Icho Candy

Photo Tero Kaski

Icho Candy

Blue notes are used in many blues songs, in jazz, and in conventional popular songs with a "blue" feeling, such as Harold Arlen 's " Stormy Weather ." Blue notes are also

prevalent in English folk music . [5] Bent or "blue notes",called in Ireland "long notes", play a vital part in Irish music. [6] See Blue Notes - Wikipedia. 

Winston Evans aka Icho Candy - is a very good bender of notes

Blue or otherwise. 

It's clear that the man was inspired by Horace Andy. And when you discover that Icho came into the business in the late sixties

Early seventies this makes even more sense.

Yet unlike so many other great singers in the Horace Andy style. Wayne Jarrett, Patrick Andy, Madoo, UU Madoo, Badoo, Horace Ferguson, Rod Taylor, etc.  Icho took it further - a lot further. Icho could bend a note - hold it - and then fling it forward again!

In the early eighties when the dancehall scene took off in Jamaica big time. Icho's voice stood out. Be it on Jack Ruby, Jah Love, Black Star or any of the popular sound systems.

In fact his appearance on the Jack Ruby part of the 'Deep Roots Music' TV series probably turned a lot of people on to him.

All Icho needed was a hit. And he got one, with the remarkable 'Captain Selassie I' released on the Joe Gibbs label.

What was then needed was a album, or a lot more singles. That is how reggae music's works even today. Although today with the music industry so depressed worldwide. It's now hard work to work out what an hit is?!

Back in the early eighties in Jamaica, it was a lot easier.

And yet despite all the great popularity on the Sound Systems and with a massive hit tune out - the next crucial stage just didn't happen. 

It would be easy to say - this tune is all what Icho had to offer. Yet that is nonsense. And After reading this 'Write Up' on Icho Candy hopefully you will agree! 

Icho Candy - Glory To The King - Jah Shaka - 1993

Horace Andy's high range vocal style has given inspiration to numerous Jamaican singers. Only one singer though, Winston Evans, aka Icho Candy, has taken the style further. This album produced by Jah Shaka represents his debut. That fact alone is remarkable since he's been singing for years, at least since the early 80's. Yet even great works for people like Pablo and Jazzbo didn't give him the breakthrough he fully deserves. Hopefully this album, which is superb, will change all that. It should.

And it did. In the context of the UK reggae scene. UK Roots - built around the Steppers rhythms heavily featured on Jah Shaka sound system.

By the early nineties - it was gaining the attention of major labels. Island Records signed Jah Shaka for two albums. 'Dub Symphony' a set of brand new rhythms built in the UK. And another album where Jah Shaka selected some of his favourite tunes from the Island Catalogue.- called 'Dub Masters'. 

Some of that money clearly was invested in a major recording project by Jah Shaka in Jamaica. He had teamed up with the Firehouse Crew who built him some amazing 'Steppers' rhythms. In the UK - these rhythms could sometimes be very rigid - bordering on techno. Jah Shaka with his producer's hat on was having none of that. 

These rhythms had a energy and vibe about them. Over a selection of militant steppers rhythms - The Firehouse Crew then wrapped them up in a spikey - minor key spectrum of

Sound.

This kind of sound was perfect for Icho. It was also perfect for Max Romeo, Willy Williams, and Horace Andy who also recorded albums for Jah Shaka during this time.

The latter would have made a lot of sense to the followers of Steppers and Jah Shaka they were all 'Roots'- but Icho Candy!!!

It was a major recognition that Icho Candy was an artist who could cross any barrier without compromise. His songwriting skills were up there with the best of them. He also had a talent for incorporating other lyrics into his own songs. This could be the influence of Brigadier Jerry - a dj and a master of this technique. 

It was certainly born out of the discipline of thousands of hours spent singing on the sound systems of Jamaica. You had to be creative to work those sound systems in those days. To hold the mic was a privilege not a right. And once you got the mic. You had to work hard to keep it!

Finally Icho - had the kind of breakthrough he needed. And to a new audience. Yet reggae was changing again. The emergence of artists like Garnett Silk, Luciano, Jack Radics and Everton Blender - meant that artists like Icho, Admiral Tibet, and Scion Success - so long the standard bearers of roots in the dancehall were from a different time.

Icho Candy - Rise Up/Warn Dem - Creation

Cashima 'Dave' Steel's Creation label is without a doubt Colourman's Kick Up Rumpus tune which turn into an album of the same name. A great album in the early raggamuffin style. Colourman was part of the new wave of Deejays who come forward everytime you get a big style change in Jamaican music

Patrick Andy, Sugar Minott and a few other singers also recorded for Cashima. What I waiting for was the Icho Candy album. Beth Kingston had alerted me to this around 1986 in a letter. It would should have been Icho's first album. His debut album. 

