An unlikely story, an unlikely nomination

... Grammy hopeful is in with a chance, though he has no hits

Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

With no major label connections or a hit song to his name, Gabriel 'King Isaac' Kalumbu may be the most unlikely nominee attending today's Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Isaacs Meets Isaac, the Zimbabwean singer-academic's collaboration with lovers rock giant Gregory Isaacs, is one of five nominees for the Best Reggae Album category. Sly and Robbie's Made In Jamaica and One Pop Reggae; Legacy - An Acoustic Tribute to Peter Tosh by Andrew Tosh and Before The Dawn by Buju Banton complete the list.

Many reggae watchers believe with the Grammy Awards coming four months after Gregory Isaacs' death from cancer, he is a sentimental favourite.

But King Isaac, a lecturer in ethno-musicology at the University of Michigan, is taking nothing for granted.

"I wouldn't say I'm overly confident but the album is a strong one, so I'm cautiously optimistic," he told The Gleaner last week from his home in Lansing, Michigan.

He said he and Isaacs began recording songs together in 2005, one year after they first met at the latter's Kingston studio. King Isaac had travelled to Jamaica in 2004 to perform at singer Sugar Minott's Reggae In The Hills show in St Catherine.

Having visited Jamaica frequently since 1998, King Isaac befriended many musicians but said he was determined to meet Isaacs when he visited seven years ago.

He recalls scepticism in some quarters about him working with 'The Cool Ruler'.

"People were always discouraging me, saying he would never show up for (recording) sessions. They said he was moody," King Isaac said.

The recordings were completed without incident in 2009 and the set released by the King Isaac Music Company.

Isaacs Meets Isaac is distributed internationally by VP Records, Ernie B Records and CD Baby.

King Isaac said he last spoke to Isaacs in August and his reaction to the album was favourable.

"He liked the songs and that really boosted my confidence."

Given their vastly different backgrounds, Isaacs Meets Isaac is an unlikely project. Gregory Isaacs was making hit songs in the early 1970s when Gabriel Kalumbu was growing up in what was then racially segregated Rhodesia.

King Isaac remembers first listening to reggae music in his early teens in the city of Gweru. Though his music was banned in Rhodesia, Bob Marley was an inspiration for Robert Mugabe-led rebels during their fight against the illegal regime of Premier Ian Smith.

Marley performed at celebrations marking the country's independence in April 1980. By that time, reggae was even more popular in the southern African country with Minott, Isaacs, Dennis Brown and Jimmy Cliff the best-known Jamaican performers.

King Isaac met some of his heroes when he first visited Jamaica 13 years ago "to see the place and record songs" with musicians, including saxophonist Dean Fraser and bass player Danny Thompson.

Most of the songs from those sessions can be heard on his self-titled debut album which was released in Zimbabwe in 2002. In subsequent visits, King Isaac also recorded duets with Leroy Sibbles, U Roy, Pam Hall and Frankie Paul.

Those songs were compiled for the album, Legends of Reggae Presents King Isaac.

File Photos