Bim Sherman (born Jarret Lloyd Vincent - February 2, 1950 in Westmoreland, Jamaica) was a musician & singer-songwriter hailed as "reggae's sweetest voice". Bim was gifted with a haunting, ethereal voice that reached into the very heart of his listeners.
Bim Sherman did not ascribe his love of music to any one person but rather to his family, with whom he would attend church services & Sunday school. But as he became older, he began going to the local dancehalls:
"I always knew I could make the music, ever since I was small and it was all I wanted to do. I remember growing up and listening to it, singing along with it and feeling the power of it, which is the other side of roots, and feeling light-headed"
In the early seventies the young Sherman swapped trades from fisherman to electrician when he moved in with one of his brothers in central Kingston. His closest musical friends were Keith Porter & Ronnie Davis, who would go on to form the respected vocal group the Itals, but his first recording experience was with his early mentor Gladstone 'Gladdy' Anderson at the famous Treasure Isle studios. Things did not work out as well as he hoped there, or as Bim once so eloquently put it:
"things just go boof!"
In 1975 his first single to be released was "100 Year" b/w "100 Year version" which was cut at the Federal studio with Sid Bucknor as the engineer, produced by one Jarrett Tomlinson (aka Bim Sherman) & released on Micron Music Limited. "Love Forever" followed the same year, a self-financed affair on the Elements label with the Soul Syndicate band. Then came a string of tunes now recognized as reggae roots classics on Sherman's own Scorpio, Red Sea, & Sun Dew imprints ("Valley of Tears", "Tribulation", "Golden Locks", "World Go Round" & many others). These singles met with a degree of local success & appreciation which convinced Bim to continue, but in Jamaica there was always too much pressure:
"Lots of people like Randy's or Joe Gibbs want to record me, and even producers before them like Coxsone (Dodd). But its not easy in JA to get what you want out of recording and those people have a range of tricks they use to oppress you..."
Bim's first full-length album
Love Forever (billed as Bim Shierman) was released on the Tribes Man Records label, produced by Bim & Jah Lloyd, & included the title tune plus nine other previous Jamaican singles. Jah Lloyd was Lloyd Blackford, who was born in Morant Bay, Jamaica & had moved to the UK in 1961 to start Sir Coxsone Outernational, an extremely successful UK Sound System named after Jamaica's Coxsone Dodd.
Like so many other young Jamaicans in the 70s (& with encouragement from Jah Lloyd), Sherman decided to try his luck in the UK after the end of 1979s Roots Encounter tour (where he performed alongside Prince Far I, Creation Rebel, & Prince Hammer).
He moved to London where he started a friendship & business relationship with the young maverick music producer Adrian Sherwood, a long-time admirer of the singer.
Regarding Bim Sherman, Adrian Sherwood sez:
"All great singers and vocalists have one thing in common - their voice stands out like a uniquely tuned instrument that only one person can play. Bim Sherman was a singer/songwriter with a truly golden tone. I have been throughout his whole career a huge fan. I first heard one of Bim's songs while working in PAMA records Soundville Shop in Harlesden, London, in the mid 70s ... His was like a voice from the wilderness, the lyrics and fragile power ensured that in every subsequent batch of imports I was looking out for a new Sherman record. I wasn't disappointed."
Adrian went on to buy all of the 7" pre-releases which featured the voice of Bim Sherman. It was during this time that Sherwood was developing his business collaboration with the heavyweight Jamaican DJ Prince Far I. He encouraged Prince Far I to hook up with Sherman for recording purposes. Eventually tunes such as "Down in Jamdown" (HIT DD 12) with Jah Lion & "Love Jah Only" (HIT DD II) with Jah Buzz came into the UK on the Hitrun label, a partnership venture between the young English producer Sherwood & the veteran Jamaican toaster Far I.
As part of the post-punk reggae infatuation, Bim made a name for himself
recording on Sherwood's On-U Sound label. He became part of various
musical collectives associated with On-U Sound, such as New Age Steppers
(teamed with Ari Up, formerly of The Slits), Gary Clail &
Tackhead, Singers & Players (with Congo Ashanti Roy &
Prince Far-I ), Akabu, Japan's Audio Active, Sabres of Paradise, Groove
Corporation, Bomb the Bass, Dub Syndicate, & Justice League of
Zion.
In September 2000, Bim was diagnosed with cancer & succumbed to it on November 17, 2000 in London. His voice, song-writing, & impeccable class will never be duplicated but can be easily appreciated through his bountiful output.
Here's an early one I've always loved. Hope you do to...
Yard International YI 05, 1979.
decryption code in comments
A Side -
It Must Be a Dream
Dreaming (Dub)
If I Can Make It
Make It (Dub)
Lamb of Judah
Judah (Dub)
B Side -
Dread Pan Some
Dread (Dub)
Tonight (Dub)
Power Chant
Chant (Dub)
A Side is Bim Sherman
B Side 1 & 2 is Bim & U. Black, 3 is Horace Andy, 4 & 5 is U. Black.
Mixed by Prince Jammy & produced by Jah Woosh.
Enjoy the heavy heavy soundz,
NØ
