The Jays (Jayes) were a Jamaican reggae band with Errol Wilson. Errol Wilson left Black Uhuru to concentrate on his own group called The Jayes (The Jays), which he had started with Lloyd Ruddock and Rudolph Reid. The harmony group started out at Channel One studio, located at Maxfield Avenue in Kingston, where they recorded their first songs “Never Get Away” and “Mr Wicked Man”.
The Jayes had a successful run during the 1970s with songs such as “Righteous Man Satta”, “Queen Majesty”, “Melody Life”, “Yaho” and “I’m The One Who Loves You”. Lloyd Ruddock aka Scooner (King Tubby’s brother) left the group in 1979 and was replaced by Vincent Bryan, who did one year with the group before migrating to the US. Then Unes ‘Sharlo’ Mclean joined the group, but just before The Jays released their debut album, “The Jays Volume One”, he too moved on.
New member Derrick Coke died in 1981 and was replaced by Lloyd Forest (a former member of The Royals and The Chantells) in 1982. After a long absence from the local entertainment scene during the 1990s and early 2000s, but with Errol Wilson and Lloyd Forrest still doing recordings as a duo, The Jays again became a trio when Leo Hall joined them in 2003. In that same year they went to Studio One and recorded an album called “The Right Solution”. Errol Wilson died in 2018.
Links to Peel[]
The band's song, Truly, which featured reggae singer, Ranking Trevor, was one Of Peel's favourite songs of 1977. He nominated the track at number 13 in his own 1977 Festive Fifty style. Further tracks from the group was played by Peel, but by the 90's, he had moved on to other artists.
Festive Fifty Entries[]
- 1977 Festive Fifty (& Ranking Trevor): Truly #13
Shows Played[]
- 17 May 1977 (& Ranking Trevor): 'Truly (12")' (Disco Mix)
- John Peel's Mixtape (& Ranking Trevor): Queen Majesty (12") Channel One
- early October 1977 (& Ranking Trevor): 'Truly (12")' (Hit Bound) referred to before below play
- 03 October 1977 (& Ranking Trevor): Truly (12") Channel One/Different
- 06 October 1977 (& Ranking Trevor): 'Truly (12")' (Hit Bound)
- 27 December 1977 (& Ranking Trevor): 'Truly (12")' (Hit Bound) FF #13 (JP: 'And at number 13, that's Truly, with the Jays and Ranking Trevor, and reggae buffs tell me that really Ranking Trevor, pretty much of a minor talent: well, I think he's got a really good voice, I like it very much indeed. People who are similarly into new wave music will tell you the same thing about the Lurkers too, saying that they're pretty much of a second division band, but I like 'em very well indeed, and this is at number 12.')
- 1978
- 17 July 1978 (& Ranking Trevor): All I Have Is Love (12") Channel One
- 1983
- 18 January 1983: Queen Majesty (v/a cassette - Channel 1 Well Charge) Rough Trade
- 1987
- 07 April 1987 (& Ranking Trevor): Queen Magesty (12" - Queen Magesty / Melody Life) Well Charge
- 1989
- 10 January 1989: All I Have Is Long (7" - Born To Love) Cord