Singer Itral Ites managed a chuckle as he reminisced about “thiefing out” of his home in Fruitful Vale, Portland, to attend dances in the district. Those late-night excursions were appetisers for a music career which began 25 years ago with producer/musician Augustus Pablo.

His recordings for Pablo, who died in 1999, were never released. But five years ago Itral Ites got back on track with Moral Education and a cover of Walk Away From Love, both released by French independent company Mystic Roots.

Recently, he recorded covers of Junior Byles’ A Place Called Africa and Country Living, originally done by The Stylistics. The former is part of a tribute album to the troubled singer whose career was curtailed by psychological problems.

“Over di years wi do a nine-to-five job but di music did always inna wi. Is something wey I an’ I love from birth so wi jus’ a ‘fulljoy’ di vibrations right now,” he said.

Sound systems that passed through Fruitful Vale were Itral Ites’s (given name Orville Edgehill) main source of dancehall music during the 1980s and 1990s. His musical tastes changed after meeting Rasta elder Cudjoe Brown, a mentor to many roots-reggae acts including Black Uhuru.

It was Brown who introduced him to Pablo, a dub prodigy whose impressive credits as an artiste included songs like Java and the album, East of The River Nile. He also produced some of the early songs by Jacob Miller, Hugh Mundell, and Yami Bolo.

Rasta, Itral Ites, stressed, is the focus of his music.

“Is a inspiration dat come onto I an’ I naturally yuh nuh, fi cite di teachings of Haile Selassie I. Mi reason wid a ‘icient’ one day an’ him sey, ‘Jus’ sing Iyah. Sing di words of Selassie I’,” he recalled.

Itral Ites has been active in terms of live shows during the past 18 months, performing mainly with the Inna Di Yard Nyahbinghi group. — Howard Campbell