- Harry J
:"This article is about a reggae producer for other names see
Harry Johnson (disambiguation) "Harry Johnson (known as Harry J, born circa 1945, Kingston) is a
Jamaica nreggae record producer . He ran a record label, also called Harry J.Career
Mostly known for his "Harry J Studio" where
Bob Marley & The Wailers recorded many of their albums in the 1970s, Johnson is also an important record producer who met success during the earlyreggae era.Johnson started to play
music with the Virtues as a bass player, but soon quit to work as aninsurance salesman. He first appeared as a record producer in 1968, when he launched his ownrecord label , "Harry J", by releasingThe Beltones ' local hit "No More Heartaches", considered by many to be the very first reggaesong ever recorded, along with theStudio One single "Nanny Goat" by Larry & Alvin. His agreement withCoxsone Dodd allowed him to use Studio One's facilities, where he produced the hit "Cuss Cuss" withsinger Lloyd Robinson, which became one of the most coveredriddim in Jamaica.In October 1969, he met success in the UK with "The Liquidator" (number 9 in the
UK Singles Chart ) recorded with his session band, The Harry J All Stars. This single became one of theanthem s of the emergingskinhead youthsubculture ; together with otherinstrumental hits released in the UK through his own subdivision "Harry J" onTrojan Records , on acompilation album of the same name (see cover).In the beginning of the 1970s, (apart from other UK compilations of his own Jamaican productions, including songs by The Cables, Tony Scott, Busty Brown, Val Bennett etc.), he enjoyed another big success with the vocal duo Bob & Marcia. They were
Bob Andy andMarcia Griffiths with the song "Young, Gifted and Black". His productions also included Jamaican hits with DJs like Winston Blake or Scotty among others, and many dub versions.Harry J Studio
In 1972, Harry Johnson sold his record shop and set up his own
recording studio "Harry J", on 10 Roosevelt Avenue, Uptown Kingston. Harry J Studio soon became one of the most famous Jamaican studios after having recorded several Bob Marley & The Wailers albums from 1973 to 1976 before theTuff Gong era; such as "Rastaman Vibration " and "Catch A Fire ".Johnson's deal with
Island Records led him to record artists such asBurning Spear andThe Heptones . Throughout the 1970s and the 1980s, backed by former Studio Onesound engineer Sylvan Morris, he also recorded artists likeKen Boothe ,Augustus Pablo , The Cables and the American popsinger ,Johnny Nash , and produced albums by Zap Pow and Sheila Hylton. In 2002, after seven years of inactivity, he reopened his Harry J studio and since has recorded people likeBurning Spear . The studio appears in the movie, "Rockers".Discography
Harry J Allstars
* Harry J Allstars - "The Liquidator" - 1969 - Harry J/Trojan
* Harry J Allstars - "Liquidator: The Best Of Harry J Allstars" - 2003 - Trojan
*Harry J Allstars - "Dubbing At Harry J's 1972-1975" - Jamaican RecordingsCompilations
*Various Artists - "Reggae Movement" - 1970 - Harry J/Trojan
*Various Artists - "What Am I To Do" - 1970 - Harry J/Trojan
*Various Artists - "Reggay Roots" - 1977 - Harry J
*Various Artists - "Computer" - 1985 - Sunset
*Various Artists - "The Return Of the Liquidator: 30 Skinhead Classics 1968-1970" - 1989 - Trojan - 2 CDAs a producer
*Sylvan Morris & Harry J - "Cultural Dub" - 1978 - Harry J
*Sylvan Morris - "Jah Jah Dub" - Roosevelt
*The Heptones - "Book Of Rules" - 1973 - Jaywax
*The Heptones - "Cool Rasta" - 1976 - Trojan
*Leslie Butler - "Ja-Gan" - 1975 - Trojan
*Zap Pow - "Revolution" - 1976 - Trojan
*Lloyd Willis - "Gits Plays Bob Marley's Greatest Hits" - 1977 - Harry J
*The Melodians - "Sweet Sensation" - 1977 - Harry J
*Dennis Brown - "So Long Rastafari" - 1979 - Harry JSee also
*
List of Jamaican record producers
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