My wait was in vain. Or to be more precise - it was a long one. Around 2006. Some twenty years on from Beth's letter. I heard of a LP from Icho Candy - on a white label.

Eventually some kind soul sent me a download of the album.

And it is a true masterpiece. It is also the 'Creation' album - produced by Cashima Steel.

Better still it even had a title - 'Rise Up'.

Listening to it twenty years after it was due for release - was strange - the music had taken a lot of twists and turns by then - some of them not for the better.

Yet for followers of Icho Candy - its got all what you want and a lot more! Perhaps the most strangest track - even by Icho's standards is 'Lazarus Cover With Sore' A tune that relates the story of Lazarus turning up at a Rich Man's house wanting something to eat. 

The Rich Man of course did not want to know. And sets his dog on him. But the dog loved Lazarus and even licked his sores.

That of course was the not the end of the story - yet for Icho - to turn this into a song

Shows the imagination of the man.

Other tunes are made up of more traditional subject material, love, jah and injustice.

But all of them have little messages - within the main message. 

Sometimes its a bounce off the original tunes - sometimes it's not. Cashima's production skills are superb - creating some nice recuts of old favourites - plus building some new rhythms 'Warn Dem' is in this catagory. It's got that Sly and Robbie Taxi style which could be heard on the works on Ini Kamoze's music. 

It's an eleven track album altogether. And would taken Icho up there. You have only to check out the impact the Colourman album had at the time. As its' been stated before sometimes a producer can make an artist, and on other occasions an artist can make a

Producer. But when you get a new producer with a new artist - such an event can change the scene. The best example of this being the Barrington Levy/Junjo/Jah Life event of 1978. 

Still this set remains a powerful album. And is now available on download. 

Captain Selassie I - Joe Gibbs/Jwyanza - Delroy Stanbury/Mikey Riley

This is where it all started for Icho Candy. Over the 'Heavenless' rhythm recorded

For Joe Gibbs. Icho tells the story. "Once I was a wreckless gambler... Within a matter of about ten seconds he was already bending and shaping his vocals. In a style that had never been heard before. 

Some had gone close with their vocal gymnastics - Eek A Mouse for example could delight a dancehall crowd with his bidder bongs dem. Yet it was always hard to work out

If Eek was a singer or deejay. Icho without a doubt is a singer!  

Joe Gibbs had not moved into the Dancehall era well. So he must have wondered if he was onto something very strange here. It wasn't long though before the rightful producers Delroy Stanbury and Mikey Riley released the tune again on the 'Jwyanza' label. 

A label seriously devoted to roots and culture. 

Going Home - Jwyanza - Delroy Stanbury/Mikey Riley

What must be understood now is the context of these releases. Icho Candy was very very popular on the Sound Systems in Jamaica. Jah Love, Black Star, etc. 'Captain Selassie I' was always a favourite when Icho sang it. But there were other tunes which the man popularized on the sounds. And this is one of them. Freddie McGregor had a hit with this tune in Jamaica. Which I think was orignally done by Johnny Mathias. 

Neither Johnny or Freddie could have imagined - this version of it though! This was another side of Icho. His ability to take a song - and bend it into something new was really something else. Lots of singers in Jamaica could make songs there own - which is no mean feat. Icho was doing something different again. It was like the song inspired him and he wanted to not make a comment on it, but add something new to it. It was the deejay thing - but without any deejay element to it

I Remember - Jwyanza - Delroy Stanbury/Mikey Riley

Yet another tune produced by Delroy and Mikey was 'I Remember' all three of these tunes can be found on the excellent Jwyanza album 'Presents Jahlovemuzik' a tremendous album packed with great tunes from Briggy, Danny Dread, Anthony Malvo and U Roy,

And Barry Brown. 

It also showed of course the great impact the Jah Love Muzik sound system was having on the dance hall scene. I don't ever recall seeing the album on vinyl at the time, but it was certainly on Cassette and CD. And seemed to have been around from mid eighties. Although it could have been earlier. 'I Remember' is the country style from Icho. It doesn't take long to realise how popular Country music is in Jamaica. And a song like this is ready made for reggae - Laurel Aitken and Jackie Edwards had given it a lick. And General Plough took it into the Dancehall on Jwyanza! Icho takes it back into the dancehall. And turns it into something else yet again!

