Q: 'Over Yonder'? A: 'Over Yonder' was on Taxi label, right? Q: Wasn't it a Ruddy Thomas production? A: Ruddy Thomas, yeah, him produce it, but it came out on Taxi label. An' before Ruddy died him supposed to give me a cut of it, you no see it, an' him die an' me never get a cut of it. Me would like to get a copy of it, yes. 'Over Yonder', it was on Sly that, Sly & Robbie hook me up on Taxi label. Me remember that tune. Q: And 'A Chapter A Day' as you mentioned before. A: 'A Chapter A Day' was produced by me, an' the firs' time it was released it was on Harmony House; a Beres love that tune ya, him sing back-up on that music too. Him sing back-up on 'In Danger' also, Beres Hammond. Me an' him used to be close brethren, me an' Beres Hammond, so 'A Chapter A Day' was on Harmony House label. Q: Would you like to do some more work with Beres? A: Hmmm... The other day when me do a show me say me fe check him an' dem t'ing deh. As me a show you seh me is a Rastaman like this way: everyt'ing wha' me woulda like now a which Jah want too. It comin' like is jus'... me jus' waan a pure in heart an' keep my healthy life-style going, whenever and whatever me jus' going stick to it. Whatever the Most High Father waan a that me want. But right now me on a different phase now, me jus' branch out an' lease out an' dem t'ing deh. You ever hear me sing a tune name 'The Makings of You'? A'right, an' me do a version of 'Keep On Pushing' too, with some guys from Boston. The youth come to Jamaica and we put down the drum track an' it start, then him go back to Boston an' put on the bass an' strings an' all a dem t'ing deh, 'Keep On Pushing'. Q: Sounds almost exactly like Curtis Mayfield, that one. A: Yeah, it come like... is like me nuh know, it come like dem 'ave a t'ing whe dem waan to do, 'Tribute To Curtis'. Chinna Smith an' da yout' deh work 'pon it, an' it's like a dem way deh them want. You know?

Ken Bob.

Earl 'Chinna' Smith.

Q: Yes.

A: Yeh, a dem way deh dem waan, dem way deh dem say dem want it. As me a tell you seh, me is a man, me jus' strive fe have the vocal an' everyt'ing deh nice. Like, when time come me can really... do me vocal.

Q: What's so special about Curtis' sound, in your opinion? He is still so popular among Jamaicans.

A: Well, yeah man, me cyaan believe seh it all out there too. Beca' right now me see a Mexican man the other night, the other day upon a record store, and him waan me fe do a dub-plate fe him, and him want me do that song personally, 'The Makings of You'. So many people still a listen to him. Me talk to a young girl an' the people dem know an' listen Curtis Mayfield. A lotta people love Curtis. But you know about JAVAA, Jamaica Association of Vintage Artistes & Affiliates?

Q: You had a version on their one-riddim album.

A: A'right, and you know 'bout the organisation too? All right, so we have... with 'JAVAA Sings Motown', I always sing Curtis Mayfield. Dem cyaan do without it neither, not Curtis or Smokey Robinson. Me is one a dem top acts, ca' me a member of JAVAA too. When dem have Motown, no-one touch Smokey Robinson like me. Falsetto is a t'ing whe me a do really well, yunno.

Curtis Mayfield.

Smokey Robinson.

Q: You have a smooth type of style and voice, switching or gliding from baritone to falsetto quite easily.

A: Naturally, yes, falsetto to baritone. So, me a tell you seh me jus' live a healthy life, a clean and a pure in heart with Jah. An' when it come on to vocals, me always a work on me vocals ca' is my tool. Anyt'ing whe a man do with him instrument, a that me waan do with my voice.

Q: That's your instrument. How do you keep your voice in shape?

A: Right now through the weather me take a Golden Seal and some other t'ings for me throat. But naturally, a jus' natural t'ing, man. An' when me brush me teeth me use Hydrogen Peroxide an' dem t'ing deh - me mek special precaution for me throat in every way. An' me try to find the easiest way fe protec' the high smooth, you understan' (chuckles). Yeah, me know seh music a breath business so every day me have to work 'pon it, ca' me proud of me voice. A blessing that me get me vocal, me haffe tek care of it, y'know, ca' the singers an' players of instruments shall be there.

Q: What was the title of that tune on the JAVAA Jammin' one-riddim CD, 'Would You Still Love Me'?

A: (Sings) 'Would you love me...', yes, 'Would You Love Me'. (Sings a verse) Grub Cooper, him bad, yunno. Grub Cooper, him deal with dem t'ing deh, you know seh him deal with Ziggy Marley dem too, The Melody Makers. Grub's been going for years (member of the Fabulous Five) an' dem t'ing deh.

