Duke Reid
Arthur "Duke" Reid, CD ( born 1915 in Portland, † 1975) was a Jamaican record producer, DJ and owner of a record publishing.
In the 1950s he ran with Duke Reid 's the Trojan one of the then very popular in Jamaica sound system, in which the equipment on the back of a truck was driven from place to place. In the 1960s he founded, named after his liquor store record label Treasure Iceland. Here Reid produced mainly ska and rocksteady. Until the early 1970s, he was very active and often worked with the legendary toaster U-Roy. He died in early 1975 after a severe illness from which he had suffered for about a year.
Biography
After ten years as a Jamaican police officer he quit the service to operate jointly with his wife to the existing liquor store The Treasure Isle Grocery and Liquor Store.
Into the music business Reid climbed by first founded a sound system and thus moved from place to place. Soon he was also promoter and DJ. A short time later he was also sponsor and host of a radio show called Treasure Isle Time. At its heart, a lover of jazz and blues Duke My Mother's Eyes by Tab Smith chose as the theme music of his radio show. One of his favorite artist was Fats Domino, whose influence on Duke Reid's early works is unmistakable. Early music productions Reids were still other recorded in the studios, but when the liquor store still operated by the king stoner Pink Lane, Bond Street moved, Reid set up his own studio above the shop. He was owner of a number of record labels, one of which Treasure Isle and Dutchess were the best known. A large part of his income, he scored through contracts with various British companies, none of which produced some special Duke Reid labels.
He dominated the Jamaican music scene of the 60s, where he specialized in ska and rocksteady. Nevertheless, his love of American jazz, blues and soul was always recognizable. Beginning of the 70s led Reid's ailing health and the trend toward influenced by the Rastafari movement roots reggae to a noticeable decline in publications by Treasure Isle. Reid remained mainly in known that he brought out the toasting and DJs, but especially those of U- Roy and Dennis Alcapone, but also those oddities such as Cynthia Richards ' " Aily - I".
At about the same time noticed Reid's protege Justin Hinds that his protégé was in poor health, and called a doctor. This diagnosed cancer and Reid decided to name his label to Sonia Pottinger, his deceased friend Lenford " Lennie the King" Pottinger, who was already an established music producer 's widow to sell. Until his death in early 1975, he worked as a magistrate.
In October 2007, Reid was posthumously awarded the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander.
Discography (selection)
- Various Artists - Soul To Soul DJ 's Choice - 1973 - Trojan Records ( 1995)
- Various Artists - Gems From Treasure Isle - 1966-1968 - Trojan Records ( 1982)
- Various Artists - Ba Ba Boom Duke Reid - 1967-1972 - Trojan Records ( 1994)
- Various Artists - Duke Reid 's Treasure Chest - Heart Beat Records (1992 )
- Various Artists - Treasure Isle Dub Vol 01
- Various Artists - version Affair Vol 01 - Lagoon ( 1992)
- Various Artists - version Affair Vol 02 - Lagoon ( 1993)