Singjay
Encyclopedia
Singjaying is a Jamaican style of reggae
vocals combining toasting and singing in an elastic format that encourages rhythmically compelling and texturally impressive vocal embellishments. The performer is called singjay, a combination of singer and deejay
.
The fusion of singing and deejaying happened early in reggae music. Artists like Big Youth
combined singing and toasting on tracks like “Sky Juice”, “Every Nigger Is A Star” and “Hit The Road Jack”. But the term “singjay” doesn’t really apply to deejays gone singing, but rather singers gone deejaying. For some reason this phenomenon happened years after the deejay style had gone mainstream. Among the earliest performers of what would later be known as singjaying is Michael Rose, who used to integrate highly rhythmic but completely meaningless deejay “scatting” in his roots
songs. As the rhythm of reggae changed in the late 70’s and became what is now known as as rockers, the theme changed as well. The classic roots themes were slowly being replaced by songs inspired by the life at the dancehall. With this thematical change also came a change in the vocal delivery. Artists such as Barrington Levy
, Echo Minott and Little John
represent this "rockers" singjay style. Half Pint, though mostly known for his "lovers" style, also did a singjay style on his classic hit “Greetings”. Around the mid 80’s the singjay style became the dominant and mainstream way of expression in Jamaican music. Tenor Saw
, Eek-A-Mouse
, Anthony Red Rose, King Kong, Pinchers
, Wayne Smith
, Courtney Melody, Conroy Smith, Lilly Melody, Sanchez, Wayne Palmer, Thriller U, Eccleton Jarrett, Nitty Gritty
and Yami Bolo
are all original singjays. Todays singay include artists such as Wayne Marshall
, Mr. Vegas
, DaVille, and some others.
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...
vocals combining toasting and singing in an elastic format that encourages rhythmically compelling and texturally impressive vocal embellishments. The performer is called singjay, a combination of singer and deejay
Deejay
A deejay is a reggae or dancehall musician who sings and toasts to an instrumental riddim .Deejays are not to be confused with disc jockeys from other music genres like hip-hop, where they select and play music. Dancehall/reggae DJs who select riddims to play are called selectors...
.
The fusion of singing and deejaying happened early in reggae music. Artists like Big Youth
Big Youth
Manley Augustus Buchanan , better known as Big Youth , is a Jamaican deejay, mostly known for his work during the 1970s....
combined singing and toasting on tracks like “Sky Juice”, “Every Nigger Is A Star” and “Hit The Road Jack”. But the term “singjay” doesn’t really apply to deejays gone singing, but rather singers gone deejaying. For some reason this phenomenon happened years after the deejay style had gone mainstream. Among the earliest performers of what would later be known as singjaying is Michael Rose, who used to integrate highly rhythmic but completely meaningless deejay “scatting” in his roots
Roots reggae
Roots reggae is a subgenre of reggae that deals with the everyday lives and aspirations of the artists concerned, including the spiritual side of Rastafari and with the honoring of God, called Jah by rastafarians. It also is identified with the life of the ghetto sufferer, and the rural poor...
songs. As the rhythm of reggae changed in the late 70’s and became what is now known as as rockers, the theme changed as well. The classic roots themes were slowly being replaced by songs inspired by the life at the dancehall. With this thematical change also came a change in the vocal delivery. Artists such as Barrington Levy
Barrington Levy
Barrington Levy is a reggae and dancehall artist from Jamaica.-Career:In 1976, Levy formed a band with his cousin, Everton Dacres, called the Mighty Multitude; the pair released "My Black Girl" in 1977...
, Echo Minott and Little John
Little John (musician)
John McMorris , better known as Little John, is a Jamaican dancehall musician best known for his 1980s recordings.-History:Born 1970 in Kingston, Jamaica, Litle John was so called as he began performing and recording at the age of nine...
represent this "rockers" singjay style. Half Pint, though mostly known for his "lovers" style, also did a singjay style on his classic hit “Greetings”. Around the mid 80’s the singjay style became the dominant and mainstream way of expression in Jamaican music. Tenor Saw
Tenor saw
Tenor Saw was a prominent dancehall singer in the 1980s, and one of the most influential singers of the early digital reggae era...
, Eek-A-Mouse
Eek-a-Mouse
Eek-A-Mouse is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is one of the early artists to be described as a "singjay".-Biography:...
, Anthony Red Rose, King Kong, Pinchers
Pinchers
Pinchers born Delroy Thompson, 12 April 1965, Jamaica) is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist.He released one album as a teenager in Jamaica for Blue Trac Records, before moving to the UK in 1985....
, Wayne Smith
Wayne Smith (musician)
Wayne Smith is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall musician.-Biography:His 1985 recording of " Sleng Teng", is generally regarded as the beginning of ragga style reggae. The rhythm was created on a Casio MT-40 and is based on the riff from Eddie Cochran's "Somethin' Else"...
, Courtney Melody, Conroy Smith, Lilly Melody, Sanchez, Wayne Palmer, Thriller U, Eccleton Jarrett, Nitty Gritty
Nitty Gritty
Glen Augustus Holness , otherwise known by his stage name Nitty Gritty, was a popular Reggae singer. Born in the August Town section of Kingston, Jamaica, he was the second of eleven children born to religious parents....
and Yami Bolo
Yami Bolo
Yami Bolo is a Jamaican reggae singer and performer.-Biography:Rolando Ephraim McLean, better known as Yami Bolo, is a Jamaican reggae singer, musician, artist, and performer. He was born on October 1, 1970 and grew up in Kingston 13...
are all original singjays. Todays singay include artists such as Wayne Marshall
Wayne Marshall
Wayne Marshall is a Black British pianist, organist and conductor.Marshall was educated at Chetham's School, Manchester and the Royal College of Music. He is a renowned interpreter of the works of George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, Duke Ellington and other twentieth century American composers...
, Mr. Vegas
Mr. Vegas
Mr. Vegas is a Jamaican dancehall star.-Biography:Smith was born in Kingston in 1974. The moniker "Mr. Vegas" was given to Smith by his schoolyard football-mates, who thought that he kicked the ball like a Las Vegas dancer...
, DaVille, and some others.