Q: Do you control that tune, would you put it on your own album? A: Yeah man, me can do that, man. Me can use it an' do that, too. Me have a couple tune deh too, me do the (Mighty) Diamonds, me do all a tune fe Diamonds an' dem t'ing deh. Me back up for 'How Long'... Pat Kelly, 'How Long'. Wicked. Sir Coxson seh, Sir Coxson there before him dead, him say "Pat Kelly an' Ken Bob, hear this one". Coxson waan do an album with me, yunno, before him dead. It was so good that him was there an' him say the other day me see him an' him say bwoy, him a go say to him wife - ca' him was there too, Coxson wife a support him in the business... It's possible maybe me could a do all dem tune deh one day, ca' Coxson did really believe in it before him fall dead too, yunno. Q: Pity that it didn't come off properly. Do you still work with the African Brothers by the way? You have a credit on their album. A: The African Brothers was just assisting there, yunno, it was jus' a job me get. Q: I see. A: Yes, to do some vocals. Again, dem neva have that falsetto an' dem key deh, you understan'? So when me do dem ten songs now an' ray ray ray, when the CD come out me see me picture on it as an African Brother. Through dem a tell me seh right now we a fe go tour, me a fe go come an' ray ray, you no see it, an' through me know how me flexible with me baritone an' the falsetto me can cover a good track, a man jus' turn up or whatever. But me no really approve as me a tell you seh bwoy, we do a whole heap a more tune an' dem somet'ing. Me a spiritual man, me no love how a man... action, you no see it, an' it deh so. Me nuh even know... Q: So that was that. Are you still a member of the Twelve Tribes? A: Well, yeah man, I and I a Rasta an' everyt'ing we haffe join pertaining to Rastafari. I and I a Binghi, I and I a Twelve Tribe, I and I a Rasta, you no see it - to the fullness, you know dem way deh? Yeah.

Ken Bob.

Q: I thought Sangie Davis' Orthodox label, maybe you would do some work with them?

A: Yeah man, Sangie know me too, man, an' Sangie a me brethren too. Sangie was here in the US a few days before me, come here before, maybe I will try an' link him. Maybe he's in Jamaica now. But Sangie know me an' ray ray, but me nuh know... Them have dem t'ing deh too an' me no really join them right now. Me no really a member like seh a enroll an' dem t'ing deh, me jus' love Rastafari an' everyt'ing 'bout it me's a part of it too.

Q: All right. So tell me about this 'Emergency' CD, is it in the works still?

A: 'Emergency' CD... The other day Stranger Cole went on do a tour in Germany with some guy there an' them call me an' give me a couple gigs up there. Me do Germany an' Austria, an' it deh so me decide fe do the album. 'Emergency' consist of Flabba Holt on bass, an' Asher from Black Uhuru, an' me ask... Benbow on drums, me 'ave Sly & Robbie too 'pon some of the tracks dem, Chinna Smith. 'Emergency' album is... not no computer stuff, just real stuff. As me tell you, all of the man dem whe me tell you, jus' normal drum, natural drum an' bass an' everyt'ing. Me have Dean Fraser 'pon it, too.

Q: Would the music take a turn for the 'classic' approach, or how do you percieve the future for the industry, the way to record the music?