Mr User - Powerhouse - George Phang - 1984

As per usual in the reggae business. Two or three producers usually end up in a battle for the era. Henry 'Junjo' Lawes had kicked off the dancehall style back in 78. And though people like Jah Life and his brother Delroy Wright (Live and Learn Records) were always close to taking the top spot - but never did. Then along came George Phang and his Powerhouse label.

In no time at all he had a roster or stable of stars that included Half Pint, Charlie Chaplin,

Josey Wales, Michael Palmer, and of course Sugar Minott. Icho Candy should have busted with backative like this. And with a debut song as great as 'Mr User'. Which is a typical Icho Candy verbal rampage against the wicked and injustice. We was off to a good start. Alas it was a one off. Although it's very possible that George recorded a whole with Icho which is just sitting on a shelf somewhere

Whatever Will Be - Clarendon - Jah Larry 1986

Jah Larry - used to be a Boxer - a good friend of The Blackstones and even released a fantastic album with Byron Otis - where Byron Otis sounds more like Dennis Brown, than Dennis Brown! 

He set up the Clarendon label around the mid eighties. And was clearly another fan of Icho Candy. This tune is the one made famous by Doris Day although I could be wrong. Except Doris or any of her rivals in Mid Fifties American Pop music - ever covered this tune in this fashion! 

This is strictly dance hall style. A well known tune is taken apart - just for fun more than anything else. All it needs is a good rhythm - and Jah Larry knew how to build them!

Ramdance Pushing - Clarendon - Jah Larry 1987

More of the same kind of 'Dance Hall Vibes'. A strong digital rhythm with plenty of bass and synths in the mix. The song is a simple one about the problems of a packed dance.

And when people said the dances were rammed - they truly meant it back then. 

It's these day to day runnings of the Dancehall - which have been popular from the very beginnings of reggae music. Alton Ellis' Dance Crashers' being one example and another great example being the Twinkle Brothers 'Don't Jump The Fence'. With a third being Sugar Minott's 'Buy Out The Bar. 

Icho's is not on the same level of those tunes - but the man is still telling a story. A little insight into dancehall runnings. 

These kind of songs did no harm to Icho's image. He was a big part of the dancehall. And he always had a interest comment - be it in the dance or on a tune.

Babylon - Rockers - Augustus Pablo - 1987

When this tune was released. It really got the reggae people interested. Pablo was back in the game big by this time. He had released successful albums by himself 'Rockers Come East' where he finally got to grips with the new digital rhythms. In the same came of style was the fantastic album from Junior Delgado 'Raggamuffin Year' which Island Records picked up for release. It would all eventually lead to a major tour - which included London - where Pablo brought along two young supers Yami Bolo and White Mice. 

For followers of Icho Candy this tune really fired the imagination. Pablo's production style was perfect for Icho. And this debut tune from them together for the first time - lives up to all expectations and more!!! Icho as always enjoyed berating the wicked. And Pablo's rhythm urges him on to even greater condemnation. 'Babylon' as been the subject matter of many great songs in reggae music. Johnny Clarke's 'Move Out Of Babylon' probably being the most famous - but this one runs it close. A magnificent tune!

Cool Down Sufferer - Tesfa - Tesfa McDonald - 1987

Tesfa McDonald as an artist and a producer goes back a long long way. Working with Bobby Ellis in 1972, and then vocal groups The Black Traps in 1975. With whom he co-produced with Lee Perry 'Kiss Me In The Rain' which was released on Second Tracs in the UK. A label that at one looked set to revolutionize the reggae business.

By 1987 he along with nearly everyone else in the reggae business had gone over to digital rhythms. This magnificent tune - featuring a steppers type rhythm - with some very strange keyboard melodies. Remains as one of Icho's best tunes. The rhythm and production are perfect for him. It shows the art of production at it very best. You can tell this tune was arranged. It was not a cut of this or that. It was created for the song. Which is yet another of Icho's reality tunes. Sung with great passion and feeling.

Blood Suckers - Ujama - Prince Jazzbo - 1988

A year later and Icho had teamed up with Prince Jazzbo. With the arrival of the Ragga style in 1986. New producers had came forward. Now Tubby was battling it out with Jammy. Although when Gussie Clarke came forward with his own shiny uptown version of the ragga style - things changed again.

Still there was room for yet another style. And Prince Jazzbo with a good portion of help from Winston Wright it seems. Came up with yet another sound. Which was the most minimal of them all! Straight away Jazzbo hit big with Horace Ferguson's 'Sensi Addict' and he then followed it with an album of the same name released in Canada by Dave and Beth Kingston! Icho's vocal style was perfect for what some people were calling the 'Washing Machine' sound of Jazzbo. Once again Icho comes up with a song that chills the blood of the listening. A horror tale for those who think they know better. All Jazzbo had to do was put his 'Washing Machine' on spin and stand back!

