KENYA: JAMAICAN DUO CHAKA DEMUS AND PLIERS BRING THEIR SPECIAL BRAND OF "COMBINATION" STYLE MUSIC TO NAIROBI

Record ID: 387083

  • Title: KENYA: JAMAICAN DUO CHAKA DEMUS AND PLIERS BRING THEIR SPECIAL BRAND OF "COMBINATION" STYLE MUSIC TO NAIROBI
  • Date: 25th July 1997
  • Summary: PLIERS (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) SAYING, "THAT IS THE THING THAT THE RASTA PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO TELL YOU..KNOW YOURSELF, KNOW WHAT IT IS AND WHERE YOU ARE COMING FROM. IF YOU KNOW YOURSELF, YOU WILL LOVE ONE ANOTHER AND KEEP TO YOUR CULTURE"
  • Embargoed: 9th August 1997 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NAIROBI, KENYA
  • Country: Kenya
  • Reuters ID: LVA2FRX4V9HTBW0V3L7GKELAWYJ3
  • Story Text: Jamaican band Chaka Demus and Pliers have taken their brand of "combination" style reggae to the Kenya captial during a summer world tour.

    The style, featuring a DJ or rapper working in tandem with a singer, stretches to the early 70s and artists like U Roy and Dennis Alcapone.

    But it is Chaka Demus and Pliers that became the most successful exponents of this musical tradition.

    Their "Tease Me" album in the early 90s played a large part in establishing Chaka Demus and Pliers outside Jamaica.

    Chaka Demus was born in Kingston and cut his teeth with the Roots Majestic sound system. By 1988, he'd had a series of dance floor hits before hooking up with Pliers, a young singer-songwriter who had been moulding himself on artists like Stevie Wonder and Curtis Mayfield.

    Pliers' smooth, silkly voice seemed a natural contrast to Demus' rougher, "tonsil" sound.

    It took several years of mutual admiration before the two joined forces. They were on a mini-tour with other artists and on their return to Jamaica, decided to keep the duo intact.

    Their first song "Gal Wine" went to number on the London reggae charts.

    They cemented their reputation in dance halls with "Murder She Wrote", a tune Pliers had first written and recorded as a solo artist in 1986.

    In the summer of 1993, Chaka Demus and Pliers hit the national UK charts with "Tease Me". The addictive song never made it to number 1 in Britain but stayed in the charts for three months.

    The follow-up "She Don't Let Nobody" was also a top 5 hit.

    The third hit was "Twist and Shout", a reworking of the Isley Brothers/Beatles classic. It went to UK number 1 in 1994, starting a trend of chart success for the duo that year.

    All the singles were from the "Tease Me" album which also went to number 1 in 1994.

    Chaka Demus and Pliers' follow up to the million-selling "Tease Me" album was "For Every Kinda People", released in the summer last year.

    The pair's Nairobi concert was their first visit to Africa.

    Chaka Demus said their tour was about using reggae music to spread love, peace and happiness.

    "We love peace and happiness. I love happiness. I'm a happy person," he said.

    "That's why our music is so happy because Chaka Demus and Pliers is (sic) happy. That's why it comes out in the music." Pliers said he felt reggae was the only musical form the spread the message of love and togetherness.

    "The thing that the Rasta people are trying to tell you ...know yourself, know what it is and where you are coming from. If you know yourself, you will love one another." Japan is the next stop for Chaka Demus and Pliers. The pair will then return to Jamaica to play at the Sun Festival.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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