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- Don't let negative things break you, instead let it be your strength, your reason for growth. Life is for living and I won't spend my life feeling cheated and downtrodden.
- Don't let negative things break you, instead let it be your strength, your reason for growth. Life is for living and I won't spend my life feeling cheated and downtrodden.
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A Beautiful Rendition!
A beautiful Rendition!Originally posted by Assasin View Post
Pam Hall has always been among my Top 3 All-Time Favorite Female Jamaican Singers. This lady is a naturally talented singer who has the experience to tastefully interpret just about any song. I do not think she has gotten anything near to the recognition that she deserves.
This arrangement, as in most reggae music, is sparse and laid-back but at the same time very clean and very tasteful. There is nothing groundbreaking or earth-shattering about the arrangement and the instrumentation (unlike, say, a Third World band or that Ocho Rios group of the 1970s, Native), but it is really pleasant for listening to, preferably with a special one of the opposite sex, or for dancing.
One of my most lasting and pleasant memories of Pam Hall was her performance of the Whitney Houston hit, “One Moment in Time,” at the special commemorative ceremony for Merlene Ottey. That vocal interpretation was truly wonderful, and I am pretty sure that Whitney would have agreed if she was there!
Pam had a brief chance at stardom sometime in the late 1970s or very early 1980s (I cannot remember the year) when Boy George and his group Culture Club invited her to be their backup singer. Apparently they had heard her perform on the North Coast and were blown away by this young talent. Unfortunately, membership in the group apparently involved sordid aspects, and Pam, being the highly moral young woman she was, immediately made the decision not to join Culture Club.
It blew her chance at stardom, but the young lady was able to walk away with her dignity completely intact.
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I believe that was Gem Meyers and not Pam Hall who decided to walk away from the Culture Club opportunity. Gem had a few hits around the same time as Pam in the early to mid 80s, the most notable being "One Man Woman"
No question that Pam Hall is a class act. She is comfortable with any genre of music."It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men" - Frederick DouglassComment
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You Are Correct!
You are certainly correct, I’man!Originally posted by Islandman View Post
Thanks for the correction, because for the past many years I had it in my mind that it was Pam. I didn’t even remember about the existence of Gem Myers (lol), but now that you mention it, I am recalling that it was indeed Gem who had that brief arrangement with Culture Club! I appreciate the reminder, boss.
By the way, since we have broached the subject of drugs, do you recall that there was an aborted Earth, Wind and Fire concert in Jamaica (I believe on the north coast) back around the late 1970s or so? The irony is that Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead had performed at the previous year’s concert (I hope my memory is correct here). The Jamaican organizers had intended an annual rock concert for the north coast of Jamaica, but that didn’t last for long.
Those were indeed the “innocent years” of Jamaican history (lol) when the word “drugs” was associated primarily with marijuana. Now, look at the heavy presence that hard drugs has had on so many members of our population.
‘Sass, I apologize for seeming to hijack your thread, but your post and Islandman’s have evoked memories of an earlier period of our musical history.
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you have nothing to apologize for. The forum is for a little conversation, fun and even a little correction and debate sometimes. Pam Hall and Gem Myers were around at the same time and I remember the Culture Club things.
Pam also had a sister by the name of Audrey Hall who was operating out of NY at the same time too. Pam is a good singer and maybe one of the reason she do so well with these song is because she is a very good Keyboard player. Nowadays she most tour and work with Sly and Robbie Taxi Gang.
As you said there is nothing earthshattering about the music but the delivery is perfect and you can actually feel the emotion flowing.- Don't let negative things break you, instead let it be your strength, your reason for growth. Life is for living and I won't spend my life feeling cheated and downtrodden.
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- Don't let negative things break you, instead let it be your strength, your reason for growth. Life is for living and I won't spend my life feeling cheated and downtrodden.
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Jamaican Female Singers
I remember Pam’s sister, Audrey Hall. I also fully agree with your statement about Pam and her keyboard ability. In this sense she fits in with other successful female singers-keyboardists like Alicia Keys, Roberta Flack, Patrice Rushen*, Nina Simone, Emeli Sande, etc.
