As the founder of Island Records, fabled music producer Chris Blackwell
has discovered and worked with some of the most important musicians of
the second half of the twentieth century - from Steve Winwood to Cat
Stevens, Bob Marley to Grace Jones, U2 to Roxy Music, plus countless
others. He is also widely credited with having brought reggae music to
the world stage. Now, as he turns eighty-five, Blackwell takes us back
to the island where it all began: Jamaica - the place where his family
once partied with the likes of Noel Coward, Ian Fleming and Errol Flynn
and where, as Jamaican local music began to adopt contemporary American
trends, Blackwell's burgeoning musical instincts flourished.
It
was also the birthplace of the now-legendary Island Records, founded by
Blackwell in 1959. Five years later, while living in London selling
Jamaican records to Caribbean immigrants, Blackwell came across the
vocal talents of teenager Millie Small, who he paired with the song 'My
Boy Lollipop'. The producer added a ska beat and released what would be a
worldwide hit.
But this was just the beginning of a truly
remarkable career. In this fascinating memoir, including up to fifty
photos supplied by Blackwell's team, the music icon will discuss the
many artists he's worked with over the years, as well as unpicking the
initiatives, decisions and risks that ultimately brought such success to
both Blackwell and his esteemed musical collaborators.
Hardback
The Islander: My Life in Music and Beyond - Chris Blackwell
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£15.99