Lacksley Castell
Encyclopedia
Lacksley Castell (sometimes mis-spelled as Locksley Castell or Loxley Castell) was a Jamaica
n reggae
singer best known for his work in the early 1980s.
's Waterhouse district, and along with artists such as Black Uhuru
, and The Travellers, recorded in what was known as the "Waterhouse style". Castell became friends with Hugh Mundell
, who was already recording, and Mundell helped both Castell and his friend Junior Reid
to get started in the music business. Castell recorded at Lee "Scratch" Perry's Black Ark
, releasing the "Jah Love Is Sweeter" single (produced by Perry's partner Pauline Morrison), which was a pre-release reggae chart hit in the United Kingdom
in August 1979, with "What a Great Day" (produced by Prince Jammy) making the top five of the reggae 12-inch singles chart the same month. he had a further 12-inch hit with "African Queen" in 1980. Castell also worked with Augustus Pablo
, releasing the "Babylon World" and "Love in Your Heart" singles.
In 1980, he recorded the Jah Fire album with Hugh Mundell
, produced by Jammy. He also provided backing vocals on Sugar Minott
's Black Roots album that year.
Castell had worked with producer Michael Palmer since 1979, releasing "My Collie Tree" and a string of other singles since, and in 1982, Palmer released Castell's debut album, Morning Glory, on his Negus Roots label. This was followed by a second album, Princess Lady in 1983, co-arranged by Dean Fraser
, and mixed by Neil "Mad Professor" Fraser
. Dubs from the album were included on Mad Professor's In a Rub a Dub Style album. Castell was also credited as arranger on fellow Negus Roots artists Sly & Robbie's 1982 album, Dub Rockers Delight, which consisted of dubs from Castell's Morning Glory album.
Unfortunately Lacksley died in spring 1984 of an asthma
attack after being weakened by tuberculosis
.
Castell's two albums were re-issued in 2005.
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
singer best known for his work in the early 1980s.
Biography
Castell grew up in KingstonKingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
's Waterhouse district, and along with artists such as Black Uhuru
Black Uhuru
Black Uhuru are a Jamaican reggae group formed in 1972, initially as Uhuru . The group has undergone several line-up changes over the years, with Duckie Simpson always maintaining group control and ownership...
, and The Travellers, recorded in what was known as the "Waterhouse style". Castell became friends with Hugh Mundell
Hugh Mundell
Hugh Mundell was a Jamaican reggae singer and songwriter.-Biography:Mundell was introduced to reggae by reggae performer and producer Boris Gardiner who was a friend of the family...
, who was already recording, and Mundell helped both Castell and his friend Junior Reid
Junior Reid
Delroy "Junior" Reid is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall musician, best known for the songs "One Blood" and "Funny Man", as well as being the man that replaced Michael Rose as lead vocalist for Black Uhuru.-Biography:...
to get started in the music business. Castell recorded at Lee "Scratch" Perry's Black Ark
Black Ark
The Black Ark was the recording studio of reggae and dub producer Lee "Scratch" Perry, built in 1973 and located behind his family's home in the Washington Gardens neighborhood of Kingston, Jamaica...
, releasing the "Jah Love Is Sweeter" single (produced by Perry's partner Pauline Morrison), which was a pre-release reggae chart hit in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in August 1979, with "What a Great Day" (produced by Prince Jammy) making the top five of the reggae 12-inch singles chart the same month. he had a further 12-inch hit with "African Queen" in 1980. Castell also worked with Augustus Pablo
Augustus Pablo
Horace Swaby , known as Augustus Pablo, was a Jamaican roots reggae and dub record producer, melodica player and keyboardist, active from the 1970s onwards. He popularized the use of the melodica in reggae music...
, releasing the "Babylon World" and "Love in Your Heart" singles.
In 1980, he recorded the Jah Fire album with Hugh Mundell
Hugh Mundell
Hugh Mundell was a Jamaican reggae singer and songwriter.-Biography:Mundell was introduced to reggae by reggae performer and producer Boris Gardiner who was a friend of the family...
, produced by Jammy. He also provided backing vocals on Sugar Minott
Sugar Minott
Lincoln Barrington "Sugar" Minott was a Jamaican reggae singer, producer and sound-system operator.-Biography:...
's Black Roots album that year.
Castell had worked with producer Michael Palmer since 1979, releasing "My Collie Tree" and a string of other singles since, and in 1982, Palmer released Castell's debut album, Morning Glory, on his Negus Roots label. This was followed by a second album, Princess Lady in 1983, co-arranged by Dean Fraser
Dean Fraser
Dean Fraser is a Jamaican saxophonist who has contributed to hundreds of reggae recordings since the mid-1970s. He was awarded the Musgrave Medal by the Jamaican government in 1993 in recognition of his services to music.-Biography:Fraser started to play the clarinet at the age of 12...
, and mixed by Neil "Mad Professor" Fraser
Mad Professor
Mad Professor is a dub music producer and engineer known for his original productions and remix work. He is considered one of the leading producers of dub music’s second generation and was instrumental in transitioning dub into the digital age. He is a prolific producer, contributing to or...
. Dubs from the album were included on Mad Professor's In a Rub a Dub Style album. Castell was also credited as arranger on fellow Negus Roots artists Sly & Robbie's 1982 album, Dub Rockers Delight, which consisted of dubs from Castell's Morning Glory album.
Unfortunately Lacksley died in spring 1984 of an asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
attack after being weakened by tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
.
Castell's two albums were re-issued in 2005.
Albums
- Jah Fire (1980) Live & Love (Hugh Mundell featuring Lacksley Castell)
- Morning Glory (1982) Negus Roots
- Princess Lady (1983) Negus Roots
Singles
- "Love In Your Heart" (1978) Rockers (7")
- "Jah Love Is Sweeter" (1979) Jah Guidance/Orchid (7")
- "What a Great Day" (1979) Cruise/Sufferer's Heights (12")
- "My Collie Tree" (1979) Soundoff (12")
- "Babylon World" (1980) Rockers
- "African Queen" (1980) Negus Roots (12")
- "Jah Love Is Sweeter" (1980) Black Joy (12")
- "Government Man" (1981) Negus Roots (12")
- "Jah Is Watching You" (1981) Negus Roots (12")
- "Speak Softly" (1982) Negus Roots (12")
- "Johnny Brown" (1983) Negus Roots (12")
- "Tug-A-War Games" (1983) CSA (12")
- "Captive" (12") (Lacksley Castell & Junior Pumpkin)