Icho Candy
Icho Candy | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Winston Evans |
| Born | c.1964 |
| Origin | Jamaica |
| Genres | Reggae |
| Instrument | vocals |
| Years active | late 1970s–present |
| Labels | Jah Shaka |
Winston Evans (born c.1964), better known as Icho Candy, is a Jamaican reggae singer.
Biography
Icho Candy first came to prominence singing with sound systems such as the one run by producer Jack Ruby.[1][2] Ruby produced Candy's debut release, "Little Children No Cry", but it was not a success, and Candy moved on to work with Joe Gibbs, with whom he recorded "Bandulu".[1][2] His third single, "Captain Selassie I" gave him a breakthrough, proving to be his biggest hit, although he received little financial reward.[2] His career got a boost when a performance on Ruby's sound system was featured in the Channel 4 documentary Deep Roots Music, leading to interest from the UK.[1] He recorded more successfully for Prince Jazzbo's Ujama label, with singles such as "Mr. User" and "Bloodsucker".[1][3] He went on to record for Augustus Pablo before working with Jah Shaka in the late 1980s and 1990s, releasing two albums on Shaka's label.[1]
Candy's signature tune, "Captain Selassie I", originally released on the Jwyanza label, has become very popular since its release in 1983 and remains sought-after in its 45rpm single format.[4]
Icho Candy continues to perform live, including a set at Rebel Salute in 2009.[5]
Discography
Albums
- Devils High (1990), Black Star
- Glory to the King (1993), Jah Shaka
- Dub Salute 2 (1994), Jah Shaka
Singles
- "Little Children No Cry"
- "Bandulu", Joe Gibbs
- "Captain Selassie I" (1982), Joe Gibbs
- "Jah Calling All Over The World" (1986), Creation
- "Cool Down Sufferer" (1987), Selah
- "Babylon" (1987), Rockers
- "Mr. User", Ujama
- "Blood Sucker" (1988), Ujama
- "Send Back The Gun", Captain Selassie-I
- "Change Partner"
- "Down the Lakes"
References
- ^ a b c d e Larkin, Colin (1998) "Icho Candy", in The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae, Virgin Books, ISBN 0-7535-0242-9, p. 50
- ^ a b c Buckland, Simon (1989) "The Candy Man", Echoes, 23 December 1989, p. 14
- ^ Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn., Rough Guides, ISBN 1-84353-329-4, p. 306
- ^ Parker, Geoff. Record of 1983: Captain Selassie I, Icho Candy. Zinc Fence(reggaezine.co.uk). Retrieved 6 February 2011.
- ^ Cooke, Mel (2009) "Huge, long Rebel Salute 16", Jamaica Gleaner, 21 January 2009, retrieved 2010-12-19