The Twinkle Brothers are a Jamaican reggae band formed in 1962 by brothers Norman (vocals, drums) and Ralston Grant (vocals, rhythm guitar) from Falmouth, Jamaica.
After winning local talent competitions, they recorded their first single, "Somebody Please Help Me," in 1966 for producer Leslie Kong. This was followed by sessions for other top Jamaican producers such as Duke Reid, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Sid Bucknor, Phil Pratt, and Bunny Lee. The band worked in the late 1960s and early 1970s on the island's hotel circuit, playing a mixture of calypso, soul, pop, and soft reggae, and in the early 1970s, they began producing their own recordings. Their debut album, Rasta Pon Top, was released in 1975, featuring strongly Rastafarian oriented songs such as "Give Rasta Praise" and "Beat Them Jah Jah".
Since the early 1990s Twinkle Brothers have been regularly collaborating with the Polish band Trebunie-Tutki in which they fuse reggae and traditional music from the Tatra Mountains.
Currently lead by founding member Norman Grant - as well as legendary bass player Dub Judah, Black Steel & Jerry Lions on guitar, Aron Shamash on the keyboards, Barry Prince on drums, and their engineer Derek "Demondo" Fevrier - the Twinkle Brothers are widely considered to be one of the best live foundation reggae bands in circulation, and they continue to play regularly all over the world to a loyal fanbase.
Links to Peel[]
Peel seemed to have first played the group's material in 1978 when he played tracks from their album, Love. The album was nominated by Peel as one of his 1978 Top Twenty Albums, published in Sounds music paper on 30th December 1978. Further records from the group, including a session recorded for his programme in 1981 were played by Peel. He also played tracks from their collaboration with Polish folk group, Trebunie-Tutki, in 1993.
Sessions[]
1. Recorded: 1981-09-23. First Broadcast: 01 October 1981. Repeated: 02 November 1981, 30 December 1981
- Never Get Burned / Me No You / Rasta Pon Top / I'm Longing For You
Other Shows Played[]
- 1978
- 21 April 1978: Free Africa (LP - Love) Front Line
- 1979
- 18 April 1979: King Pharoah (12" - Keep On Trying) Front Line
- 24 October 1979: Jahoviah (12") Front Line
- 1980
- 28 July 1980: Jah Kingdom Come (album - Countrymen) Virgin
- 02 August 1980 (BFBS): Jah Kingdom Come (album - Countrymen) Virgin
- 12 August 1980: One Head (LP - Countrymen) Virgin
- 16 August 1980 (BFBS): Since I Throw The Comb Away (album - Countrymen) Virgin
- 19 August 1980: I Don't Want To Be Lonely Anymore (album - Countrymen) Virgin
- 27 August 1980: Since I Threw The Comb Away (LP – Countrymen) Virgin
- 04 October 1980 (BFBS): Jah Kingdom Come (album – Countrymen) Virgin
- 10 November 1980: Jah Kingdom Come (12" - Never Get Burn) Front Line
- 1981
- 22 February 1981 (BFBS): Africa For The Africans (12") Twinkle Music
- 04 May 1981: Robot (12") Twinkle Music
- 19 May 1981: Truble De Yah (LP - Me No You - You No Me) Twinkle Music
- 04 June 1981 (BFBS): Stealing (album - Me No You - You No Me) Twinkle
- 04 June 1981 (BFBS): Trouble Day (album - Me No You - You No Me) Twinkle
- 04 October 1981 (BFBS): Rasta P'on Top (7") Twinkle Music
- 07 October 1981: Rasta P'on Top (Extended) (12" - Rasta P'on Top / It Gwine Dread'A) Twinkle Music
- 22 October 1981 (BFBS): Rasta P'on Top (7") Twinkle Music
- 1982
- 25 November 1982: The World Was One (LP - Underground) Twinkle Music
- 29 December 1982 (BFBS): Battle Field (album - Underground) Twinkle Music
- 1983
- 04 January 1983: Battle Field (album - Underground) Twinkle Music
- 27 August 1983 (BFBS): Don't Jump The Fence (12") Twinkle Music
- 1992
- 20 March 1992: 'Praise Jah In The Morning (Compilation CD-Talent Spotting)' (Twinkle)
- 20 November 1992: Translation Dub (CD – Dub With Strings) Twinkle Music
- 06 December 1992 (BFBS): Translation Dub (LP - Dub With Strings) Twinkle
- 1993
- 08 January 1993 (& Trebunie-Tutki): Skanking On The Grass (Wiecno) (LP – Higher Heights & Twinkle Inna Polish Stylee) Twinkle Music
- 22 January 1993 (& Trebunie-Tutki): The Source (Spod Jawora) (LP – Higher Heights & Twinkle Inna Polish Stylee) Twinkle Music
- 23 January 1993 (BFBS) (& Trebunie-Tutki): Skanking On The Grass (Wiecno) (LP – Higher Heights & Twinkle Inna Polish Stylee) Twinkle Music