Lacksley Castell - Biography

Biography

Castell grew up in Kingston's Waterhouse district, and along with artists such as Black Uhuru, and The Travellers, recorded in what was known as the "Waterhouse style". Castell became friends with Hugh Mundell, who was already recording, and Mundell helped both Castell and his friend Junior Reid to get started in the music business. Castell recorded at Lee "Scratch" Perry's Black Ark, releasing the "Jah Love Is Sweeter" single (produced by Perry's partner Pauline Morrison), which was a pre-release reggae chart hit in the United Kingdom in August 1979, with "What a Great Day" (produced by Prince Jammy) making the top five of the reggae 12-inch singles chart the same month. He had a further 12-inch hit with "African Queen" in 1980. Castell also worked with Augustus Pablo, releasing the "Babylon World" and "Love in Your Heart" singles.

In 1980, he recorded the Jah Fire album with Hugh Mundell, produced by Jammy. He also provided backing vocals on Sugar Minott's Black Roots album that year.

Castell had worked with producer Michael Palmer since 1979, releasing "My Collie Tree" and a string of other singles since, and in 1982, Palmer released Castell's debut album, Morning Glory, on his Negus Roots label. This was followed by a second album, Princess Lady in 1983, co-arranged by Dean Fraser, and mixed by Neil "Mad Professor" Fraser. Dubs from the album were included on Mad Professor's In a Rub a Dub Style album. Castell was also credited as arranger on fellow Negus Roots artists Sly & Robbie's 1982 album, Dub Rockers Delight, which consisted of dubs from Castell's Morning Glory album.

Unfortunately Lacksley died in spring 1984 of an asthma attack after being weakened by tuberculosis.

Castell's two albums were re-issued in 2005.