Judah Eskender Tafari

Judah Eskender Tafari

Coxsone Dodd released six classic songs with Judah Eskender

Tafari, 'Jah Light', 'Rastafari Tell You', 'Always Trying', 'Conquer

Me', 'Danger In Your Eyes' and 'Just Another Day' a 12", from

1978 till 1980, the first of which was the magnificent 'Jah Light'.

He was then due to release an album - 'African Blood', it's never

appeared.

In the summer of 1993 - Judah arrived in the UK for a O.A.U.

concert in Manchester. It was then announced in Station To

Station - Penny ReeFs reggae listings section in Echoes - that

Judah, was due to sing at a dance in Hastings, with Bobby

Melody. Hastings is a sleepy seaside resort on Britain's south

coast. The last big event in Hastings was the battle in 1066.

Judah apparently had linked up with a small sound system based

in Brighton, another seaside resort and also a major town on the

south coast. They had taken him to Hastings, and then to the

A-Class studios in London to cut some specials. When Judah

Eskender Tafari walked through the door no one was more

surprised than producer/engineer Gussie P. Reggae legends just

don't do things like that. It didn't take long for Gussie P, or Sir G

as Judah called him, to strike up a deal, and the result is the much

delayed, but eagerly awaited excellent debut album 'Rastafari Tell

You' released on Gussie P's own label.

How do you acquire the name Judah Eskender Tafari?

"The name Judah is the name of the tribe that I'm from according to the Twelve Tribes

Of Israel, according to the month of the year. I was bom in July, which represents

Judah. Eskender now is an Ethiopian name, I really wanted to have a different name

away from Ronald Merrills, I wanted to have a different name in the music world.

Meet this Ethiopian sister sometime down in the seventies in Jamaica, so I was asking

her for some Ethiopian names, and she mentioned a few names, and I like this one

Eskender, and it mean a commander, and I'm doing singing which is commanding the

people, so I like this one, so I kinda hold onto it. Now Tafari now is my father's name,

which I'm called by. So I put it together - Judah Eskender Tafari."

How did you get into the music business, when did you start?

"I learned to play the guitar, I was playing the guitar, I wasn't really bom to be a

singer. I didn't really have that as my dream to be a singer. I wanted to play the guitar,

and while playing the guitar I started backing up singers and started to sing harmonies,

and automatically I started doing my own little singing and start making one or two

songs. Being a part of the Twelve Tribes Of Israel over the years, it inspired me to

write more meaningful songs towards people. By reading my Bible I get more

conscious minded, that's how I ended up singing the way that I do, yu know."

What year would that have been?

"My first studio work was in 1978, till 1980. I was with Coxsone for those two

years."

How did you come to work with Coxsone?

"Actually meeting with Coxsone, was

through one of my bredrin who is also a

member of the Twelve Tribes. He play with

Coxsone, Bagga Walker, he play with

Pablove Black, the bass and the keyboardist

at Studio One at the time, he was the one

who introduce me to Coxsone and Studio

One. Coxsone, never had any doubt in me,

because they are very good musicians, so he

put me straight into the studio, and release

my singles quick too."

How many songs did you do for Coxsone?

"I did a few covers, I can't count the amount

of originals that I did, but I know I did

sixteen to eighteen songs in those two years.

That was a lot of work there."

Jah Light was the first song that he

released?

"Yeah."

It got a very good response over here, did you pick that up?

"I get good reactions from Trinidad, Canada and England, but I really didn't know it

had that big an impact until I fly outside of Jamaica."

It's a wonderful song, what inspired it?

"Jah Light, it written by me and one of brethren in Jamaica, Ivan Rueben. He came up

with the idea of Jah Light, and I get the guitar, for I always have a guitar. I do all the

arrangements and melodies, and put more lyrics to it, and that's how it came about."

It was the Studio One Band, who played on that? "

"Bagga Walker on bass, he's like a teacher to me." 

who piayed sax? those two years.ff

"That's the mystery, this guy is unknown he just come up from the country. Coxsone

sent for him to do sessions, he is one of these countrymen that play in the hotels on

the North Coast of Jamaica. I never get to meet the guy, because Coxsone dubbed the

horns on."

The drumming was also very good.

"I think that was Freddie McGregor, it was between Freddie McGregor and

fforsemouth. I think it more Freddie McGregor though. He was the drummer.

Most Twelve Tribes members seems to be multi-talented when it comes to music.

Was there any other songs recorded at the 'Jah Light' session?

"Yeah, I did 'Jah Light' and 'Rastafari Tell You' the same day. You see all these songs

were already arranged, being on the guitar I arrange all my stuff. So I just go to the

musicians and tell them the chords, and they just create whatever... Bagga put in the

bass line (Judah hums the memorable opening to 'Jah Light' ).

It seems like your time at Studio One was very condensed, while a lot of artists

come and go over a period of years. You must have spent a lot of time in the

studio?

