LEEDS REGGAE CONCERT
POTTERNEWTON PARK
CHAPELTOWN
LEEDS
SUNDAY AUGUST 27 2006
GODFATHER' ELLIS TO LEAD REGGAE CONCERT CELEBRATIONS
The legendary voice of 'The Godfather' Alton Ellis will be heard in Potternewton Park later this month as he leads a string of star performers at the 20th anniversary of the Leeds Reggae Concert
Taking place from noon to 8pm in Chapeltown on Bank Holiday Sunday August 27th, this year's Leeds Reggae Concert features a host of top names and up-and-coming talent from all over the country celebrating the rich heritage of UK reggae.
Headlining the free event is Alton Ellis, the man also referred to as the 'Soul of Jamaica' such has been his impact on the reggae scene in a career spanning almost 50 years. Recording his debut single at the age of 15 with vocal partner Eddy Perkins as part of the duo Alton and Eddy, Ellis went on to become one of the pioneers of Jamaican reggae, creating the unique 'rocksteady' sound in the mid-1960s with its deliberately slow, hiccupping rhythm.
After leaving Jamaica in the late 1960s, Ellis performed in the USA and Canada before moving to England in 1973. He has continued to perform ever since, creating his own Alltone record label in 1989 from which he has released compilations of his work.
Joining Ellis at Potternewton Park will be Aswad and Janet Kay. One of Britain's most popular reggae bands, Aswad made an immediate impact in 1981 when their debut release, 'Back to Africa', went to the top of the UK Reggae Charts. They were to top this seven years later, when their mainstream crossover version of 'Don't Turn Around' went to Number One in the UK National Charts for two weeks in March 1988.
Janet Kay also enjoyed major chart success, with her singles 'Silly Games' and 'Loving You' proving smash-hits. The latter was produced by Alton Ellis, who discovered Kay in 1977, so the pair will be reunited at Potternewton Park. Kay's career has included countless performances for television and radio, as well as a successful career in the theatre. In the early 1990s she also collaborated with Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim, on the single 'Burundi Blues'.
The impressive list of performers at the Leeds Reggae Concert continues with Carroll Thompson and YT. Known as the 'Queen of Lovers Rock', Carroll Thompson was catapulted to stardom when her debut album 'Hopelessly in Love' sold over 250,000 copies worldwide. She has gone on to perform with some of the biggest names in world music – including Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, BB King and Sting as well as performing the lyrics on the soundtrack to the Oscar-winning film 'The Crying Game' in 1992.
In 1990, Thompson sang the vocals and co-produced with DJ Paul Oakenfold the club classic 'Joy and Heartbreak', while in recent years she has gone on to work with such stars as Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Tom Jones and Massive Attack.
Ipswich-born Mark Hull, aka YT, has already proved himself one of the future stars of the British reggae scene with his critically-acclaimed debut album "Straight Outta Britain", which was released last month. His breakthrough came at the annual Sting event in Jamaica in 2004 - the biggest reggae dancehall show in the world - when he put on a show-stopping performance. Such has been his rise that his debut album features a collaboration with Shola Ama, while he has also been working with Maxim from The Prodigy.
Leeds City Council Executive Member for Leisure Councillor John Procter said:
"The line-up for this Leeds Reggae Concert features a host of famous names in keeping with the 20th anniversary celebration event.
"The concert is always one of the highlight events of the year in Leeds, and having such star performers on show will make for a great free day out for all the family."
Performing alongside the leading lights, the Leeds Reggae Concert is renowned for showcasing local talent across a variety of genres including R 'n' B and gospel. This year Leeds-born singer-songwriters Paulette and Annette Morris who together make up 'Royal Blood' will be taking to the stage, along with fellow locals the Stone Roots Band. Other performers include Cool Shade, Ursula, Ulandi, Wassifa Crew and Bristol-based reggae outfit Blackout JA and the Jungle Redd Band.
Aside from the music, the concert also features a wide range of stalls and funfair rides and will receive national coverage as it is to be broadcast by national digital radio station BBC1Xtra.
