Hugh Mundell (14 June 1962 – 14 October 1983) was a Jamaican
reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
singer and songwriter.
Biography
Mundell was born the fourth child and only boy to Theresa and Alvin Mundell. Alvin Mundell was a successful lawyer.
[Campbell, Howard (2012)]
Hugh Mundell freedom fighter
", ''Jamaica Observer
''Jamaica Observer'' is a daily newspaper published in Kingston, Jamaica. The publication is owned by Butch Stewart, who chartered the paper in January 1993 as a competitor to Jamaica's oldest daily paper, ''The Gleaner''. Its founding editor i ...
'', 15 June 2012, retrieved 17 June 2012 Hugh attended St. Margaret's Preparatory School, Kingsway Preparatory School and the Ardenne High School before pursuing a career in music.
Most thought that Mundell would become an athlete because he was known to be a competitive runner and routinely participated in street running races with other neighbourhood youth. Mundell grew up just houses away from three other youth who would also go on to become reggae singers:
Winston McAnuff
Winston McAnuff, also known under the stage name Electric Dread (born 1957) is a Jamaican singer and composer of reggae and dub music.
Life and career
McAnuff was born in Manchester Parish, JamaicaCampbell-Livingston, Cecelia (2013)A New Day fo ...
,
Earl Sixteen
Earl Sixteen (b. Earl John Daley, 9 May 1958, Kingston, Jamaica)Gregory, Andy (2002) ''International Who's Who in Popular Music 2002'', Europa, , p. 152 is a reggae singer whose career began in the mid-1970s.
Biography
Daley grew up in Waltham ...
Daley, and
Yabby You
Vivian Jackson (14 August 1946 – 12 January 2010), better known as Yabby You (or sometimes Yabby U), was a reggae vocalist and producer, who came to prominence in the early 1970s through his uncompromising, self-produced work.
Biography
Jac ...
protogé
Wayne Wade
Wayne Wade (born 19 March 1959) is a Jamaican singer, songwriter and musician.
Biography
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Wade attended Excelsior High School from 1972 to 1976. His career began in the mid-1970s, working with Yabby You, 1976's "B ...
.
Mundell was introduced to reggae by reggae performer and producer
Boris Gardiner
Boris Gardiner (born 13 January 1943) is a Jamaican singer, songwriter and bass guitarist. He was a member of several groups during the 1960s before recording as a solo artist and having hit singles with " Elizabethan Reggae" (in 1970), " I Wann ...
who was a friend of the family. Mundell was at Joe Gibbs' studio the day that
Winston McAnuff
Winston McAnuff, also known under the stage name Electric Dread (born 1957) is a Jamaican singer and composer of reggae and dub music.
Life and career
McAnuff was born in Manchester Parish, JamaicaCampbell-Livingston, Cecelia (2013)A New Day fo ...
recorded the song "Malcolm X."
Joe Gibbs
Joe Jackson Gibbs (born November 25, 1940) is an American auto racing team owner and former professional football coach. In football, he was head coach for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) from 1981 to 1992, and a ...
offers Mundell the opportunity to record and they lay down a track titled "Where Is Natty Dread?" The track is never pressed to vinyl. It is at Gibbs' studio that he meets dub maestro
Augustus Pablo
Horace Swaby (21 June 1953 – 18 May 1999),Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , p. 200-202 known as Augustus Pablo, was a Jamaican roots reggae and dub record producer and a multi-instrumentalist, active f ...
. Mundell explains in his November 1980 interview with
Sounds
In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid.
In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...
magazine's Edwin Pouncey:
''“I did one recording for
Joe Gibbs
Joe Jackson Gibbs (born November 25, 1940) is an American auto racing team owner and former professional football coach. In football, he was head coach for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) from 1981 to 1992, and a ...
for
Errol Thompson Records which was not released called 'Where Is Natty Dread' and one day I was at the studio and
Augustus Pablo
Horace Swaby (21 June 1953 – 18 May 1999),Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , p. 200-202 known as Augustus Pablo, was a Jamaican roots reggae and dub record producer and a multi-instrumentalist, active f ...
saw me at the Joe Gibbs session 'cos he used to run around and check it out y'know. And he asked me to come and do some recordings for him so I said 'Yeah!' So I went by his house and started rehearsing and he create the rhythms. The following Saturday we went to the studio where we recorded my first two songs for release called 'Africa Must Be Free' and 'My, My.'"''