In Texas Town - Rockers - Augustus Pablo - 1988

Perhaps the most wildest tune ever done by Icho is this. This is on par with 'Captain Selassie I'. Jamaica as long been a big fan of country music, and that naturally leads to an interest in the 'Western' films. Packed with action, romance and adventure. Icho can draw inspiration from anywhere, but you hand in a copy of the Bible or start talking about 'Western's' it won't be long before there is a song in the man's head. What is even more remarkable about this - was that it produced by Augustus Pablo! Currently I cannot recall another tune in this style produced by Pablo. Although 'Jux's' 'The Hanging Tree' comes close! Tunes like this - make reggae music what it is. Pure excitement from beginning to end. With this tune Pablo just didn't acknowledge the dancehall/ragga scene - he embraced it with a passion.

Two Time Lover - Raggamuffin - Keith Deans - 1988

Not long a new producer Keith Deans popped up with a tune on the aptly named 'Raggamuffin' label. Keith had recorded a number of popular dancehall artists at the time including - John Wayne, Lady Junie, Double Ugly, Scorpion,Tony Asher, Al Campbell,Echo Minott and General Trees. All of them appeared on his 'Sweet Nine Teen' various album. Sadly this track from Icho, didn't make the album.

It's a classic love tune - with enough energy from the man. Yet after the wild madness of 'In Texas Town'...It's always a big problem for any artist, in any genre to come up with something better - after a big hit. And although 'In Texas Town' was not a big hit in the traditional sense. It was a massive tune for Icho and Pablo. Who knows what happened perhaps wanted an album - and Icho said no. Either way Keith Deans must have benefited

From the fall out.

Seven Little Girls - Pioneer Muzik - Clifton Dillion - 1988

Clifton Dillion's Pioneer Muzik was a label in someway connected to King Tubby.

When Tubby started his own studio - he recorded a whole heap of new artists as well as established artists. These tunes were released on Firehouse and Waterhouse. No sooner than those labels were up and running, along came 'Taurus' and 'Pioneer Muzik'. Well over 100 tunes were released on those four labels in just a few years. 

Clifton 'Specialist' Dillion - Pionner Muzik had some amazing tunes on it. Including the remarkable 'Hard Drugs from Brigadier Jerry. This one from Icho Candy is no less remarkable. Yes, 'Seven Little Girls' is the tune made famous by Paul Evans back in 1959.

A classic rock and roll novelty tune - given the raggamuffin treatment by Icho. Why. Is a very good question. Perhaps Icho liked the 'Evans' link to the tune. Or perhaps the tune was so crazy - it just appealed to him. Very few reggae artists could get away with making tunes like this. Yet it must be remembered Icho recorded 'How Much Is That Doggy In The Window' If it inspired him.....

Jah Calling All Over The World - Creation - Cashima Steel - 1988

As far as I know the only single pulled off of the 'Rise Up' set by Cashima Steel. Not as strong as the tunes mentioned on the album, but still a great tune. And one that is a comment on the major drugs crisis that was sweeping Jamaica in the mid- to late eighties. And that drug of course was cocaine. It first made a big impact in Jamaica in the late seventies - but really had a firm grip ten years later. This tune from Icho is then not one of his cultural tune - but a reality tune. It doesn't look like one from the title - but it is.

The rhythm itself is held together by a nice horn riff - which could be digital - and Icho sings the tune in fine style. When you have a set of great tunes on an album, its always hard to pick out a single to promote the album - whatever you do - it will be questioned. 

Bandolu - Xterminator - Fatis - 1991

Fatis Burrell had entered the reggae business around 1988. And by 1991 he was just starting to make some big waves. He had been recording people like Frankie Paul, Sugar Minott, Yellowman - and releasing them on Vena. The switch over to the Xterminator label was a big step up for him. And by the early nineties he was a serious contender to move into the top producer spot - which had been occupied by King Jammy's and Gussie Clarke for a few years now. 

So Icho was in the right place at the right time again. What Fatis lacked at the time was his own sound. Jammys and Gussie Clarke and so did Pablo. And even though the tune as got a great melody and some crazy lyrics - the rhythm seems to be lacking something. Icho clearly sensed Fatis was onto something - but he was knocking on the door a little early in this case.

Dance Crusher - Tappa - Tapper Zukie - 1991

Tapper Zukie productions skills are second to none. And go all the way back to the mid-seventies. When he was recording Ronnie Davis, Knowledge, Junior Ross & The
Spear and of course Ras Allah. Allah's debut 'Heaven Is My Roof' being one of the classic album of all time. In the eighties Tapper had more success with the Mighty Diamonds, Cornell Campbell and Dennis Brown and U Roy.

