Barry Brown

Barry Brown

Barry Brown has passed away.... (b. 1962), a consistent hit-maker in

the late '70s, died Saturday May 29, 2004, on the premises of the

Soundwave Recording Studio at Ivy Green Crecent in Kingston where it

was reported that he fell and hit his head. Barry Brown, is credited

for such hits as "Far East", "Step It Up Youth Man", "Natty Rootsman",

"Not So Lucky", "We Just Can't Live Like This", "Politician", "Cool

Pon Your Corner", "Jah Jah Fire", "Mafia", "Jah Jah Say" among others.

Barry Brown - Rich Man Poor Man - 1978-1980 - Moll Selekta

Barry had about 5 albums released in a couple of years - Bunny Lee and

Sugar Minott released at least one a peice - but he worked for a load

of producers - sometimes this kind of thing can work for you - as it

did for Sugar, Johnny Osbourne and Frankie Paul - sometimes it just

gets very confusing. This set for instance must be built on one he did

for producer Blackbeard.Yet it doesn't ring a bell. And its a great

album. 14 tracks, great songs and great vocals. Those vocals are the

key to understanding Barry Brown's style - in places they sound a lot

like Linval Thompson - but for the most part they had a rambling

quality that take him close to folk music - it seems he was called

'The Jamaican Bob Dylan' its a very good observation. Blackbeard

production work is excellent creating great rhythm with people like

Sly and Robbie, The Radics and the High Times band. Mention must also

be made of the excellent packaging from Moll Selekta - A four fold

Digipak!

Barry Brown - Not So Lucky - Black Roots

Although there are more than enough albums that should have given

Barry Brown the breakthrough he deserves, this should have been the

one. Produced by Sugar Minott for Youth Promotion - Barry at the time

of it's release was more or less what Youth Promotion was all about. A

talented youth, who could write songs and had a very distinctive

voice. It's true to say that his vocal style did have a tendency to

make all material sound the same, but that's true of Burning Spear, I

Jah Man Levi and many other artists.

Barry Brown - Right Now - Time

Working with Barry Brown must be real challenge for producers. Yet he

just can't breakthrough. He's made a good portion of tunes for a

variety of producers, but still his most successful work until now,

was made very early on in his career with Bunny Lee then Youth

Promotion. The 'I'm Not So Lucky' LP in particular for that company.

Still Barry as struggled on indifferent to the current reggae scene's

indifference. 'Right Time' for Jah Screw should have changed all of

that. Although it hasn't.