Between 1976 and 1978 Mundell and Pablo lay the tracks for what would ultimately become Mundell's debut LP ''Africa Must Be Free By 1983.'' Produced by
Augustus Pablo
Horace Swaby (21 June 1953 – 18 May 1999),Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , p. 200-202 known as Augustus Pablo, was a Jamaican roots reggae and dub record producer and a multi-instrumentalist, active f ...
, Mundell wrote every song on the record. It included two
Black Ark-recorded titles: "Let's All Unite" and "Why Do Black Man Fuss & Fight", both supervised and mixed by
Lee Perry. The album received five stars from ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' magazine and was included in Tom Moon's 2008 book, ''
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die''. He was a major influence on
Junior Reid, who was three years younger, and Mundell was the first to record Reid.
He also kept a close friendship with Reid's friend
Lacksley Castell
Lacksley Castell, sometimes misspelled Laxley, Lacksly, Lasky or Locksley Castel (10 April 1959 – November 1983) was a Jamaican reggae singer best known for his work in the early 1980s.
Biography
Lacksley Castell was born in 1959, (although so ...
, who like Reid, hailed from
Waterhouse.
Mundell recorded several 12" singles under the alias Jah Levi.
[Craig Harris]
Hugh Mundell
(Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
)
Hugh Mundell only performed publicly several times throughout his career. While he may have performed a number of shows in Jamaica and the UK, only the following shows have been confirmed:
* Mundell performs at the
Organization of African Unity
The Organisation of African Unity (OAU; french: Organisation de l'unité africaine, OUA) was an intergovernmental organization established on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with 32 signatory governments. One of the main heads for OAU's ...
(OAU) 14th anniversary show on Wednesday, 25 May 1977 at the Queens Theatre in
Kingston. Also on the bill are the Twelve Tribes of Israel Players composed of
Junior Dan on bass,
Sangie Davis on guitar,
Albert Malawi on drums, and
Pablo Black on keys; and
Generation Gap
A generation gap or generational gap is a difference of opinions between one generation and another regarding beliefs, politics, or values. In today's usage, ''generation gap'' often refers to a perceived gap between younger people and their paren ...
, which includes a very young
Wycliffe "Steely" Johnson on keys and
Dalton Brownie on guitar. Many of the players at this event are the very same musicians who play on Mundell's
Africa Must Be Free By 1983
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
. They were also part of the
Rockers All-Stars
Rocker or rockers may refer to:
Places
* Rocker, Montana, a neighborhood in Butte, Montana, United States
People
*Rocker, a British drummer, formerly of The Flatmates
* Fermin Rocker (1907–2004), painter and illustrator
*John Rocker (born 1974 ...
, who play on
Augustus Pablo
Horace Swaby (21 June 1953 – 18 May 1999),Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , p. 200-202 known as Augustus Pablo, was a Jamaican roots reggae and dub record producer and a multi-instrumentalist, active f ...
's productions.
*
* 29 October 1979, Ward Theatre, Kingston, JA w/
Augustus Pablo
Horace Swaby (21 June 1953 – 18 May 1999),Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , p. 200-202 known as Augustus Pablo, was a Jamaican roots reggae and dub record producer and a multi-instrumentalist, active f ...
,
Junior Delgado
Oscar Hibbert (25 August 1958 – 11 April 2005),Greene, Jo-AnnJunior Delgado Biography, AllMusic. Retrieved 25 April 2016 better known as Junior Delgado, was a reggae singer, famed for his roots style.
Biography
Born in 1958 in Kingston, Jamai ...
, Dave Robinson, Tallawah Dancers, Tivoli High School Dancers,
Horace Andy
Horace Andy (born Horace Hinds, 19 February 1951) is a Jamaican roots reggae songwriter and singer, known for his distinctive vocals and hit songs such as "Government Land", as well as "Angel", "Spying Glass" and "Five Man Army" with English tri ...
, Little Junior, Jaba Tate, Shaolin Kid. The show was backed by the Seventh Extension and the Roots International Band.
* June 1980, Bermuda. Hugh performed on a ferry boat cruise. Mundell stayed in the apartment of Bermudian Rastafarian soccer legend Cyril "Dago" Steede while in Bermuda.
