Bermuda is eagerly anticipating the arrival of Jamaican dub mixer Lloyd “King Jammys” James, who is set to perform at a concert organized in his honor by One Love Promotions. The concert, dubbed Catch A Fire, will be held at the National Sports Centre on May 7 from 7pm until 2am. It promises to be a night of roots and dancehall music, with King Jammys planning to teach the audience a different side of the music and play exclusive music.
King Jammys is a reggae music icon, whose career spans over five decades. According to concert promoter Jamal Hart, he is the “Quincy Jones of reggae music” and has been responsible for giving a start to countless Jamaican artists, including Dennis Brown, Beanie Man, and Bounty Killer.
Despite his extensive travels around the world, King Jammys has never visited Bermuda before. However, he is excited to catch the place on fire, musically. He plans to play exclusive roots and dancehall music and promises to impress the audience with his music.
King Jammys got his start at the age of 17 when he began building amplifiers and repairing electronic equipment. He later set up a studio in Waterhouse, a suburb of Kingston, Jamaica, and began producing albums for various artists. In the 1980s, he was the first dub mixer in Jamaica to move into digital music, with his Sleng Teng Riddim, which revolutionized the music scene.
At 75, King Jammys has no plans to retire. He is still active in the music business, and many of his sons, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren participate in the industry as well. King Jammys has engineers that he has trained and people who write music in his studio. He is building a museum in Kingston, Jamaica, which will include examples of the equipment he has used to mix music over the years, awards he has won, and a theater where visitors can watch documentaries about his work and hear his music.
The pandemic stopped King Jammys’ touring for the past three years, but he is now on the move again. This year, he will be performing in Europe, the UK, and Bermuda. He will also be honored in Kingston on July 22 at Reggae Sumfest 2023, which he describes as “one of the biggest festivals in Jamaica”.
The Catch A Fire concert is expected to be a night of exceptional music, with Jamaican artists Johnny Osbourne, Admiral Bailey, and Jose Wales taking the stage, along with local acts First Choice, Pappa Lenny, Juggling Jason, OGS Genesis, Live Wires, Delijah, and others. Advance tickets for the event start at $50 and are available at www.ptix.bm. Ultra VIP ticket pricing is available by contacting 1lovepromotionsbda@gmail.com.