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Bim Sherman Obituary by Steve Barker Born in Westmoreland, Jamaica on 2 February 1950 the singer who became known as Bim Sherman had many aliases - Jarrett Tomlinson, Jarrett Vincent, Lloyd Vincent, Bim Shieman, Lloyd Tomlinson, J.L.Vincent etc. The names Vincent and Tomlinson came from Lloyd's mother and father respectively. Jamaican singers of the sixties and seventies found it a commercial necessity to change names as they moved from label to label, just like the North America's rural bluesmen of an earlier age changed names as they moved from town to town. Bim Sherman did not ascribe his love of music to any one person but rather to his family, with whom he would attend church services and Sunday school. But as he became older, he would go to the local dancehall: "... I always knew I could make the music, ever since I was small and it was all I wanted to do. I remember growing up and listening to it, singing along with it and feeling the power of it, which is the other side of roots, and feeling light-headed... " In the early seventies the young Sherman swapped trades from fisherman to electrician when he moved in with one of his brothers in central Kingston. His closest musical friends were Keith Porter and Ronnie Davis, who would go on to form premier vocal group the Itals, but his first recording experience was with his early mentor Gladstone "Gladdy" Anderson at the famous Treasure Isle studios. But things did not work out as well as he hoped, or as he once so eloquently put it "things just go boof!" So his first record to be released was cut at the Federal studio with Sid Bucknor who was the engineer for "100 Years (in Babylon)". "Love Forever" followed, a self-financed affair on the Element label and then came a string of tunes now recognised as reggae roots classics on Sherman's own Scorpio, Red Sea and Sun Dew imprints. These singles met with a degree of local success and appreciation which convinced him to continue, but in Jamaica there was always a kind of pressure: "Lots of people like Randy's or Joe Gibbs want to record me, and even producers before them like Coxsone. But its not easy in JA (Jamaica) to get what you want out of recording and those people have a range of tricks they use to oppress you..." Like so many other young Jamaicans in the seventies Sherman decided to try his luck in the UK, after being persuaded to join 1979's "Roots Encounter" tour alongside renowned toaster Prince Far I, Creation Rebel and Prince Hammer. In fact his first album "Love Forever" had been issued a year earlier on the Tribesman label, including the title tune plus nine other previous Jamaican singles. Sherman settled in the UK cementing a friendship and business relationship with the young maverick reggae producer Adrian Sherwood, a long-time admirer of the singer. The connection with Sherwood's On U Sound label led to collaborations with a vast range of musicians, artists and producers including Gary Clail, with whom he appeared on Top of the Pops crooning on his "Human Nature" smash hit of 1991, Akabu, Tackhead, Japan's Audio Active, the Sabres of Paradise, Groove Corporation, Bomb the Bass and latterly Sinead O'Connor. In 1994 Sherman re-recorded six of his old tunes in an acoustic session at Richard Branson's Manor Studios, accompanied by Skip McDonald on guitar and Talvin Singh on tablas. A trip to Bombay followed where India's finest film musicians provided the extra layers of sound that resulted in 1994's "Miracle", the album which is probably Sherman's masterpiece and a fitting testament to reggae's sweetest voice. What marked Bim Sherman out from his contemporaries was not just his plaintively sweet vocal delivery, or the matching subtlety of his songwriting, but the fact that throughout his career he maintained a fierce defence of his own independence as an artist, keeping control of his output both creatively and commercially. Lloyd Jarrett Vincent (Bim Sherman), singer and songwriter, born Westmoreland, Jamaica 2 February 1950, (five children), died London 17 November 2000. Adrian Sherwood's sleevenotes to Love Forever CD All great singers and vocalists have one thing in common - their voice stands out like a uniquely tuned instrument that only one person can play. Bim Sherman is a singer/songwriter with a truly golden tone. I have been throughout his whole career a huge fan. I first heard one of Bims songs while working in PAMA records Soundville Shop in Harlesden, London, in the mid 1970's. "Love Forever" on the Element label was the first in a succession of Jamaican singles, his was like a voice from the wilderness, the lyrics and fragile power ensured that in every subsequent batch of imports I was looking out for a new Sherman record. I wasn't disappointed. In the following four years Bim continued writing with his friend Bob West. The bulk of this work was also self produced appearing on his own Scorpio and Red Sea labels. Bim also cut songs for local producers Jaman, Prince Far-I, Jah Lloyd (aka Jah Lion) and Jah Woosh. During this same period of time (1975-1979) U.K. based sound system operator Lloyd Coxsone released a collection of the Scorpio/Red Sea singles as "Love Forever". This was a vinyl only release and is so rare I don't know anyone including Coxsone who has a copy! Also released was a showcase style album of vocals followed by dub versions, another almost impossible to find collection entitled "Lovers Leap". Contained on this CD are virtually all the original Scorpio/Red Sea singles that were featured in the "Love Forever" album and more extremely rare tracks including productions by Jah Woosh and Jah Lloyd. The last track (cut from a dub plate) is entitled "100 Years" which was Bims first ever recording. In 1995 I'm proud to say I worked alongside Skip McDonald and Talvin Singh on the production of "Miracle", Bims acoustic masterpiece. Featured on this CD are the original versions of four of those songs: "Golden Locks", "Just Can't Stand It", "It Must Be A Dream", "My Whole World". This is a truly classic selection of Bim Shermans early work. Bim is still one of my all time favourite artistes - enjoy, Adrian Sherwood Love Forever: The Classic Jamaican Recordings (Century)
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