When the Tapper moved into the late eighties, he changed his label from Stars or New Stars to Tappa. And his sound changed as well. But for the time being - it was very much generic. Very much like the Fatis sound and the sound of so many other producers. Computers were getting better and better. But it was still hard to get a different sound from them, something that producers had benefitted from the very early days of reggae music. This tune is very much in the 'Dance Hall' vibes style lyrically from Icho. What is interesting is that it was the first of three tunes released by Tapper Zukie. Which could suggest an album was ready or nearly ready. The last time this happened for Icho was when Delroy Stanbury and Mikey Riley produced him.

Cocaine - Tappa - Tapper Zukie - 1991

Same kind of style of rhythm - and yet another warning on the dangers of cocaine. A small groups of singers which includes Admiral Tibet, Willy Williams and Scion Success. Kept alive the conscious or reality lyrics during the eighties. Which included the 'Dance Hall' and 'Ragga' era's. They were the voices in the wilderness. 

Yes other artists made 'reality' tunes but not on the same scale as the above and Icho. This absence of a voice on the reality side of things - gave a false impression. That reggae music didn't care about reality anymore. The problem was a simple one - reality records didn't sell that well anymore. It was the buyers who had turned away from reality not the singers. Still nuff respect to Tapper Zukie and Icho - for making tunes like this in this time.

Mr Oppressor Man - Tappa - Tapper Zukie - 1991

And here is another one! What is radically different about this tune is the weight of the bass. If it was recorded at that same session. It wasn't mixed at the same time. In the same way that King Tubby was trying all the time to get more out of the digital bass - 5 years down the line. Tapper pulls it off!!

The drums still sound the same. It took a few more years before you started to get a decent drum sound again. And then when they did - in came the 'Bangra' drums much loved by Sly. Which created another set of long term identity problems for reggae music.

'Mr Oppressor Man' lyrically is Icho at its best. You can hear the sense of injustice and frustration in his voice.  

Resign Babylon - Tero Kaski - Black Star - 1991

The late great Tero Kaski had spent a lot of time in Jamaica during the eighties and was a big part of the 'Black Star Massive'. He had wanted to move into record producing for a while, but he also wanted to build the rhythms in Finland - with some talented Finnish Youths - then called the 'Massive Crew'. His very first album was to be with Dennis Alcapone with voicing and mixing done at A Class in London. But in true Friday 13th style - nothing worked. Working with Midi was more like a University project then. 

He finally got then onto tape and took them down to Penthouse in Jamaica with Ruddy Thomas on the board. He ended up recording albums with four artists, Icho Candy, Carl Meeks, King Everall, and Bananaman. Bananaman was the only artist to get a CD released. And Icho - got the first and only single release on Black Star. Well that is what should have happened. Although you will find the release on a another label. Icho is in great form here. One of his best singles riding the 'Baby Why' rhythm in fine style. 

Thief & Liar - Taitu - Amanda Ford - 2014

Another truly remarkable tune is this on Taitu. A label ran by a young American woman from Nebraska. But who now seems to be based in New York. According to the Grasshopper (Carter Van Pelt), Amanda got into reggae from listening to his radio show in Nebraska, which is something else. But then the Grasshopper's shows are very good. Perhaps he's a fan of Icho Candy!

Going back to the Ten Star General Radio Show we discover from Icho that his very first tune was called 'Liar, Beggarman, Thief' for Channel One. This tune could be based on that. Either way its a great work. Built around a classic stepper rhythm, which was created by Russ Bell Brown in London at his Disciples studio. Russ also mixed it. When Icho rages on like this - you know he means it. The militant nature of The Disciples rhythm brings out the very best in Icho. 

Ease Up The Pressure - Jah Life - Jah Life - 2017

Jah Life as been in the business now for a very very long time. One of his first productions was with Lester Sterling back in the early seventies recording at the newly opened Hugh Henderick studio in NYC. This tune from Icho - is one of his more recent issues. Released in 2017. It's hard to say when it was recorded. It could be from anytime from the mid-eighties to the present.

When the digital sound came in - a lot of music was recorded - but not all of it was released. Jah Life had a likening for great singers - think Barrington, Scion Success, Carlton Livingstone and many many more. So Icho would fit well into his production ideas. When a producer like Jah Life releases a tune like this, after all these years - it means something. Hopefully it means that a Jah Life album from Icho - is not far away. 

It only takes one producer to step forward and take a chance. And with a history like Icho how much of a chance is it!!!