Ansel Collins


Ansel Collins is a Jamaican musician, singer, songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Dave Barker as Dave and Ansel Collins.

Biography

Born 1949 in Kingston, Jamaica, Collins began his career as a drummer, moving to keyboards in the mid-1960s. In the late 1960s, he performed with the Invincibles band. He was also part of Jimmy Cliff's backing band, Oneness, in the 1970s. He continued to record during the 1980s, mainly as a session musician, and released a solo album in 1986.
He also worked with backing bands such as Lynn Taitt and the Jets. In the 1970s, he was the regular member of the backing band the Aggrovators and the band Soul Syndicate. In 1978, he was a member of the band the Gladiators.
He played keyboards on several albums of various musicians, including on Scientist's Scientist Rids the World of the Evil Curse of the Vampires and Scientist in the Kingdom of Dub, Rico Rodriguez's Man from Wareika, Lincoln Thompson's Natural Wild, Augustus Pablo's This Is Augustus Pablo, Black Uhuru's Sinsemilla and Chill Out, Jimmy Cliff's Give Thankx, King Tubby and Prince Jammy's His Majesty's Dub, Cliff Hanger and Humanitarian, the Royals' Pick Up the Pieces, Mighty Diamonds' Right Time, Gregory Isaacs' Cool Ruler, Prince Far I's Health and Strength, and Serge Gainsbourg's Aux armes et cætera. In the mid-1970s, reggae band Culture began working with some of the premier musicians of the time including Collins, Robbie Shakespeare, Sly Dunbar, Cedric Brooks and the ever-present percussionist Sticky. Collins worked with guitarist Earl "Chinna" Smith and with deejay Errol Scorcher on a series of recordings including "Mosquitoes", which was also a hit.
Roots reggae singer I Wayne was raised by his aunt and her husband Ansel Collins.

Discography

Albums

  • Double Barrel Trojan
  • Riding High Shelly Power
  • So Long
  • Ansel Collins Heartbeat
  • Jamaican Gold Moll Selekta