A: You know how me see it? I see it as people gonna be always experimenting the music, an' people will always want the roots, ca' you have the roots an' you have branches. So the flavour, you still gonna 'ave the real, real t'ing whe people know seh a the real t'ing, an' people always a gonna play 'round the reggae an' everyt'ing. But one of the most important t'ing wha' I feel now, today, is the message in the music. Ca' the world a go astray ca' all these wars an' all kinda shit a gonna come. The kids whe a come, the kids are the future, but dem learn 'bout how the automatic a work an' pure gunshot. An' to all nuclear t'ings a whe dem call the atomic t'ing or wha'ever dem call it... So the message in the music, a that the world need, like you 'ave the song say 'We all gonna sing the same song', ca' we all gonna sing love an' spread love. Ca' that is one cause, there's no other way. You know, riddim, riddim, riddim, riddim, riddim, a jus' riddim is riddim, you no seen. So if a man like it fast or like it slow, that's maybe one cause ca' what him did a want, like French fries or a big beef or whatever. So as long as the lyrics is for real, bringing the humanity together. Me know seh, well, them cyaan love no God an' dem neighbour an' dem t'ing, me feel that's what it's all about. People always a go observing the real t'ing, not reggae alone, any man music. So we haffe jus' give the people... That's why sometime when me a do my performance, me no do all reggae. Ca' when you check some inna the audience, them woulda really like even an R&B. A man woulda stand upside a girl an' him woulda like the girl an' tell him girl somet'ing, a dem t'ing deh me waan show you like 'long time' or wha'ever, or hold a vibes. My t'ing is like a mixture of it, me try fe please people an' you have people of different nations or culture, so when me would a do a show me love to know seh, well, then if me would have a different... from whatever area, everybody cyaan be pleased an' dem t'ing deh. So me waan put me vocals more upon humanity an' people loving each other, 'cause is the only way we can get the joy an' the peace way an' inherit eart' as the bible say, you no seen (chuckles). 'Cause dance create a riddim, yeh, dem deh... Like a dance, a man can go to the bar an' a barman can sell everyt'ing deh or whatever, an' is whe some people a design dem t'ing, a design dem t'ing 'pon a business level. So, a so the music go astray more time. 'Cause if we a keep it real now an' seh, well, then to keep them jus' how like the doctor say an' dem t'ing deh an' say, well, then like all right, man need a maka an' strong drink an' ray ray, an' go drunk, you understan'. You cyaan go in a man club an' go play dem music deh, don't it? Ca' if you go inna him club an' play dem music deh too tough an' the people dem get conscious, dem na go waan get drunk. A no dat the barman waan, barman want the liquor to sell off. So inna dem way deh the people dem, a so dem people have dem music too whe inna dem place deh... dem do wha'ever dem wanna do. But I and I jus' sing for the children's sake or dem whe come from a hard day's work or whatever, an' then them tune in an' it help fe release some tension or some stress. Or a girl him want, maybe him hug her when she come in an' him a kiss her 'pon her cheek or wha'ever. Yeh, that's how me want it when dem tune in when dem tune in 'pon some music more time. Can be uplifting too an' keep dem 'pon the right track, y'know.

Ken Bob.

Q: Did I forget to touch on something you wanted to talk about, or we had most of it?

A: Right now me have some tune a come out, Sly & Robbie, when dem tune deh a come out, a same time whe me know seh nuff t'ings a gwaan. Ca' Sly & Robbie there 'pon 'Keep On Pushing' an' dem say me a the bes' singer inna Jamaica. An' then when you hear 'The Makings of You' man seh Ken Bob come like a killer a go kill me, you no see it (chuckles)? So me do two tracks fe him (Sly) the other day before me lef' Jamaica, an' it's like the last time when I talk to him him is on a UB40 projec', that's why him never get on top of it now. Maybe tomorrow or so me give him a call an' find out, ca' that will release any time now. So me say dat is crucial, yeah? Crucial, crucial - Sly & Robbie an' Ken Bob.

Q: So it might become an album?

A: Yeh, I guess we can go straight to an album, yunno. Me know Sly dem busy too. You nuh know, ca' me know dem deal with UB40 the other day, dem deal with... wha' him name again...? McLean or somet'ing like that...

Q: Bitty McLean, yes.

A: Bitty, yeah, an' dem deal with a yout' from Blood & Fire also. Dem busy still, but you nuh know, you know wha' Jah waan that a go happen. Sly really talk like him really impressed an' excited 'bout me an' him combination an' dem t'ing.

Q: It's about time that you get your break.

A: Yeah man, but as me a tell you seh, you no see it, the Almighty know y'know, man, an' me a tell you seh me pleased. Ca' sometime when you get to break... you know seh I really think a Duke Ellington or one a dem big guys deh, him say either success or somet'ing was so great to him that it never happen to him when him young, you know dem way deh? 'Cause nuff guys whe me know an' dem a big success an' they're dead now, one a dem... just because of them success dem get big-headed an' lose their way. So me always with God, is a blessing from the Almighty fe keep me low profile an' still happy, still go through more time an' get me work an' dem t'ing deh done. So me know seh me a vessel, me a instrument of the Lord. So me happy of how me a live an' even if me a go through rough or bad times or whatever time, me happy that me live right ya now an' me give thanks. So me know Father God a look out for me an' give me strength. Me vocal always nice up the place, me ready for the world, give dem, you no see it, wha' dem fe get. Yeah man.

Everything will come in due season, perhaps it's time for Ken Bob to reap the fruits of his talent at this time. But who knows, it's a funny time to be in the record business, especially for the vintage acts. All I know is that 'Reggae Rider' is out there on independent release and the production is crisp and top class. Ken Bob is without doubt a 'real' singer/songwriter in every sense of the word. Flexible, smooth, soul, and obviously very tasteful and enjoyable in his approach to songwriting. But where is the breakthrough? Someone with the ability and position to shape and back him up to reach a higher level in the business would be most welcome. Perhaps his collaboration with Sly & Robbie will make a difference, it remains to be seen. 7" single information courtesy Roots Knotty Roots. Ken Bob's Website : www.myspace.com/kenbobthefirst

Here's a videoclip of Ken Bob.

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Article: Peter I (Please do not reproduce without permission)

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