Alton Ellis

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Alton Ellis (born September 1, 1938 in Trench Town , Kingston , Jamaica , † October 10, 2008 in London ) was a Jamaican rocksteady singer and musician who is considered one of the founders of this style.

Life

Alton Ellis live 2007

Ellis grew up in Trench Town and learned the piano at a young age. Together with Eddie Parkins he founded the duo Eddy & Arnold and released the single Muriel for the record company of Coxsone Dodd . The duo continued to work together for some time, but Parkins won a talent competition that enabled him to leave Jamaica and move to the United States.

Ellis stayed in Kingston, doing odd jobs until he found a new partner in John Holt . This partnership was also short-lived as Holt joined The Paragons . Ellis then founded his own group, the Flames , with his brother Leslie . The group recorded some songs with Duke Reid . Her first big hits in Jamaica were the songs Girl I've Got A Date and Get Ready - Rock Steady . The latter should also be the namesake for the newer, slower Ska style.

Ellis was able to expand his reputation as a singer and was ensnared by the two producers Reid and Dodd. His debut album Mr. Soul of Jamaica , a classic of the rocksteady sound, was released by Reid. Ultimately, however, Ellis decided to rely on Coxsonne Dodd, who sent him on a tour of Great Britain, where ska was just hip. In 1967 Alton Ellis Sings Rock & Soul was released . Shortly afterwards, however, he separated again from Dodd and signed a contract with Duke Reid's Treasure Isle label together with the Flames . In the 1970s, Ellis decided to turn his back on Jamaica as he was unhappy with his financial situation. After a brief period in the United States and Canada , he moved to London in 1973 . There he founded his own record company Alltone , on which he initially mainly published his old and new songs.

Due to the great success of Bob Marley , reggae replaced its predecessor, ska. This somewhat pushed back Ellis' pioneering work in the 1970s. It wasn't until the early 1980s that he was able to make a name for himself again with spectacular appearances at the Reggae Sunsplash Festival. In the 1980s and 1990s his song Mad Mad Mad experienced a revival, first with a version by Henry “Junjo” Lawes (1981), later also as a sample in hip-hop at Boogie Down Productions , Tupac Shakur and Notorious BIG, among others

In 1994 Ellis received the Order of Distinction from the Jamaican government for his services to Jamaican culture, and in 2006 he was inducted into the International Reggae and World Music Hall of Fame . In 2004 a cover version of the song I'm Still in Love With You by Sean Paul and Sasha was released , which reached number 14 on the US Billboard charts and number 6 on the UK charts.

Until his death, Ellis remained active in the ska scene both as an artist and producer, played numerous concerts all over the world until his health deteriorated. On October 10, 2008, Ellis died of complications from cancer .

Discography (selection)

  • Mr Soul of Jamaica (1967)
  • Sings Rock and Soul (1967)
  • The Best Of (1969)
  • Sunday Coming (1970)
  • Greatest Hits (1973)
  • Still in Love (1977)
  • A Love to Share (1979)
  • Mr Ska Bean'a (1981) (as Alton Ellis & The Heptones )
  • A New Day (1983)
  • Daydreaming (1983)
  • 25th Silver Jubilee (1984)
  • Showcase (1984)
  • Continuation (1985)
  • Jubilee Volume 2 (1985)
  • Alton & Hortense Ellis at Studio 1 (1990)
  • Change My Mind (2000)
  • More Alton Ellis (2001)
  • Live with Aspo: Workin 'on a Groovy Thing (2001)

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Laurence Cane-Honeysett: Obituary on the official Trojan Records homepage
  2. ↑ Biography in the All Music Guide
  3. ^ Wayne Marshall: "Mad Mad" Migration: Caribbean Circulation and the Movement of Jamaican Rhythm . In: Caribbean Soundscapes , New Orleans, March 11, 2004
  4. ↑ Rob Kenner: Alton Ellis, Jamaican Singer, Dies at 70 . In: The New York Times , October 16, 2008
  5. ↑ Chart positions for Sean Paul in the All Music Guide
  6. ↑ query on Everyhit.com
  7. ↑ Reggaenews.co.uk: Concert Review ( Memento from October 24, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
personal data
SURNAME Ellis, Alton
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Jamaican rocksteady singer and musician
DATE OF BIRTH September 1, 1938
PLACE OF BIRTH Trench Town , Kingston, Jamaica
DATE OF DEATH October 10, 2008
Place of death London