21
6. Fiend Victim 2:28
7. Natty Come Over 2:45
8. No Sky Larking 2:20
9. Consumer Goods Married 2:03
10. Soldier Round The Corner 2:13
0 comments:
Post a Comment