Geoffrey Chung

b. c.1950, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies, d. November 1995. Chung began his career in the Peter Ashbourn Affair playing middle-of-the-road reggae tunes. In the early 70s he formed the Now Generation session band with his brother Mikey Chung, Val Douglas, Mikey ‘Boo’ Richards, Earl ‘Wire’ Lindo and Robert Lynn. He was also responsible for Sharon Forrester’s debut, ‘Silly Wasn’t I’, backed by the Now Generation. The group released a number of reggae cover versions, including a rendering of ‘Alone Again Naturally’ released in 1973. His synthesizer skills were demonstrated on the Harry J. release ‘U.F.O.’, credited to Geffrey Chang Allstars. In 1974 Chung concentrated on Forrester’s career, playing virtually all of the instruments, producing, arranging and composing tracks for her debut, Sharon, notably ‘Words With No Meaning’. The collection was named best reggae album of the year by Melody Maker. His diverse skills enabled him to set up his own Edge Productions, where he enjoyed notable hits with the Heptones and Marcia Griffiths. Both hits were cover versions of popular Philly Sound releases - Harold Melvin And The Bluenotes’ ‘I Miss You’ from the Heptones and the Three Degrees’ ‘When Will I See You Again’, which maintained Griffiths’ chart profile. So popular was the latter hit that Ken Boothe recorded a reply, ‘Now You Can See Me Again’. In 1975 Chung performed with the Rastafarian group Ras Michael And The Sons Of Negus. The group recorded an album, Rastafari, which won critical acclaim by successfully integrating reggae rhythms with traditional burra drumming. At Dynamics studio Chung played keyboards alongside such luminaries as Peter Tosh (guitar and clavinet), Robbie Shakespeare (bass guitar), Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith (lead guitar), Carlton ‘Santa’ Davis (drums) and Tommy McCook (flute). The album surfaced in the UK with a gatefold sleeve, something quite unusual in reggae circles, and soon topped the charts. When Inner Circle signed the rights to Reggae Thing with Capitol Records, Chung played keyboards and provided backing vocals, notably on ‘80, 000 Careless Ethiopians’. In the early 80s Chung became the resident engineer at Byron Lee’s Dynamics Sound Studio. His engineering skills were employed by Peter Tosh following his contribution on Bush Doctor. Chung mixed the recordings at Dynamics in Kingston and flew to Sound Mixers and A&R in New York to remix the follow-ups Mystic Man and Wanted Dread And Alive. The projects resulted in Chung being assisted by his brother Mikey who had become a member of Word Sound And Power. As well as his high international profile, Chung also played on sessions with melodica maestro Augustus Pablo, notably on Africa Must Be Free By 1983, Hugh Mundell’s masterpiece. With Freddie McGregor, Chung co-produced a hit in 1985 for Frankie Paul, ‘Inferiority Complex’, which was one of the first of the singer’s numerous international hits. By the late 80s Chung set up home in Miami where he was a successful producer and engineer. In November 1995, Chung died of kidney failure, and to mark his contribution to reggae a tribute concert was held featuring a number of artists with whom he had worked, including Sly And Robbie, Lieutenant Stitchie, Chalice and Pablo Moses.