WINSTON McANUFF - PROFILE:
Singer: Winston McAnuff
Job: Singer - Composer - Writer
Location: Jamaica
Genre: Reggae, Funk, Smooth reggae
Biography:
Son of pastors, Winston McANUFF was born in 1957 in the hills of Jamaica (Christiana).
His parents are very involved in music, so it is quite naturally that he starts singing in church.
When his father died in 1971, he left his hometown to settle in Kingston with his sister, who was a teacher. In this new urban environment, he becomes friends with Hugh Mundell, Earl Sixteen and Wayne Wade.
Sure of their potential, he accompanies them to their first auditions and even composes some of their first tracks (notably "Malcolm X" song by Earl Sixteen, then taken over by Dennis Brown). After introducing his friends to various renowned producers (Joe Gibbs, Derrick Harriott and Yabby You, respectively), Winston recorded a number of Derrick Harriott’s titles, starting in 1975. His debut album "Pick Hits to Click" is released in 1977.
In 1980, a second album will follow, called ‘What A Man A Deal’. For years, the success of his two first albums will remain confidential, even if some pieces, as ‘What Man Sow’ are internationally shared amongst reggae lovers through unofficial ways.
In 1986 another album is released on the Skengdon label, titled ‘Electric Dread’. This will become a nickname that will be attributed to Winston for his energetic scenic performances!
In the late 70’s, he forms the ‘Black Kush’ band with his brother and two other musicians. Then they tour around the world
Finally, in 1999, after years of tours and family life, Winston McANUFF meets the creators of the French Reggae label Makasound. This meeting leads to reissue and lawful broadcasting of both albums recorded at the end of 1970’s, as well as a compilation of other pieces recorded during this long period: ‘Diary Of The Silent Years 1977-2000’
Winston is the instigator of the relationship between the founders of the French Makasound label and the famous Jamaican guitarist, singer and producer: Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith. Later on, this collaboration gives birth to the great ‘Inna De Yard’ acoustic Reggae series on this label.
The Years 2000’s are for him a period of unsurpassed creation, not only with the great album ‘Nostradamus’, taken out in 2008, but especially with the various plans, implicating actors of the French rock scene, which he gives rise with the Makasound label.
In 2005, he meets Camille Bazbaz during a concert of Derrick Harriott. A collaboration starts then, it will give birth to the album ‘A Drop’, which in spite of the participation of Earl Chinna Smith, is not a ‘Reggae album’, but «a cheerful jumble of tones»: blues, soul-funk, dub, crossbred rock of electro.
In 2006, the ‘Paris Rockin' album is a collaboration between Winston and the instrumental section of the group ‘Popular Dance’, with ‘-M-’ (Matthieu Chedid) playing guitar, and the participation of several other French musicians, including Java band.
This is an album in which the very various sound moves away still a little more from the reggae with a rhythmics sometimes reminding of funk.
The ‘Paris Rocking’ tour with Java band is organized in 2007. This 50 dates tour ends up with a last show in Paris (on November 18th), shared along with 2 other famous Reggae artists: Manjul and Takana Zion.
In 2009, Winston performs at the festival ‘Sakifo’ on the island of Reunion. In 2010, he gives a concert for the show sponsored by ‘PUMA’ in honor of Usain Bolt. The ‘Jamaica Party’ takes place on the square of the town hall of Paris, Alpha BLONDY plays there too.
In 2011, another project with Camille Bazbaz is realized. It is an album titled ‘A Bang’. It is “just fair of free music in the free and imaginary world which we have invented”. Some more concerts follow.
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In 2012, Winston performs as a guest a few times with Inna De Yard during their French tour.
August 22nd, 2012: one of Winston’s sons, Matthew McANUFF, also Reggae artist, who toured along with Inna De Yard, is killed in Jamaica, at the age of 25 years. His excellent posthumous album ‘Be Careful’, released in 2013, is produced by his father.
In September 2013, the album ‘A New Day’ created in collaboration with the accordion player Fixi and other French musicians (Cyril Atef, Tony Allen, Matthieu Chedid, Alexis Bossard, Tom Fire, Lindigo) is released by the French label Chapter Two Records (founded by the two ex-Makasound creators: Nicolas Maslowski and Romain Germa). A 150 dates’ tour follows.
In 2014 Winston (who has distant Scottish roots) participates in two titles of the album of the Celtic Social Club band and joins them on stage in summer 2015 (together with Fixi), for two concerts in France: at the ‘InterCeltic’ festival in Lorient and at the ‘songs of sailors’ festival in Paimpol. He also plays at the Olympia in Paris for the 20th birthday of the band ‘Les Ogres de Barback’.