* 20 October 1980, Palais Des Arts, Paris, France with Brimstone
*
* 12 December 1980, London Theatre, London, UK with
Aswad (cancelled)
*
* 17 February 1981, Top Rank Suite,
Dale End, Birmingham w/ sound systems Sir Coxsone, Fatman, Studio City, Quaker City.
*
* 17 March 1981,
Hammersmith Palais
The Hammersmith Palais de Danse, in its last years simply named Hammersmith Palais, was a dance hall and entertainment venue in Hammersmith, London, England that operated from 1919 until 2007. It was the first ''palais de danse'' to b ...
, London, UK with
Matumbi, Tribesmen, Brimstone, and Bumble & The Bees. Mundell cancels just days before the show. It is rescheduled for 6 April 1981.
*
* 6 April 1981,
Hammersmith Palais
The Hammersmith Palais de Danse, in its last years simply named Hammersmith Palais, was a dance hall and entertainment venue in Hammersmith, London, England that operated from 1919 until 2007. It was the first ''palais de danse'' to b ...
, London, UK with Matumbi, Tribesmen, Brimstone, and Bumble & The Bees.
*
* July 1981, The Stone, San Francisco.
*
* 4 October 1981, Reggae Sunblast Festival,
Greek Theatre
Ancient Greek theatre was a theatrical culture that flourished in ancient Greece from 700 BC. The city-state of Athens, which became a significant cultural, political, and religious place during this period, was its centre, where the theatre was ...
,
Berkeley, California
Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland and Emer ...
. Also on the bill are
Judy Mowatt
Judith Veronica Mowatt, (born 1952) is a Jamaican reggae artist. As well as being a solo artist, from 1974 she was also a member of the I Threes, the trio of backing vocalists for Bob Marley & The Wailers.
Early life
Mowatt was born in Gord ...
,
Marcia Griffiths
Marcia Llyneth Griffiths (born 23 November 1949) is a Jamaican singer. One reviewer described her by noting "she is known primarily for her strong, smooth-as-mousse love songs and captivating live performances".
Biography
Born in West Kingst ...
,
Joe Higgs
Joseph Benjamin Higgs (3 June 1940 – 18 December 1999) was a reggae musician from Jamaica. In the late 1950s and 1960s he was part of the duo Higgs and Wilson together with Roy Wilson. He was a popular artist in Jamaica for four decades and is ...
, The
Wailers Band
The Wailers Band are a reggae band formed by Aston Barrett in 1989, one of several spinoffs from Bob Marley and the Wailers.
History
After the death of Bob Marley in 1981, the Wailers continued, led by Aston Barrett and Junior Marvin. The ban ...
, and
Wailing Souls
The Wailing Souls (originally The Renegades) are a Jamaican reggae vocal group whose origins date back to the 1960s. The group has undergone several line-up changes over the years with Winston "Pipe" Matthews and Lloyd "Bread" McDonald the only c ...
.
*
* Mundell appeared in the Bay area in December 1981 where he played a reggae roots festival along with
Wailing Souls
The Wailing Souls (originally The Renegades) are a Jamaican reggae vocal group whose origins date back to the 1960s. The group has undergone several line-up changes over the years with Winston "Pipe" Matthews and Lloyd "Bread" McDonald the only c ...
,
Raskidus,
Joe Higgs
Joseph Benjamin Higgs (3 June 1940 – 18 December 1999) was a reggae musician from Jamaica. In the late 1950s and 1960s he was part of the duo Higgs and Wilson together with Roy Wilson. He was a popular artist in Jamaica for four decades and is ...
& Unity, and Uprising at the
Oakland Auditorium
Kaiser Convention Center is a historic, publicly owned multi-purpose building located in Oakland, California. The facility includes a 5,492-seat arena, a large theater, and a large ballroom.Ward, Jennifer Inez (June 28, 2011)"Historic Kaiser Conve ...
on 11 December and the
Japan Center Theater on 12 December.
*
* 30 May 1982, Keystone, Berkeley, California, backed by I-DREN, an all-Jamaican band hailing from the bay-area.