‘Sass, one day, whenever you have some free time, we can look at the immense female talent that Jamaica has produced over the decades since the 1950s. This list will inevitably include really outstanding songstresses like Cynthia Schloss, Pam Hall, Gem Myers, Diana King, Myrna Hague, Marcia Griffiths, Karen Smith, Kris Kelly, Etana, Sasha, Lorna Bennett, Cherine Anderson, Alaine, among many others.
The church in Jamaica, like the church in the USA, has among its membership some of the most beautiful voices that you can find anywhere! In a vast number of cases, they confine their lifetime of singing solely to gospel music.
Just this morning I was reading a music commentary in The Sunday Gleaner, and I realized with a shock that I had completely forgotten about Lady Satchmo. It’s a lot of good female singers, and I get the sense that the media in Jamaica have never really given them their full props, at least not in the same way as their male counterparts.
DR. KATHY BROWN:
By the way, since we are on the subject of women who are accomplished in the Jamaican music industry, check out Dr. Kathy Brown, who is a noted young jazz keyboard player and bandleader:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJDa4dVHDBs
*Patrice Rushen is a highly accomplished US jazz keyboardist who was on the “A” list of elite session keyboardists during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. (She probably still is.) She also sings sometimes, and has had at least one major hit in North America, “Forget Me Not.”
Originally posted by Assasin View PostComment
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What makes Lorna Bennett an outstanding talent?
BLACK LIVES MATTERComment
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A lot of the female didn't get the props because they were not willing to do what the men did and family life also get in the way. The men were willing to spend long hours going from dance and show to show and some use badmanism, payola and friendship to get their songs heard back in the days.
I remember Patice Rushen very well. "Forget Me Not" was the song that turned me on to her. That was one of my favorite song of that era.
You can also put in June(JC) Lodge who did background for most of Joe Gibbs songs and while she may not be the most talented I like Sheila Hylton and Jennifer Lara(Derrick Laura sister). Yeah we need to go through and pay some respect.
The music still alive in the church.- Don't let negative things break you, instead let it be your strength, your reason for growth. Life is for living and I won't spend my life feeling cheated and downtrodden.
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- Don't let negative things break you, instead let it be your strength, your reason for growth. Life is for living and I won't spend my life feeling cheated and downtrodden.
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Re: What makes Lorna Bennett an outstanding talent?
Your question about this singer has been noted.Originally posted by Mosiah View Post
I could use prose in answering your question, including how, as a schoolgirl, she was clearly so talented that Errol Lee’s Bare Essential Band hired her as a member of that famous local band, but I will let her music speak for itself. My one regret is that Lorna Bennet did not put out a greater number of records.
Dancing To My Own Heartbeat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9mmxEbyouQ
Breakfast in Bed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycHnXXcfcLQ
Chapel of Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOh3xFXNDNw
It Hurts To Want It So Bad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p3PYIx_HiM
Run Johnny: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eY0mY0NsiA
Rev. Lee: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nsAa5UMREk
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I needed to be reminded. Thanks!
For me, Breakfast in Bed is one of my all-time favourites, on of my top 3 reggae songs of all times. For me!
BLACK LIVES MATTERComment
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That's the only Patrice Rushen song I know. Can you point me to another? Historian?
BLACK LIVES MATTERComment
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you nuh know this one? Listen to the music and lovely voice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUOGWCWHjwc- Don't let negative things break you, instead let it be your strength, your reason for growth. Life is for living and I won't spend my life feeling cheated and downtrodden.
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- Don't let negative things break you, instead let it be your strength, your reason for growth. Life is for living and I won't spend my life feeling cheated and downtrodden.
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or this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4flWcvUBl4- Don't let negative things break you, instead let it be your strength, your reason for growth. Life is for living and I won't spend my life feeling cheated and downtrodden.
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- Don't let negative things break you, instead let it be your strength, your reason for growth. Life is for living and I won't spend my life feeling cheated and downtrodden.
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just posted two Patrice for you up top.- Don't let negative things break you, instead let it be your strength, your reason for growth. Life is for living and I won't spend my life feeling cheated and downtrodden.
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- Don't let negative things break you, instead let it be your strength, your reason for growth. Life is for living and I won't spend my life feeling cheated and downtrodden.
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Yes! I remember that one! Thanks!
God bless YouTube!!!
BLACK LIVES MATTERComment
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