Vivian Jones (singer)
Encyclopedia
Vivian Jones is a Jamaica
n-born British
reggae
singer who performed with several bands in the 1970s before recording as a solo artist from 1980.
, Alperton
, and Harrow
, with Jones becoming increasingly involved in the local reggae scene, and in the mid-1970s he began performing with sound systems, initially as a deejay
. In the 1970s he was a member of several bands including The Spartans, The Doctor Birds, the Mighty Vibes and the Pieces. In 1980 he began to record as a solo artist, enjoying a hit that year with "Good Morning" (actually a remixed recording by the Mighty Vibes), which topped the UK reggae charts. The following year, he was voted 'Most Talented Singer' in a poll for Black Echoes magazine. He had a series of hits, with his popularity also spreading to Jamaica. Disillusioned with the music industry, he returned to Jamaica in 1982 to stay with his grandparents, and also recorded some material there. He returned to London and began work outside of music. He soon began recording again in his spare time, and his debut album, Bank Robbery, was released in 1984, and he went on to work with Jah Shaka
, the two collaborating on the Jah Works album, released in 1987 but recorded a few years earlier. He also recorded in Jamaica for producers such as Bobby Digital and Junior Reid
and recorded duets with Sylvia Tella
, Debbie Gordon, and Deborahe Glasgow
. In the 1990s he set up his own Imperial House label and became known primarily for his lovers rock
material, enjoying big hits with "Sugar Love" and "Strong Love", but also recorded more roots-oriented music with albums such as Iyaman (1994). In 1991 he was named 'Best Male Artist' in the British Reggae Industry Awards. He enjoyed an international hit in the late 1990s with "Jah See Dem a Come". In 2007 he released the album 50th, featuring old rhythms from producers such as Bunny Lee
, to celebrate his 50th birthday.
Compilations:
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n-born British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
singer who performed with several bands in the 1970s before recording as a solo artist from 1980.
Biography
Born in Trelawny Parish in 1957, Jones relocated to England at the age of ten to join his parents who had emigrated there a few years earlier. They lived in and around London, moving between WillesdenWillesden
Willesden is an area in North West London which forms part of the London Borough of Brent. It is situated 5 miles north west of Charing Cross...
, Alperton
Alperton
Alperton is a district in the London Borough of Brent in northwest London.There is a high incidence of Indians living in Alperton . There is also a small Sri Lankan community in Alperton , and 10% stated as others....
, and Harrow
Harrow, London
Harrow is an area in the London Borough of Harrow, northwest London, United Kingdom. It is a suburban area and is situated 12.2 miles northwest of Charing Cross...
, with Jones becoming increasingly involved in the local reggae scene, and in the mid-1970s he began performing with sound systems, initially as a deejay
Deejay
A deejay is a reggae or dancehall musician who sings and toasts to an instrumental riddim .Deejays are not to be confused with disc jockeys from other music genres like hip-hop, where they select and play music. Dancehall/reggae DJs who select riddims to play are called selectors...
. In the 1970s he was a member of several bands including The Spartans, The Doctor Birds, the Mighty Vibes and the Pieces. In 1980 he began to record as a solo artist, enjoying a hit that year with "Good Morning" (actually a remixed recording by the Mighty Vibes), which topped the UK reggae charts. The following year, he was voted 'Most Talented Singer' in a poll for Black Echoes magazine. He had a series of hits, with his popularity also spreading to Jamaica. Disillusioned with the music industry, he returned to Jamaica in 1982 to stay with his grandparents, and also recorded some material there. He returned to London and began work outside of music. He soon began recording again in his spare time, and his debut album, Bank Robbery, was released in 1984, and he went on to work with Jah Shaka
Jah Shaka
Jah Shaka has been operating a South East London-based, roots reggae Jamaican sound system since the early 1970s. His name is an amalgamation of the Rastafarian term for God and that of a Zulu warrior, Shaka Zulu.-Career:...
, the two collaborating on the Jah Works album, released in 1987 but recorded a few years earlier. He also recorded in Jamaica for producers such as Bobby Digital and Junior Reid
Junior Reid
Delroy "Junior" Reid is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall musician, best known for the songs "One Blood" and "Funny Man", as well as being the man that replaced Michael Rose as lead vocalist for Black Uhuru.-Biography:...
and recorded duets with Sylvia Tella
Sylvia Tella
Sylvia Tella is a British lovers rock singer, who after working as a vocalist for Boney M embarked on a successful solo career, releasing her first album in 1981. She had a top 40 hit in 1989 in collaboration with the Blow Monkeys.-Biography:Born c.1960 in Manchester, England, Tella's career began...
, Debbie Gordon, and Deborahe Glasgow
Deborahe Glasgow
Deborahe Glasgow was an English "Lovers Rock" singer of guyanese parentage who was active from the late 1970s to the beginning of the 90s. Though Glasgow released only one album in her lifetime, 1989's Deborahe Glasgow, she began releasing singles in her adolescence...
. In the 1990s he set up his own Imperial House label and became known primarily for his lovers rock
Lovers rock
Lovers rock is a style of reggae music noted for its romantic sound and content. While love songs had been an important part of reggae since the late 1960s, the style was given a greater focus and a name in London in the mid 1970s.-History:...
material, enjoying big hits with "Sugar Love" and "Strong Love", but also recorded more roots-oriented music with albums such as Iyaman (1994). In 1991 he was named 'Best Male Artist' in the British Reggae Industry Awards. He enjoyed an international hit in the late 1990s with "Jah See Dem a Come". In 2007 he released the album 50th, featuring old rhythms from producers such as Bunny Lee
Bunny Lee
Edward O'Sullivan Lee, better known as Bunny "Striker" Lee is a prominent, prolific and successful record producer best known for his work in the 1960s and 1970s.-Biography:...
, to celebrate his 50th birthday.
Discography
- Bank Robbery (1984), Ruff Cut
- Jah Works (1987), Jah ShakaJah ShakaJah Shaka has been operating a South East London-based, roots reggae Jamaican sound system since the early 1970s. His name is an amalgamation of the Rastafarian term for God and that of a Zulu warrior, Shaka Zulu.-Career:...
- Collection 1 (1989), Rosie
- Jamaica Love (1990), Imperial House
- Strong Love (1993), Jet StarJet StarJet Star was a United Kingdom record distribution company that grew out of Pama Records in 1978. It was one of the largest distributors of reggae music, the company themselves claiming the title "the world's largest reggae distributors".-History:Jet Star was formed in 1978 by the Palmer Brothers,...
- Iyaman (1994), Imperial House
- Love Is For Lovers (1995), Imperial House
- Big Leaders, Imperial House
- Big Leaders Dub, Imperial House
- Moment of Magic, Imperial House
- The Vivian Jones Songbook Vol.1 (2002), Imperial House
- 50th (2007), Cousins
- One Way Exclusive (2009)
Compilations:
- Reggae Max (1997), Jet Star