In reviewing Mundell's performance in the local city paper, music journalist Bruce Dancis wrote the following:
''“Nineteen year old Jamaican singer Hugh Mundell, backed by Ras Kidus Roots Connection, contributed a brief set that was marred by the fact that he was obviously feeling the effects of a cold. This was a disappointment, because the angelically voiced singer possesses one of the purest voices in popular music. Ironically, in Mundell’s prior Berkeley appearance this past July, his glorious vocals were impeded by poor communication with his support band; this time around, Mundell and the band were more connected, but the singer’s illness prevented him from launching into the spirited performance of which he is capable.”''
In addition to performing live as a reggae artist, Mundell also performed live as Jah Levi throughout Jamaica on the island sound system circuit with the likes of
Barrington Levy
Barrington Ainsworth Levy (born 30 April 1964) is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist.
Career
Levy was born in Clarendon, Jamaica. He formed a band called the Mighty Multitude, with his cousin, Everton Dacres; the pair released "My Bl ...
,
Burro Banton
Burro Banton (born Donovan Spalding; 27 December 1956 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a dancehall reggae deejay popular in the mid-1980s and 1990s.
He is most famous for his anthem "Boom Wah Dis", which was recorded on the Steely & Clevie riddim cal ...
,
Ranking Toyan
Toyan aka Ranking Toyan (born Byron Letts, died 1991) was a Jamaican reggae deejay active since the mid-1970s and best known for his early 1980s recordings.
Biography
Toyan began his career in 1974, deejaying on Kingston's sound systems, suc ...
,
Junior Reid, and Elfigo Barker (Volcano Hi-Fi).
He also performed for Noel Harper's
Killamanjaro
Founded in the summer of 1969, Killamanjaro is a Jamaican sound system best known for their clashes and large amount of classic reggae dubplates.
It is owned by Noel "Papa Jaro" Harper and named after Mount Kilimanjaro. The name was changed ...
Sound System with artists like Super Cat, John Wayne, Dirty Harry,
Junior Reid, Madoo, Hopeton James, Puddy Roots, and Major Manzie.
There is existing audio of Mundell performing on the sound system circuit on two occasions. In August 1983, Mundell, along with
Junior Reid, represented
Killamanjaro
Founded in the summer of 1969, Killamanjaro is a Jamaican sound system best known for their clashes and large amount of classic reggae dubplates.
It is owned by Noel "Papa Jaro" Harper and named after Mount Kilimanjaro. The name was changed ...
at Whitehall Avenue, Kingston. With selector Ainsley on the turntable, Mundell and Reid did several numbers, Mundell versioning "Reasons" and Reid voicing the "Some Guys" standard. On 7 September 1983 Mundell and
Junior Reid represented Volcano Sound at
Cassava Piece,
Constant Spring, Kingston 8. With Volcano's selector Danny Dread at the controls, Mundell and Reid spar over the "Diseases" riddim before they perform the "Betcha By Golly Wow" standard. Mundell also performs his song "Great Tribulation."
Mundell was shot to death on 14 October 1983 while sitting in his vehicle on Grant's Pen Avenue,
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley Inter ...
. Also in the car were Mundell's wife in the passenger seat and
Junior Reid, who was sitting in the back seat. Reid survived the assault and spoke in great detail about it in a 1985 interview with
The Beat's
Roger Steffens
Roger Steffens (born June 17, 1942) is an American actor, author, lecturer, editor, reggae archivist, photographer and, producer. Six rooms of his home in Los Angeles house reggae archives, which include the world's largest collection of Bob Mar ...
.
At the time of his death, Mundell had recorded five LPs and numerous singles.
Trial and Conviction of Rodrigo Codrington for the murder of Hugh Christopher Mundell
On Friday, 22 November 1985, Mr. Justice Downer sentenced 25-year-old Ricardo Codrington, labourer of Above Rocks, St. Andrew, to ten years imprisonment at hard labour for the murder of Hugh Mundell. The sentencing occurred after a Home Circuit Court found Codrigan guilty of manslaughter arising out of the fatal shooting of Mundell on 13 October 1983. Codrington was charged with murder, but the jury convicted him of the lesser offense. The Judge said Codrington had already served two years and that was taken into account when sentencing him.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mundell, Hugh
Jamaican reggae musicians
1962 births
1983 deaths
Musicians from Kingston, Jamaica
People murdered in Jamaica
Jamaican murder victims
Deaths by firearm in Jamaica
Greensleeves Records artists