NEWS

Jimmy Becker – News

Last week Bristol was visited by Chicago native and great Harmonica player Jimmy Becker. With a background in the blues, Jimmy discovered reggae in the mid-seventies and his passion took him to Jamaica where he lived during that period and into the early eighties. Through talent and perseverance Jimmy found himself featured on numerous reggae sessions at legendary studios such as Channel One, Joe Gibbs and Harry J’s, his playing can be heard on releases from legendary acts such as Big Youth, Black Uhuru and the Gladiators. Following his stay in Jamaica Jimmy became a full time member of pioneering American reggae outfit The Blue Riddim Band joining them onstage at their legendary Jamaica Sunsplash shows: the second of which received a Grammy nomination when released as a live album. As well as playing for others, Jimmy also financed and produced his own Jamaican recording sessions between 1981 and 1986 using many of Jamaica’s leading musicians who he’d previously worked with including; Sly Dunbar & Robbie Shakespeare, Carlton “Santa” Davis, Ansell Collins, Earl “Chinna” Smith, Dean Fraser, Bongo Herman and Robbie Lyn to name just a few. Jimmy has now selected 16 of those tracks and compiled them into an album entitled “All Mi Bredrin” which will be released by Reggae Archive Records later in 2016 accompanied by sleeve notes telling Jimmy’s unique story, many archive photos and a selected discography of his session appearances. We are also in discussion to release music from the Blue Riddim Band’s extensive archive, more news on that front soon.
Martin Langford Feb 2016