Keke I expands repertoire

Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

Singjay Keke I recalls a pivotal recording session he did some years ago for roots legend Sugar Minott at the latter's Youth Promotions studio.

"Him come to mi an' sey, 'Keke, yuh can mek it yuh nuh. Yuh have the talent'. Mi confidence go straight up 'cause Sugar had a lotta influence on mi," he told The Gleaner.

Even though his mentor died last July, Keke I has soldiered on with new material, his latest effort being Wa Wood, a suggestive calypso song produced by saxophonist Dean Fraser.

After doing mostly roots-reggae songs, he said the time felt right to change course.

"As a artiste, yuh can't limit yuhself, yuh always have to try something different," said Keke I. "I never went out to write anything sexual ... . If yuh listen carefully the song has several meanings."

Wa Wood was recorded at the Grafton studio of producer Mikey Bennett and released recently by the Caymanian label, Suga Shak. Dean Fraser also played on the track and did backing vocals.

Calypso songs have had a place in Jamaican music for decades. In the 1960s when ska and rocksteady dominated dancehalls, Trinidadian Lord Creator made his mark with songs like Kingston Town and Don't Stay Out Late.

A decade later, his countryman Lord Laro had a massive hit with Foreign Press, while Byron Lee and the Dragonaires teamed with dancehall deejay Admiral Bailey on several soca hits in the 1980s.

That decade, the Fabulous Five band enjoyed some of their biggest hits, among them Yuh Safe.

Wa Wood is worlds apart from anything Keke I did for Sugar Minott, whose camp was renowned for breaking artistes like Junior Reid, Tenor Saw and Yami Bolo.

Musical energy

Born Christopher Thompson in St Ann, he moved to Kingston as a child and grew up in the Papine area of St Andrew.

At the time, that community was bursting with musical energy. Papine and nearby Tavern were home to the brother/sister deejay duo Brigadier Jerry and Sister Nancy, Baby Wayne, Major Mackerel, Tiger, Roundhead and Simpleton.

While still in secondary school, Keke I said he recorded his first song, I Cried a Tear, at age 14. In the 1990s, while hanging out at producer Donovan Germain's Penthouse studio, he met Minott, who took him to Youth Promotions where he would record a series of songs which included Dreaming and Hi Hello.

The latter was done with Minott.

Keke I is scheduled to perform on the Live Festival from April 21-23 at Pier One in Montego Bay.