Biography
Born on 1 August 1936 in Mannings Mount, Jamaica, West Indies, Uziah Thompson saw his family move to Kingston in the early 1950s, where exposure to Coxsone Dodd’s sound system sparked his initial interest. Drawn to the Down Beat operation, he convinced Dodd to hire him as a roadie and hovered near the turntables during performances, waiting for an opening to showcase his own DJ abilities. That opportunity arrived when resident selector King Stitt handed him the microphone; Dodd, impressed by the results, subsequently gave Thompson his first regular DJ slot at Studio One. The producer later capitalized on Thompson’s distinctive vocal style by featuring him on the spoken introduction to the Skatalites’ “Guns Of Navarone.” Additional work followed with Duke Reid, including a performance on “Ball Of Fire” and a steady role as selector for the Treasure Isle sound system, which in turn led to further recording sessions with various Jamaican producers. His profile rose again through Joe Gibbs’ “Train To Soulsville,” released under the alias Cool Sticky—an allusion to his still-developing skills on percussion—and the track gained wider circulation via the UK compilation Jackpot Of Hits. Thompson’s last vocal outing came on “CN Express,” a version of Monty Morris’ “Say What You’re Saying.”
By 1970 he had chosen to concentrate on percussion, recognizing the restricted opportunities then available to DJs. His first such engagements occurred during Lee Perry’s celebrated sessions with Bob Marley. While working at Perry’s studio in 1971, Thompson introduced Gregory Isaacs to the producer, resulting in their joint recording “You Are My Sunshine.” He continued supplying percussion for the Wailers until the middle of the decade. In 1976, at Joe Gibbs’ studio, his precise playing appeared on several landmark releases, among them Culture’s “Two Sevens Clash,” Althea And Donna’s “Up Town Top Ranking,” and Dennis Brown’s “Money In My Pocket.” Further contributions included the Mighty Diamonds’ “Right Time” and the creative percussion parts on Planet Earth. Session work persisted into the arrival of digital reggae, when economic pressures abruptly removed the demand for live musicians. Thompson is now widely regarded as an elder statesman whose role in the early ska recordings received formal recognition nearly three decades after the fact.
By 1970 he had chosen to concentrate on percussion, recognizing the restricted opportunities then available to DJs. His first such engagements occurred during Lee Perry’s celebrated sessions with Bob Marley. While working at Perry’s studio in 1971, Thompson introduced Gregory Isaacs to the producer, resulting in their joint recording “You Are My Sunshine.” He continued supplying percussion for the Wailers until the middle of the decade. In 1976, at Joe Gibbs’ studio, his precise playing appeared on several landmark releases, among them Culture’s “Two Sevens Clash,” Althea And Donna’s “Up Town Top Ranking,” and Dennis Brown’s “Money In My Pocket.” Further contributions included the Mighty Diamonds’ “Right Time” and the creative percussion parts on Planet Earth. Session work persisted into the arrival of digital reggae, when economic pressures abruptly removed the demand for live musicians. Thompson is now widely regarded as an elder statesman whose role in the early ska recordings received formal recognition nearly three decades after the fact.