"Well I couldn't really tell you the times and the dates, but I made a note of the songs

that I did and when I did them, I have them in my own records, I work that way."

Coxsone was going to release your 'African Blood' album back in 1979. John at

Dub Vendor who was visiting New York at the time, actually saw the sleeve. Do

you know anything about that?

"I know nothing about that, I know that people have been asking for songs from Judah

Eskender, but he was always promising them...but not releasing the stuff."

He told Rich Lowe at the Reggae Directory that they were not finished.

"He's got enough tunes to put out an album, I know that."

So what happened then, the last we heard from you was in 1980, and then

nothing?

"Being blessed from the Almighty God, with this gift of playing and singing, there

comes a time when the Studio One thing become like a pressure, cause you find that

you sing out your heart and don't really see nothing in return. Basically I just started

to play bass in a band."

What band was that?

"The Generation Gap, I started to play bass with them, for quite a few years, backing

up singers."

That was in Jamaica?

"That was in Jamaica, for quite a few years."

And then you visited Canada?

"No, the trip to Canada was different. It was just a visit. It wasn't a musical mission, it

was just a trip to see my brethren. Although I was at a show in Montreal. On my

second trip I did some work with Brigadier, I played bass, me and Malawi, Malawi he

played drums. In a studio in Toronto."

Have you ever recorded anything with Twelve Tribes?

"No, but I have an album. All the ideas, the lyrics, the arrangements."

So you have only music with Studio One on tape?

"Actually, there is a brethren of mine in America that I did a few songs for"

Jah Mel?

Jah Mel

"No, Jah Mel is a brother I did some harmony for, this a brother JeffSarge he run a

radio station in New Jersey, 91.1 FM. He just' have the songs I don't think he's trying

to release the stuff. He was saying that we need a good distributor."

How many songs did you do for him?

"It was an album that I did with me and a sister. I had about 4 or 5 songs on it. It

seems like he got into the dance hall thing, he was a cultrual radio personality, and

then he got into the dance hall thing. I did some good songs for him, people like them.

I did over a old, old song for him. Do you know a song called 'May I' (Judah starts to

sing) "May I, ah ah,ah May I". I just reggaematise it, and a few more songs that he

came up with."

"I also did a version of'Rastafari Tell You' for him. These were all done in 1987.

We started the album in Jamaica in '87, and nothing happen. That is the only other

recording I've done outside of Studio One, on tape for anybody."

With Jah Mel, you only did harmonies on the 'Watchful Eyes' album, which is a

very good album, featuring the Waiters playing on the album.

"Jah Mel is like a brother of mine, we used to live together, eat, drink, smoke,

everything together from way back in Jamaica. He always loved how I sing, and I sort

of inspired him. He wasn't really recording anything then, and he liked my vibe, and

people say he sound like me, whatever. Somehow we just get tight together."

I don't think anyone sounds like you!

Laughs.

Jah Mel is more of a sort of an Horace Andy style.

"Yeah."

What is he doing now? Do you still keep in contact with him?

"I really don't have any contact with him since I came to America. He leave me

Jamaica, and came to America, years before I came. He was living in upstate New

York, Rochester. I meet him once during the years, I meet in Ne York. I had his

number, but his number get change so much. I lost track, but I'm confident that we

will meet again."

When did you leave Jamaica for America?

"In December of'86, that was when I came to America for the first time."

You have been more or less resident there ever since?

"I've been back and forth to Jamaica, quite a few times, get a chance to reach Africa in

1988."

What country in Africa was that?

"I landed in Kenya, and went to Ethiopia, I went to visit my brethren in Shashamane

Land, I have people living there that I knew from Jamaica, living in Ethiopia and

speaking Amharic."

How were they finding it, was it hard living in Ethiopia?

"It was never going to be a bed of roses, so you know. They have really come

through some rough times, but it's getting more easier as the years go by and things get

more develop,"                 |

'7 went to visit my brethren

You don't often hear about reggae artists visiting Africa.      

"Right, give thanks to The Most High, for really helping me to go and see the land,

because Africa is certainly a mystery in the hands of the Almighty. Africa represents

the future, well underdeveloped and enough land. Africa will be the fruit basket of the

world."

You have the potential to do anything in Africa, it's just the people who run it.

"One day Africa will be free."

It will happen, but it will take a long time.

"Oh man... Africa is for the Africans, those at home and those abroad, Marcus Garvey

prophsied these things, for many years, and with our people living on the land it's not

a dream no more it's a reality. I know I can live there too."

It's a very important link musically as well.

"The funny thing is, when I went to Ethiopia I just feel the music vibes so strong. I

just wished I had a band and some things organisied so I could start doing some gigs.

That the spirit that I feel, the people are receptive."

Jah Shaka who operates the sound system of the same name, often visits the East

coast of Africa, Tanzania etc, working on various projects, and he says the same

thing.

