Yishka

Yishka was born in Jamaica to Teddy Greaves, a well-known West Indies entertainer. When he reached the age of two the family relocated to the Bahamas, only to return to Jamaica during his late teenage years. Although trained on trumpet, he made his initial public vocal appearance alongside his father during a performance at a Montego Bay hotel. After relocating to Kingston he became a member of the United Stars, the ensemble that introduced him to the saxophone. One year afterward he entered the group Soul Syndicate, directed by Earl Smith and fronted by Freddie McGregor; the outfit enjoyed wide popularity and frequently opened for leading Jamaican reggae acts.

Yishka next undertook extensive studio session work. Following three years in that environment he settled in Miami, Florida, where he assembled Roots Uprising and contributed saxophone and occasional lead vocals. Ian and Roger Lewis captured two albums with the band, Beautiful Music and Magic City. He also appeared on a recording by the reggae collective Happiness Unlimited, the project discovered and overseen by Stevie Wonder.

Yearning for home, Yishka resettled in Jamaica in 1988 and resumed songwriting. He subsequently performed with the band Skool, handling vocals and saxophone duties. A few years later he became part of Riddim Force, which completed a twelve-month engagement in Japan. With assistance from producer Phillip Roane he completed his debut solo album, Yishka, the first in a series of independent releases.