Stepping Out with Willie Williams, YAHBA
THERE will be an air of nostalgia on Tuesday when veteran singer Willie Williams and the YAHBA band launch their albums at Bleu Essence Lounge in King’s Plaza, St Andrew.
Williams is best known for the classic 1979 song, Armagideon Time, produced by Clement ‘Coxson’ Dodd. His latest album is Reggae Can’t Done. The title of YAHBA’s debut set is Jus Wicked.
Interestingly, Everyday Sunshine, a song from Reggae Can’t Done, was co-written by keyboardist/arranger Jackie Mittoo and Tony Stine, founder of YAHBA.
“This work of art could not have been released at a better time,” Stine said about the song in a press release.
Everyday Sunshine was recorded at RCA Studio in Toronto, Canada in 1975.
Another track of note is Stepping Out which was done with world-famous trumpeter Herb Alpert of Tijuana Brass fame.
The St Ann-born Williams has lived in Canada since 1974. He began recording in the late 1960s but did not get the big breakthrough until recording Armagideon Time for Dodd’s Studio One.
The apocalyptic song has been sampled several times by dancehall and hip hop acts.
Jus Wicked features a slate of veteran musicians including bass player Brian Atkinson, who played on many Studio One hits during the 1960s; Boris Gardener, another bassist and Studio One alumni; keyboardist Robbie Lyn, saxophonist Dean Fraser and Home T singer Orville ‘Bagga’ Case.
— Basil Walters