TOP REGGAE ACT!
EEK-A-MOUSE (Jamaica)
Born Ripton Hylton, Eek-A-Mouse grew up in Trench Town which he calls 'a first-class ghetto' of Kingston, Jamaica and is one of the most individual talents to emerge from the small reggae island. With his unique phrasing and singing style, he became instantly famous and began singing already in elementary school by age 15. In 1981 (24 years old) he scored his breakthrough hit "Wa Do Dem", a song that established his signature vocal acrobatics as a favourite sound with reggae audiences worldwide, topping the charts in Jamaica and England. That same year he convinced the organisers of Jamaica's "Reggae Sunsplash" Festival to let him perform as an unscheduled opening act. He tore the place down with his electrifying performance and had the 40,000+ audience on its feet screaming for more. He was immediately booked to play two nights at the next year's festival. 1982 brought his first U.S. record deal and he left Kingston and hit the road and has been touring extensively ever since with 150 - 200 concerts a year. Albums like 'U-Neek' (1991), 'Black Cowboy' (1996) and the new 'Eeksperience' strongly proves Eek-A-Mouse's to be one of the best performers Jamaican reggae music has ever seen.
Eek-A-Mouse is the originator and finest exponent of that particular form of reggae, which has become known as "sing-jay". Sing-jay is a combination of singing and dee-jaying, (referred to in Jamaica as 'toasting') embellished with an assortment of unusual vocal sound effects. In the percussive and nasal aspects of his vocalisations, Eek-A-Mouse is reminiscent of African and Brazilian singers, with an element of Eastern tonality. The Boston Globe called him "the Al Jarreau of reggae".
He also has a great sense of humour and ability to laugh at himself and the world. A fan of horseracing, he consistently lost money on a horse named "Eek-A-Mouse" that never even finished. He finally gave up betting on the horse, which promptly won ! The teasing of his friends led to the new nickname and he decided to keep it. But Eek-A-Mouse is more than an ordinary singer/D.J, which his entertaining live performances are clear evidence of. Legendary show-biz spectacles that combine myriad vocal personalities with elaborate and outrageous stage costumes (gladiator, pirate, jockey, Mexican bandit, Chinese coolie, you name it), is an important part of his stage show.
Come and check out what the Jamaican cowboy has to offer you when he enters the stage at Loppen!
Support coming soon.
Sky Juice Sound System will play both before and after the concert.