Robert Ffrench

Ffrench gained his initial recognition through a performance of ‘In My Heart There Is A Song’ during the Jamaican Song Festival in 1984. That same year saw him appear at Reggae Sunsplash in Jarret Park, Montego Bay, captivating audiences via his take on the dance trend ‘Shoulder Move’. Momentum for his recordings built after a collaboration with the acclaimed DJ Clement Irie on the successful track ‘Bun And Cheese’. Its global appeal resulted in a one-rhythm album sharing that title. Recordings persisted into the 90s, encompassing an R&B cover of ‘Earth Angel’ along with ‘Too Young’ and ‘Modern Girl’. His standing as a writer and arranger strengthened in the late 80s through work with figures such as Johnny P on ‘Stamina’, Clement Irie on ‘Stop It’, Pliers, and Henkel Irie. After the 1994 hit ‘More Love’ featuring rapper Heavy D, the pair entered a one-album deal with Doctor Dread’s RAS label based in Washington. Ffrench joined Junior Reid for the well-received One Blood tour across the USA by late 1995, performing alongside Big Youth. The following year brought another partnership, this time with rapper Grand Puba—previously featured on a Shaggy recording—and Jeff Redd on the R&B-infused ‘Cry No More’, drawing from that prior fruitful team-up.