Ujama
Ujama is a label run by Prince Jazzbo. In the late seventies Jazzbo went to live in the UK for three years. While staying there he and four partners (six according to RQ #8) built the Ujama label. During the three years his partners dropped out of the label and Jazzbo was left alone to run it. Upon returning to Jamaica he focused on the label with the aim to re-vitalize it.
Prince Jazzbo who had limited funds and needed access to a studio started working as one of the house producers at Channel One. While working at the studio he met the singer Horace Ferguson who he recorded - one of the songs being a earlier version of Sensi Addict in '81. Frustrated that Channel didn't push his recordings with Horace he released the Sensi Addict single on his own Ujama imprint in '83 on a very limited run. However he didn't feel comfortable with the music technically belonging to someone else so he took the young singer to Creative Sound (an eight track studio on Mountain View Road) and re-recorded the song on a noticeable digital backing. Upon releasing the digital version of the single officially on his label in 1983 he parted ways with Channel One and started recording at Creative Sound as often he could pool together the funds needed.
Jazzbo worked with artists such as Dennis Walks, Freddy McKay and U-Roy during these times. The latter having somewhat of a comeback with the quirky digital productions of Jazzbo. The first song U-Roy recorded for the label was »Jah Jah Call You« which was collected with the other singles on the album Seven Gold. Originally Horace Ferguson's album »Sensi Addict« was intended to be the first album release on the label. Jazzbo had intended for it to be released as an album with eight vocals and seven versions - but close to release time it was discovered that so much music on each side would jam up the grooves so the versions got cut and new songs were added. Thus the U-Roy album was released first (1985) and it was quickly licensed by RAS records for North American release.
In 1987 Jazzbo moved from the eight track Creative Sound studio to the new Tuff Gong studio that was using a 24-track. At Tuff Gong he was working with Winston Wright for all the computer work. Previously having worked with Tyrone Downie (on Sensi Addict, Tranquilizer, Jah Order) or Tony Asher (Set Me Free by Freddy McKay or Kie Out with Horace Ferguson).
In 1987 Jazzbo also left Jamaica for the first time in many years and visited London for three weeks bringing with him music such as the aforementioned U-Roy and Horace albums but also albums with artist such as Frankie Paul who he would work with extensively.
In 2007 Basic Channel who previously has reissued music from Wackies, King Culture and other reggae labels released a 12" EP with four dub versions of Ujama-productions called Prince Jazzbo: Replay.
The Ujama logo and name
The name for the label came from every one of the label pulling a letter of their name thus forming Ujama. The logo depicts a donkey carrying a man and a woman (Jazzbo and a princess) to Africa.
Sources
Comments (1)
ruffa said
at 12:04 pm on Jan 9, 2012
Ujama is still going today, based in East Kingston.
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