In 2016, he joins the Inna De Yard band again for a new album project called: ‘The Soul Of Jamaica’. It is another release on the French label Chapter Two Records This is definitively a fantastic album, offering us soulful melodies and strongful lyrics, based on impressive nyabinghi rythms! Winston gives us here an acoustic version of his famous song ‘Secret’. Another of his songs,‘Stone’, an old theme, is powerfully delivered in an emotional vocal arrangement by Derajah.
Winston’s son Rashaun 'Kush' McANUFF (drummer/lead singer of the Uprising Roots band) is a also a member of Inna De Yard. His song ‘Black To I Roots’, firstly released as a maxi single, is part of this album. The two of them are touring with Inna De Yard in Spring and Summer 2017. An upcoming French tour is planned from late September until late October (including a show at the Trianon, in Paris, on October 27th).
In between concert tours, Winston keeps on doing other musical projects. His latest release came out on June 30th. It is a 2 EP set by Bost & Bim (RIP), it is called ‘BOST & BIM feat Brisa ROCHÉ & Winston McANUFF’. Each EP has 5 titles, a remix and a dub of each artist.
I could not finish Wnston’s bio without mentioning that another of his sons, Ras Ishmel McANUFF is also involved in Reggae music for years. He did many recordings.
Written by
JYM ‘Living Drum’ / Reggaediscography
WINSTON McANUFF - OFFICIAL DISCOGRAPHY:
1) Albums:
.1978 - Pick Hits To Click
.1980 - What The Man A Deal Wid - [Reissue: "One Love" 1995]
.1986 - Electric Dread
.2002 - Diary Of The Silent Years: 1977 - 2000
.2005 - A Drop (Winston McAnuff & The Bazbaz Orchestra)
.2006 - Paris Rockin'
.2008 - Nostradamus
.2011 - A Bang (Winston McAnuff & The Bazbaz Orchestra)
.2011 - Don't Be Bait
.2013 - A New Day (Winston McAnuff & Fixi)
.2017 - The Soul Of Jamaica (Inna De Yard)
2) EPs:
.2013 - Garden Of Love EP (Winston McAnuff & Fixi) - [Chapter Two Records/Wagram]
.2017 - Rabbi Son (Bost & Bim Ft. Winston McAnuff) - [The Bombist]
3) Singles:
[Partial]:
.1976 - Ugly Days - [Crystal Records]
.1977 - Armaggedon Time - [Crystal Records]
.1977 - Having A Party - [Crystal Records]
.1977 - Unknown Melody - [Crystal Records]
.1978 - My Pick To Click - [Move & Groove]
.1981 - Black Kush [Electric Dread (Aka Winston McAnuff)] - [Pats]
.1983 - Three Rings A Melody - [Penumbra]
.1985 - Hot Number - [Crystal Records]
.1986 - Ain't That Love - [Skengdon]
.1986 - Won't Give Up [Electric Dread (Winston McAnuff)] - [Skengdon]
.2001 - Israel And Palestine - [Reggae Explorer blank]
.2002 - Get Your Pay - [Sip A Cup Records]
.2005 - Winston McAnuff "Bless Up"/Bongo Herman "Africa Call" - [Sip A Cup Records]
.2005 - Don't Play/No Sorrow - [Uplift/France]
.2006 - What A Man Sow/Unchained - [Makasound]
.2009 - You Want It (You Got It) - [Shem Ha Boreh]
.2013 - Graden Of Love (Winston McAnuff & Fixi) - [Chapter Two Records/Wagram]
Winston McAnuff - Discography:
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1) Official Albums:
.1978 - Pick Hits To Click
(Original Press):
Lp: "Pick Hits To Click" 1978 - [Crystal Records]
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"Pick Hits To Click" 1978 - (Original Version)
Tracks:
1) Punky Rock Part 1. 2) Punky Rock Part 2. 3) Garvey's Vision. 4) Lover Man. 5) My Pick To Click. 6) Kushy I. 7) Ugly Days. 8) Whosoever Believeth. 9) Irie Lion. 10) Head Corner Stone. 11) Time Is Running Out.
[Label: Crystal Records (Lp: 1978)]
Reissue: "Pick Hits To Click" 2006 - (Same album)
Tracks:
1) Punky Rock. 2) Time Is Running Out. 3) Whosoever Believeth. 4) Irie Lion. 5) Ugly Days. 6) My Pick To Click. 7) Kushy I. 8) Head Corner Stone. 9) Lover Man. 10) Garvey's Vision. 11) Punky Rock Part 2.
