Joseph Cotton

<p>Joseph Cotton previously known as
Jah Walton, started his musical career in the dancehalls of Jamaica during the 1970s. Amongst his earliest recordings in 1976 were tracks for Joe Gibbs Gourmandizer and Teacher White, the latter produced by J. Green becoming a sizeable UK hit when distributed by the East London based Vinces Record Shop. During the same period, whilst hanging out at the legendary voicing and mixing studio of the dubmaster King Tubby, Joseph cut many more tracks for producers such as Lloyd Campbell, Carlton Patterson, Mrs Sonia Pattinger, Harry Mudie, Vivian Yabby You Jackson and others.
<p>Ironically it was his brilliant and justly famous intros that he contributed to Michael Campbells Dread At The Controls releases, including the memorable dash it weh now dread, dash it weh nasty it up on Rod Taylors epic His Imperial Majesty / Parrot Juice 45 that made him one of the most sampled voices in recent memory, as well as causing a sensation in dancehalls worldwide at that time. By the early 1980s he was producing himself on his own labels Popular Demand and Money $, although he still found the time to record tracks for Trevor Elliots Musical Ambassador label, Carlton Patterson and Sonic Sounds. By the mid 1980s Joseph had relocated to the UK, where he gained his biggest hit, after he had changed his stage name to Joseph Cotton. He recorded Nuh Touch The Style for the seminal UK label Fashion. The record was one of the biggest sellers of 1987, and is a small masterpiece of humour, delivered in a laconic, conversational manner. The track was a duet with (an un-credited) Janet Lee Davis in which Joseph despairs of his woman and Janet cant quite believe him and asks him to repeat himself:
<p><em>What am I doing with a woman like Sue?
</em>
<p><em>A woman like who?
</em>
<p><em>A woman like Sue, she give me carrot juice mix with special brew
</em>
<p><em>Seh she give you carrot juice mix with special brew?
</em>
<p><em>She give me carrot juice mix with special brew, then she get up from morning, nuh gi me no tea, she lock up me house - throw away the key, mash up me settee and me one TV
</em>
<p><em>You mean the colour TV weh you go truss pon HP?</em>...And so on.
<p>This track went right to the top of the UK reggae chart.
<p>In the late 1980s / early 1990s Cotton worked extensively with legendary Jamaican producer Glenmore Brown, the collaboration resulting in two albums. Cotton then relocated again, this time to Berlin, where he was a resident for more than 10 years. He recorded frequently for the celebrated Berlin outfit Rhythm & Sound and the French based Heartical label. While residing in Germany Joseph released among many other things, the splendid retrospective compilation set Dancehall Days 1976-1984. Over the years he has proved himself to be a master of improvised lyrics, his now legendary appearances with Blood & Fire Sound System during 1997-2000, in Barcelona, Brussels, Amsterdam, al over France, at Summerjam in Germany, at Rototom Sunsplash in Italy as well as the Essential Music Festival and the John Peel Meltdown in London, gaining this very talented mic-man many more new fans. Over the last few years, he has worked with Candyman, Jah Warrior, Mark Rae of Grand Central, Simon Harris of Music of Life, Ruff Motek and many more. Joseph Cotton has now returned from Berlin, Germany to live forward in the UK, Joseph has set out on an important, meaningful mission to create an album with a positive, clean, productive message, the songs on this album preach and moralize some very sensible lessons to the youths who he refers to as The NOW Generation and not surprisingly Cotton has decided to name his new album Unity Amongst The Youths the title of which was given to him by a sister by the name of Bianca Phillips. This album is a 22 track CD with some of the most significant, influential lyrics and topics, designed to decrease and diminish the daily crime trend, which seems to be taking place among the children of today.
<p>Joseph expresses through his songs his trepidation that the youths of today are lacking positive influences in their day to day living and instead of following the righteous path that is right in front of them; the youth are being misled down a very un-rewarding path of crime, disrespect and self-destruction. The lyrics in songs such as the title track Unity Amongst The Youths (featuring Queen Omega),Teach Up The Youths, More Love, Cartoon and Role Model are aimed at the parent, teachers and guardians of our youths, encouraging them to offer the children more support, dignity, love and self respect. Where as songs like Road Map, Prison A Nuh Bed A Roses, Dont Linger and Row Your Boat are directed towards the youths offering them some sound guidance towards a more virtuous future.
<p>When I asked Cotton about the DJs at the present time, he laughed and said to me, There are some very good DJs out there who will try to elucidate and educate the youths, while you have other DJs who only write lyrics and sing about their guns, their girls, their expensive cars and bling singing absolutely no prolific, productive lyrics for the little youths them to embrace and hold on to that will guide them through the hardship of modern life, to give them a superior foundation, I believe that the youths need good role models, like when we were growing up, listening to the likes of U Roy, Dennis Alcapone, Prince Jazzbo, Dillinger and Tappa Zukie to name just a few. These were the people who had set the standards for the people like myself and many more to follow such as Ranking Joe, U Brown, Jah Thomas, Errol Scorcher, Lone Ranger, Ranking Trevor, Yellow Man, General Trees, out of all those DJs who I have mentioned you will never hear them uttering offensive, derogatory or insulting words to confuse the issue. Joseph continues to say If you take things right back to the sound of Ska with people like Prince Buster, Derrick Morgan, Toots and the Maytals, it was just conscious realization of life. My message to the DJs in this day and age is for them to transform their lyrics and come afresh with clean with positive vibes, focus with a productive intention to elevate the youngsters and bring to an end this class of gangster rap style music.
<p>Joseph Cotton is a constructive and encouraging individual who feels ardently about the subject of Unity Amongst The Youths he has devoted all his recent endeavours to creating a masterpiece of academic tutorials intended to encourage and give confidence to this present generation. Cottons message is quite simple Keep It Clean It is encouraging to know that there are DJs out there who are really considering the impact that reggae music has on the youths of today for they are the forthcoming adults of tomorrow.</p>