Following in the footsteps of Gregory Issacs, John Holt,
Ken Booth, Beres Hammond, Freddie McGregor, and Dennis Brown.
Ambelique has now joined that selective group of artists from
Jamaica who sing and perform deep soulful reggae the way it
should be done
There's an old saying 'nothing happens before its time'.
It could have been coined especially for Ambelique, who despite
his wealth of current hits and rocketing popularity among
grassroots enthusiasts, waited patiently for his breakthrough
into the reggae big time. Then again, Ambelique is no ordinary
singer. His tones of expressions and vocal technique are simple
outstanding, and the soul in his voice so moving at times,
the listener is reminded of early R&B greats such as Sam
Cooke.
Jamaican by Birth, he was raised in the Waltham Park area
of Kingston, the same neighbourhood that gave us Dennis Brown,
Freddie McGregor, Sugar Minot and The Stewart Brothers (Tinga
& Roman). It was ska and Rock steady Legend Derrick Harriot
who took him to the Studio for the first time.
Ambelique left Jamaica in the 70's for New York . It was
in New York where he was introduced and worked along side
Third World lead singer Bunny Rugs, with touring band Hugh
Hendricks & The Buccaneers. Ambelique moved to Los Angeles
where he first joined a group called Third Eye, then with
Methuselem. During this time he embarked on self-producing
project, under the guidance of the renowned Engineer/Producer
Carl Pitterson.
In 1994 he returned to Jamaica and was introduced to Sly
& Robbie - the Jamaican musical giants, by Noel Brown,
and on the recommendation of Colin ''Bulby'' York - for whom
he later recorded hits Lonely Soldier, Stick To The Task
and Soldier On The Front Line. It was Sly & Robbie
who gave him his long awaited entry into the Reggae mainstream,
with his version of Brian McKnight's One Last Cry
and R. Kelly's For You, both rocketing to the top
of the New York Reggae charts in 1996, and hit Caribbean single
Cuando Cuando inspiring an entire album of covers
entitled Ambelique Sings The Classics which was released
the following year.
Recognizing the commercial potential, Island Jamaica soon
issued Ambelique's and Chevelle Franklin's cover of Richie
Valen's La Bamba on CD single. Ambelique also contributed
two songs to the Sly & Robbie & Friends Grammy winning
album of 1999 - one of them Penny Lover and the other
an unaccredited version of the Rolling Stones' Satisfaction
featuring Keith Richards on guitar. The future looked bright
from this most self-effacing of newcomers, but Island Jamaica
folded, leaving Ambelique and Sly & Robbie to seek their
fortunes elsewhere.
His R&B sound and feel worked beautifully on a handful
of singles released after the Classic's Album notabally
Worker Man, Me Oh My and Is It Still Good To
You. Ambelique turned freelance soon after recording
tracks for Gordon 'Flash' Lee, Fat Eyes and Clive Hunt in
Jamaica - High Power, Phillip Smart (Shoulder To Cry On)
Don One (Hands of Time) in the USA. The impact he
created in America can be measured by the proliferation of
tracks included on VP Records best selling Strictly the
Best and Reggae Gold Series.
In 2000 Amberlique shot to the top of the Reggae Charts with
the song Sheriff in Town, which along with Bluer
Than Blue both winning a place on the Rhythm Selector
Series on Jet Star
Ambelique singles has repeatedly appeared on the Jet Star
compilation albums, his work in the UK has also found success
in the USA, with the hit Love Doctor topping the
New York reggae charts once again. He has completed albums
for Phillip Smart, Don One and Jet Star, a late release of
a track from his 2nd album also topped the charts in New York
Share My Love featuring Chevelle Franklin, reinstated
him as the most popular lovers artist in this millennium.
Followed by the albums Love Got a Hold on Me and
Special Attention , Reggae Gold Classics
each one holding a top spot in the reggae album charts
Ambelique's new album on the Kuffe Record Label is set to
be released in 2005, also to be released are two singles on
the Vinyl Gems label, including a cover version of the Bread
hit single Make It With You and a original on the
Wailers One Drop rhythm.
A super songwriter as a master stylist, his objective is
to make timeless music that will last for generations to come
and true form has achieved this on virtually everything he
has touched since re-entering the business during the mid-nineties.
'People just want to get famous and make money, but I want
to make songs that still sell ten to twenty years from now'.
You see music is the medium by which everybody can be taught,
as artists we should say something meaningful.
|
