Biography
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Born
29 August 1947
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Died
12 June 1999 (aged 51)
There are two artists that share the name Jah Lion.
1) Jamaican reggae singer Pat Francis who recorded under Jah Lloyd, Jah Lion, The Black Lion of Judah and Jah Ali.
2) A sandal gazing dub jam band from underground label RollOverRover featuring Sean McCann, who released the perversely limited Dub Bible (RollOverRover, CS, 2009).
Pat Francis
Jamaica's Pat Francis recorded under a lot of names during the 1970s, including Jah Lion, Jah Lloyd and Black Lion of Judah, and given that his musical creations frequently centred on drug-related themes, he was sort of an early character blueprint for the flamboyant urban rappers of the late 1990s. In the mid-1960s he was a member of the Mediators, and he later scored hits with topical material like "Soldier Round the Corner," "Know Yourself Blackman" and "Killer Flour" for producer Rupie Edwards. Never afraid to reinvent himself, Francis turned toaster and DJ for tracks like "Black Snowfall" and "World Class." He tasted critical success as Jah Lion when he recorded the marvellous Colombia Colly album with producer Lee "Scratch" Perry at Perry's legendary Black Ark studio, including a striking version of the Little Willie John classic, "Fever." He became Jah Lloyd in 1978, signing a record deal with Front Line, and although songs like "Jah Lion" and "Cocaine" tried hard, they stirred up little public interest. Francis turned to production work as the 1970s ended, becoming Jah Lion again as the 1980s beckoned, and although he stayed active behind the scenes, his major recording work was behind him. Pat Francis was only 52 when he was killed in Kingston on June 12, 1999.
Dub Bible by Jah Lion
Time and space is put on eternal delay, and every pixel of your vision is soaked in bong water. The tongue in cheek homage gets lost in the haze as soon as the smoke fills your eardrums. It was a great time if you don't remember what happened. Splendidly bowed banjo from Sean McCann on track 2.
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