Davey makes 'Royal' touring move
Published:Sunday | September 18, 2011 | 12:00 AM
While Noel Davey is forever linked with the dancehall Sleng Teng rhythm, as a touring musician he is on the roots reggae side, having toured with Julian 'Ju Ju Royal' Marley for close to 20 years.
Before that, Davey played with some of the most noted roots reggae groups, among them Black Uhuru and The Abyssinians.
"We aspire to go on tour. I wanted to be a touring musician. Studio is also good, but who don't want to see the world? So, seeing the world was something that excite every musician ... . That is where the fun is, that is where you learn about how other people gravitate towards our music and how powerful our music really is overseas," Davey said.
Davey got his first touring opportunity in 1990 with Black Uhuru, at a point where it was critical that he make some progress with music. He left his day job in 1988 and Hurricane Gilbert hit Jamaica that year. Musicians were among those who were especially affected, as many studios were shut down.
"I lay down in my bed about 6 o'clock one morning and I say, 'I don't know where this thing going right now, because is two years now'. Every day you reflect and say you leave your day job and you vow to make it in music and you find it tough and you wonder when your day will come. This was one of them morning when me lay down and you don't have high hopes," he said.
Hope appears
Hope came in the form of a knock on the window, which turned out to be Black Uhuru member Ducky Simpson calling on Davey to do an audition for the band, which was preparing to go on a three-month tour of the United States. Simpson carried Davey's keyboard to where the rehearsals would be done and, after listening to some cassettes with Black Uhuru's material, he took a bus and went to the location.
During the audition, "them give me the piano to bang; I started banging the piano and Ducky, everybody listen". Davey imitates the listeners' nodding motion, but he got the nod for the job as the rehearsal continued.
"After I play the first three songs, Ducky come to me and whisper in my ears 'dem tell me you no ready but is a good thing me try you out. Hear wha happen now, I want you bring your passport tomorrow'," Davey said.
"It was my first tour and it was a good one," he said. However, Davey said he gave away a lot of the money he earned.
After that, he played with the Mystic Revealers, played Sunsplash with Half Pint, and went with The Abyssinians and other touring performers.
In the early 1990s, in-between tours, he went back to the School of Music "for the second time, I get a call from Dready". That call was to play with Ju Ju Royal, which Davey has been doing since. The most recent tour was of Europe in the summer and the band will be playing in Brazil in October.
Davey said he has credits on three Grammy-winning albums, Half-Way Tree and Welcome to Jamrock by Damian Marley and Stephen Marley's Mind Control.
He sees the possibility of a collaboration between himself and Wayne Smith; although they have not been in touch since the Sleng Teng moment, Davey broaches the idea of a live series in which they revisit the landmark rhythm.
Before that, Davey played with some of the most noted roots reggae groups, among them Black Uhuru and The Abyssinians.
"We aspire to go on tour. I wanted to be a touring musician. Studio is also good, but who don't want to see the world? So, seeing the world was something that excite every musician ... . That is where the fun is, that is where you learn about how other people gravitate towards our music and how powerful our music really is overseas," Davey said.
Davey got his first touring opportunity in 1990 with Black Uhuru, at a point where it was critical that he make some progress with music. He left his day job in 1988 and Hurricane Gilbert hit Jamaica that year. Musicians were among those who were especially affected, as many studios were shut down.
"I lay down in my bed about 6 o'clock one morning and I say, 'I don't know where this thing going right now, because is two years now'. Every day you reflect and say you leave your day job and you vow to make it in music and you find it tough and you wonder when your day will come. This was one of them morning when me lay down and you don't have high hopes," he said.
Hope appears
Hope came in the form of a knock on the window, which turned out to be Black Uhuru member Ducky Simpson calling on Davey to do an audition for the band, which was preparing to go on a three-month tour of the United States. Simpson carried Davey's keyboard to where the rehearsals would be done and, after listening to some cassettes with Black Uhuru's material, he took a bus and went to the location.
During the audition, "them give me the piano to bang; I started banging the piano and Ducky, everybody listen". Davey imitates the listeners' nodding motion, but he got the nod for the job as the rehearsal continued.
"After I play the first three songs, Ducky come to me and whisper in my ears 'dem tell me you no ready but is a good thing me try you out. Hear wha happen now, I want you bring your passport tomorrow'," Davey said.
"It was my first tour and it was a good one," he said. However, Davey said he gave away a lot of the money he earned.
After that, he played with the Mystic Revealers, played Sunsplash with Half Pint, and went with The Abyssinians and other touring performers.
In the early 1990s, in-between tours, he went back to the School of Music "for the second time, I get a call from Dready". That call was to play with Ju Ju Royal, which Davey has been doing since. The most recent tour was of Europe in the summer and the band will be playing in Brazil in October.
Davey said he has credits on three Grammy-winning albums, Half-Way Tree and Welcome to Jamrock by Damian Marley and Stephen Marley's Mind Control.
He sees the possibility of a collaboration between himself and Wayne Smith; although they have not been in touch since the Sleng Teng moment, Davey broaches the idea of a live series in which they revisit the landmark rhythm.