[Label: Makasound (Cd: 2006)(Digital Release: 2006)]
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.1980 - What The Man A Deal Wid - [Reissue: "One Love" 1995]
(Original Press):
"What The Man A Deal Wid" 1980 - [Top Ranking]
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[It includes Dub versions]
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"What The Man A Deal Wid" 1980 - (Original Version)
Tracks:
1) What The Man A Deal Wid. 2) Unchained. 3) One Love. 4) Every Man. 5) What A Man Saw. 6) Jah Love. 7) Praying For That Day. 8) Hypochrites And Parasites.
[Label: Top Ranking (Lp: 1980)]
Reissue: "One Love" 1995 - (Same Album)
Tracks:
1) What A Man Saw. 2) One Love. 3) Hypocrites & Parasites. 4) Jah Love. 5) Praying For That Day. 6) Every Man. 7) What The Man ''A'' Deal With. 8) Unchained. 9) What A Man Saw Dub.
[Label: Crocodisc/Esoldun (Cd: 1995), Charly Records (Digital Release: 2006)]
Reissue: "What The Man A Deal Wid?" 2006 - (Same album + Dub versions)
Tracks:
1) What Man Sow. 2) What The Man A Deal Wid. 3) One Love. 4) Hypocrites And Parasites. 5) Praying For That Day. 6) Jah Love. 7) Everyman. 8) Unchained (Extended version with Trinity). Bonus Dub tracks: 9) Unchained Dub. 10) What Man Dub. 11) What The Man A Dub Wid. 12) Hypocrites Dub Parasites. 13) Jah Dub. 14) Everyman Dub.
[Label: Makasound (Cd: 2006)]
!!!
All tracks recorded between 1978 and 1979 at Channel One - Jamaica
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.1986 - Electric Dread
(Original Press):
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Tracks:
1) Change My Mind. 2) Gambling Man. 3) Big Boss Car. 4) Furnish House. 5) Ain't That Love. 6) Here I Am. 7) No Parking. 8) Won’t Give Up.
[Label: Skengdon (Lp: 1986)]
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.2002 - Diary Of The Silent Years: 1977 - 2000
(Original Press):
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[Songs recorded between 1977 and 2000. It includes previously unreleased, Not Compilation]
Tracks:
1) Fear. 2) Head Corner Stone. 3) Secret. 4) Peace. 5) Sun Setting In The Sea. 6) I Do Love You. 7) Malcolm X. 8) Burning Bridges. 9) Get Thee Hence Satan. 10) Sun Setting In The Sea [Acoustic Version]. 11) Fear Dub. 12) Dub Corner Stone. 13) Secret Dub. 14) Peace Dub. 15) Dub Setting In The Sea. 16) I Do Love Dub. 17) X Dub. 18) Burning Dub
[Label: Makasound (Cd: 2002)(2 Lp: 2002)(Digital Release: 2007), M10 (Cd: 2002)]
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.2005 - A Drop (Winston McAnuff & The Bazbaz Orchestra)
(Original Press):
Tracks:
1) Rastafari Is My Name. 2) Mother Africa. 3) Devil May Roar. 4) Rendez Vous. 5) Sentenced. 6) Sort Me Out. 7) Way Back Home. 8) Some Ltd. 9) Rocksteady. 10) Reggae On Broadway. 11) Common Sense. 12) You Will Make It. 13) Make Me Sweat
[Label: Black Eye (Cd: 2005)(Digital Release: 2005)]
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.2006 - Paris Rockin'
(Original Press):
Tracks:
1) Rock Soul. 2) Wandering Drummer Messenger. 3) Paris Rockin' [Feat. R-Wan]. 4) Don't Play. 5) Wretched State. 6) Treat Me Good. 7) Reach Out And Touch H.I.M. 8) Roamer. 9) Ras Child. 10) Quiet Room. 11) Return To Sender.
[Label: Black Eye (Lp/Cd: 2006)(Digital Release: 2006)]
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.2008 - Nostradamus
(Original Press):
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Tracks:
1) Mix Up Moods. 2) Nostradamus. 3) Slave Driver. 4) Vain Imagining. 5) Takin It All. 6) Love Is The Song I Sing. 7) Sunday Morning. 8) The Bait. 9) Pick Up. 10) The Pack. 11) Set Us Free.
