Mike Brooks
<p>Mike Brooks was born in 1953 in Westmoreland, Jamaica and he became involved in the music business in 1969 when he founded the Teems label with Jah Lloyd in 1969. The first release was Jah Lloyd's classic "<em>Soldier Round The Corner</em>" released in 1970. </p>
<p>Mike's first single was "<em>The Earth Is The Fullness</em>" was released in 1972 and produced by Lee Perry. Other notable classics from the 70s include "<em>Holy Jah Jah</em>", "<em>Money is not all</em>", <em>Guiding Star</em>", "<em>Who Have Eyes To See</em>" and "<em>What a Gathering</em>". </p>
<p>Despite possessing one of Jamaica's greatest falsetto voices and a capacity for excellent songwriting, Mikey has spent most of his musical career working as a producer. Between 1974 and 1977 he worked with the famous session group <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=215">The Revolutionaries</a> and produced <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=1717">The Mighty Diamonds</a>' successful song "<em>Shame And Pride</em>" at the <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/labelDetail.jsp?lid=1539">Channel One</a> studio. Other great artists he has produced include <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=2422">Bim Sherman</a>, <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=84">Errol Dunkley</a>, <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=343">Hortense Ellis</a>, <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=683">Bobby Melody</a>, <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=12">Barry Brown</a>, <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=683">Bobby Melody</a> and <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=38">Cornell Campbell</a>. </p>
<p>By 1991, Mike felt his songs deserved a wider audience and he subsequently moved to London. While many touring Reggae artists stopped off at his house, he spent most of the time in the studio, working on his songs with <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=103">Glen Brown</a> and <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=571">B.B.Seaton</a>, and also launched the career of successful R&B-singer <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=329">Wayne Marshall</a>. He was also part of the British Reggae Artists Famine Appeal Team who released the classic charity single "<em>Let's Make Africa Green Again</em>" in 1985. </p>
<p>Mike continues to regularly release many singles and albums and recently had a superb compilation of his 70s productions released by the German label Moll-Selekta. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=236">Rootsman</a> first met Mike in 1986, and after meeting up again in 2001 to record some specials, they decided to record 2 cultural songs together - "<em>Higher Place</em>" and "<em>Plantation</em>". "<em>Higher Place</em>" is now out on a Third Eye Music 10" with matching cuts by <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=1329">Jah Mason</a> and <a href="http://www.bigupradio.com/artistDetail.jsp?aid=506">King David</a>, and also on Rootsman's "<em>New Testament</em>" album. </p>