"Actually when I was in Kenya, I see this album with Brigadier that I play bass on

'Jamaica Jamaica'."

How did you come to be playing bass on that album?

"It was Jah Love

management - Mr. Belcher.

He wanted to do an album

with Brigadier. He chose

the musicians, and he

called on me to play the

bass, and I give thanks for

the opportunity too. It was

the first album that I ever

playe bass on, but from

over the years backing up

singers, I learned that

singing is my thing,

because I never really

enjoy backing up singers,

as much I enjoy singing.

When I sing, the feeling

that I get, I don't get it from

nothing else. "

It certainly sounds like you enjoy singing.

"Laughs, I really love it."

I wished there was a few more reggae artists who enjoyed it as much as yourself.

Brigadier Jerry, why doesn't he record that much?

"Well, let me clear one thing from your mind. It's nothing like the 12 Tribes Of Israel

restricting Briggy from doing any recording. It's more like Brigadier's choice to just to

do the things that he does."

He's more interested in working on the Jah Love sound system.

"Really the cassette is the thing that promote the Brigadier, that make him known

worldwide. It wasn't no recording."

Have you ever sung on Jah Love sound system?

"Yeah, maybe once or twice. People always love it, but I'm not really a sound system

singer. I don't really like it as such, but I did it one or two times. Brigadier always

wanted me to doit."

Gussie P

What is your reason for visiting the UK now?

"England - blessings to The Twelve Tribes Of Israel - England was a long standing

desire, cause I had three sisters bom here. My mother come here and die here, and I've

never been here before. The Twelve Tribes Of Israel sent for me to come and sing on

the 25th May 1993 - The O.A.U. day celebration. The Organisation of African Unity.

They invited me to come and sing on that celebration."

That was in Manchester?

"Yes, and I did that and, man, it was mega. People really accepted me, everyone was

really waiting on me to come on stage. From there I come to London, and I was doing

a special for a sound, and they took me to Gussie P studio (The A- Class Studio) to

voice it.                                  

Truly amazing?                 

"Everything, is just the works of God."

Myself and Colin Moore was at the studio the day before you cut the special, and

Colin came back the next day to look for a dat belonging to John Mason.

"When he meet me, he was telling me all my history."

He phoned me up at midnight on that Friday, to tell me that he met you! Prior to

that, just a few weeks before I was talking to John Masouri from Echoes, and we

were talking about his first trip to Jamaica, and I asked him to look for you while

he was there to interview you. Three weeks later he was interviewing you in

England!

"I always ask God to lead me into the right way, and I like it over here, the vibe is

much more positive."

Where do you live in America?

"I've been living in New York for quite a few years, living in Brooklyn, until about

1990 when I went down to Maryland."

"I was due to leave England the 2nd of June '93,1 wanted to put off the project till I

came back to England. The ticket that I had couldn't be extended. So I checked out

some sister here, and she said "It can be done, Judah." So she called up some people

that she knew, and she got it extended for another 28 days. Right away I called

Gussie P."

"I really wanted to leave something going in England, cause I see the people love me

so much. So I called up Gussie P to ask him if he really wanted to do this album, and

right away he was ready. So we started on it, and I appreciate the way it turn out. I

wrote some of the songs here in England for the album, I finished doing the lead

vocals. I worked all night on it last night, all it needs is some harmonies and a few

overdubs, and Gussie should be ready to go. I can leave on Wednesday... this time."

With a peaceful mind,

"Yeah, I really feel lighter this morning, knowing that. I could have finished it a while

ago, but I got a cold. I couldn't even speak."

By Ray Hurford & Colin Moore with thanks to Sonia

Judah Eskender Tafari -Rastafari Tell You -Gussie P -1995

The debut album from a truly great singer/songwriter.  Coxsone holds the true debut album from him. Some people have even seen the artwork for it -the one called 'African Blood'. It should have been released around 1979/80 -and its still not available. Such is the nature of Studio One.So some 15 years after Judah walked out of the doors of the very famous Studio One Studio. He walked into the doors of A Class studio in South London.He was there to cut dub for a sound system in Hastings. For Gussie P a keen follower of Studio One and a fan of Judah Eskender -it must have seemed like a dream come true.A Class studio as been graced by many reggae legends -but Judah Eskender is different. The songs he made back for Studio One turned him into a legend very quickly. He then more or less disappeared. Only re-appearing to do some harmonies on the one they call Jah Mel's and his magnificent debut album 'Watchful Eyes'. Producer Roydale Anderson took a big chance when he let Jah Mel record with Wailers. Gussie P more or less played it safe with Judah's album. The singing and songwriting is excellent -the production -needed a cleaner mix. Not a better mix, just a simpler one. 

Judah's voice is so rich -in tones -it would do the rest. Bringing back the attention to him. Gussie P will hopefully do the work, and re-release the album.