Errol Dunkley at the Jazz Cafe

Jamaican rocksteady singer Errol Dunkley was just 14 when he recorded for the first time, his voice yet to break. He recorded with Prince Buster, Joe Gibbs, Coxsone Dodd and Jimmy Ranway among others in Jamaica before moving to the UK in the early seventies. He has said that he was one of the first people to bring a sound system out of Jamaica. Now 71 he continues to entertain and bring joy as his show at the Jazz Cafe last night demonstrated. Looking dapper in a brightly coloured jacket and wearing a hat Errol smiled throughout his one hour set, despite numerous false starts to his songs. Supported by an excellent band he started with 'Movie Star', a song he self produced for his own African Museum label (set up with Gregory Isaacs) in 1973. He continued with a trip down memory lane, as he said, with sings such as 'Darling Oh', 'Black Cinderella' (from 1972), 'Created By The Father', 'Betcha By Golly Wow' and 'Happiness Forgets' from 1981. The tightly packed audience swayed along to the rhythm as he continued with one of his best known songs 'Three In One', recorded in 1971, and one of his earliest numbers 'You're Gonna Need Me' from 1967. Next came 'Impossible', from 1973 and then his biggest hit, his cover of John Holt's 'OK Fred' which almost made the UK top ten in 1979, with audience members enthusiastically joining in the chorus. Errol showed some nice steps as he skipped across the stage during this one. His final number, 'Baby I Love You' also went down well and he was joined on stage briefly by Christopher Ellis, son of the King of Rock Steady Alton Ellis. This was a fun set which was highly enjoyable, despite a few ropey moments. Long may Errol continue.