[Label: Makasound (Cd: 2008)(Digital Release: 2008)]
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.2011 - A Bang (Winston McAnuff & The Bazbaz Orchestra)
(Original Press):
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Tracks:
1) Walking Razor. 2) Hey Girl. 3) Special Surprise. 4) I Pray. 5) Angela Davis. 6) Jacob'S Ladder. 7) The Path. 8) Mr White Shirt. 9) Easy Rider. 10) The Bridge. 11) Toys Are Us. 12) Settle Babylone. 13) Mary Mary.
[Label: Sakifo Records (Cd: 2011)(Digital Release: 2011)]
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.2011 - Don't Be Bait
(Original Press):
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Tracks:
1) Don't Be Bait. 2) Bait For Dub. 3) All On Top. 4) Works Are In Dub. 5) Earthly Illusions. 6) Burdens Heavier In Dub. 7) Long Way Coming. 8) Birds Singing In Dub
[Label: Gussie P Records (Lp: 2011)]
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.2013 - A New Day (Winston McAnuff & Fixi)
(Original Press):
First Edition 2013
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"A New Day" (Winston McAnuff & Fixi) 2013
Tracks:
1) Garden Of Love. 2) One Two Three. 3) You And I. 4) Wha Dem Say. 5) Johnny. 6) I'm A Rebel. 7) Heart Of Gold. 8) Economical Crisis (Coconut). 9) Don't Give Up. 10) If You Look. 11) Let Him Go. 12) A New Day.
Bonus track::
13) Things Happen*.
[Label: Chapter Two Records/Wagram (Cd: 2013)(Digital Release*: 2013)]
Nouvelle édition: "A New Day" (Winston McAnuff & Fixi) 2014
Tracks:
1) Garden Of Love. 2) One Two Three. 3) You And I. 4) Wha Dem Say. 5) Johnny. 6) I'm A Rebel. 7) Heart Of Gold. 8) Economical Crisis (Coconut). 9) Don't Give Up. 10) If You Look. 11) Let Him Go. 12) A New Day.
Bonus tracks:
13) Jah Is All We've Got. 14) Sankara. 15) Things Happen. 16) Strange.
[Label: Chapter Two Records/Wagram (Cd: 2014)(Digital Release: 2015)]
Buy Album on iTunes - GooglePlay - Amazon
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.2017 - The Soul Of Jamaica (Inna De Yard)
(Original Press):
Tracks:
1) The Viceroys "Love Is The Key". 2) Ken Boothe "Let The Water Run Dry". 3) Lloyd Parks "Slaving". 4) Kush McAnuff "Black To I Roots". 5) Cedric Myton "Youth Man". 6) Var "Crime". 7) Kiddus I "Jah Power, Jah Glory". 8) Ken Boothe "Artibella".9) Steve Newland "Sign Of The Times". 10) Winston McAnuff "Secret". 11) Derajah "Stone". 12) Lloyd Parks "Money For Jam". 13) Bo-Pee Bowen "Thanks And Praises".
[Label: Chapter Two/Wagram Music (Cd: 2017)(2 Lp: 2017)(Digital Release: 2017)]
!!!
Featured Artists:
Ken Boothe, Kiddus I, Congos, Stephen Newland, Winston McAnuff, Derajah, ...
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2) EPs:
.2017 - Rabbi Son (Bost & Bim Ft. Winston McAnuff )
(Original Press):
Tracks:
1) No Warrior (feat. Winston McAnuff). 2) Rabbi Son (feat. Winston McAnuff). 3) Crazy (feat. Winston McAnuff). 4) I Won't Be Afraid (feat. Winston McAnuff). 5) Dem Know (feat. Winston McAnuff). 6) Rabbi Son (feat. Winston McAnuff) [C. Murray Remix]. 7) Jah Is My Keeper Dub (Fabwize Dub). 8) Rise and Fall Dub (Masta LD Dub).
[Label: The Bombist (Digital Release: 2017)]
Buy Ep on iTunes - GooglePlay - Amazon
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WINSTON McANUFF - CONTACT:
Facebook Fan Page
https://www.facebook.com/winstonmcanuff
Winston McAnuff & Fixi "Garden Of Love" - [Official Video]
Winston McAnuff & Fixi "What Dem Say" - Live at Café de la Danse, Paris
Winston McAnuff & Fixi - Live at Café de la Danse
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In This Page..... Winston McAnuff
Biography by JYM ‘Living Drum’ / Reggaediscography
Discography by Marco of Reggaediscography
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