Following in the footsteps of Gregory Issacs, John Holt, Ken Booth, Beris Hammond Freddie Mc gregor, and Dennis Brown. Ambelique (real name Owen George Anthony Silvera) has now joined that selective group of Artists from Jamaica who sing and perform deep soulful reggae the way it should be done.
There is an old saying “nothing happens before its time”. It could have been coined especially for Ambelique, who despite his wealth of current hits and rocketing popularity among grassroots enthusiasts, waited patiently for his breakthrough into the reggae big time. Then again,Ambelique is no ordinary singer. His tones of expressions and vocal technique are simple outstanding, and the soul in his voice so moving at times, the listener is reminded of early R&B greats such as Sam Cooke.
Jamaican by Birth, he was raised in the Waltham Park area of Kingston, the same neighbourhood that gave us Dennis Brown, Freddie McGregor,Sugar Minot and The Stewart Brothers [Tinga & Roman]. It was Ska and Rock steady Legend Derrick Harriot who took him to the Studio for the first time under the guise of Ramon The Mexican. He was the resident DJ on Harriott's Musical Chariot sound system and with the Crystalites recorded, "The Undertaker". The song featured Ambelique and Harriott performing a parody of the spaghetti western, A Fistful Of Dollars when they mimicked the dialogue between Clint Eastwood and the character of the undertaker. In deference to this particular film industry he recorded a sequel, "The Overtaker" where he claimed, "Ramon won't like this". Both songs later featured on Trojan Records' The Undertaker in 1970. These tracks also appeared alongside his other releases, "Golden Chickens" and "Undertaker Burial", on the 1999 release For A Few Dollars More. While with Harriott, Ambelique additionally performed in live concerts alongside artists such as, Scotty and the Chosen Few before relocating to the Bronx in New York City, USA.
It was in New York where he was introduced and worked along side Third World lead singer Bunny Rugs, with touring band Hugh Hendricks & The Buccaneers. Ambelique moved to Los Angels where he Joined a group called first with a group called Third Eye, then with Methuselem. During this time he embarked on self-producing project, under the guidance of the renowned Engineer / Producer Carl Pitterson,
In 1994 he returned to Jamaica and was introduced to Sly & Robbie the Jamaican musical giants by Noel Brown, and on the recommendation of Colin ''Bulby'' York - for whom he later recorded hits Lonely Soldier, Stick To The Task and Soldier On The Front Line. It was Sly & Robbie who gave him his long awaited entry into the Reggae mainstream, with his version of Brian McKnight's One Last Cry and R. Kelly's For You, both rocketing to the top of the New York Reggae charts in 1996, and hit Caribbean single 'Cuando Cuando' inspiring an entire album of covers entitled Ambelique Sings The Classics which was released the following year Recognizing the commercial potential, Island Jamaica soon issued he and Chevelle Franklin's cover of Richie Valen's La Bamba on CD single. Ambelique also contributed two songs to the Sly & Robbie & Friends Grammy winning album of 1999 - one of them Penny Lover and the other an unaccredited version of the Rolling Stones' Satisfaction featuring Keith Richards on guitar. The future looked bright from this most self-effacing of newcomers, but Island Jamaica folded, leaving Ambelique and Sly & Robbie to seek their fortunes elsewhere.
His R&B sound and feel worked beautifully on a handful of singles released after the Classic's Album e.g., Worker Man, Me Oh My and Is It Still Good To You Ambelique turned freelance soon after recording tracks for Gordon 'Flash' Lee, Fat Eyes and Clive Hunt in Jamaica- High Power, Phillip Smart [Shoulder To Cry On] Don One [Hands of Time] in the USA. The impact he created in America can be measured by the proliferation of tracks included on VP Records best selling Strictly the Best and Reggae Gold Series - .
In 2000 Amberlique shot to the top of the Reggae Charts with the songs Sheriff in Town & Bluer Than Blue both winning a place on the Rhythm Selector Serieson Jet Star
Ambelique singles has repeatedly appeared on the Jet Star compilation Albums, his work in the UK has also found success in the USA, with the hit Love Doctor topping the New York Reggae charts once again, he has completed albums for Phillip Smart, Don One and Jet Star, a late release of a track from his 2nd album also topped the charts in New York 'Share My Love' featuring Chevelle Franklin re-enstating him as the most popular lovers artist in this millennium Followed by Albums Love Got a Hold on me and Special Attention , Reggae Gold Classics each one holding a top spot in the Reggae Album Charts
Ambelique's new album on the Kuffe Record Label is set to be released in 2005, also to be released are two singles on the Vinyl Gems label a cover version of the Bread hit Single Make It With You and a original on the Wailers One Drop Rhythm.
A super songwriter as a master stylist, his objective is to make timeless music that will last for generations to come and true form has achieved this on virtually everything he has touched since re- entering the business during the mid-nineties. 'People just want to get famous and make money, but I want to make songs that still sell ten to twenty years from now'.
SELECTIVE DISCOGRAPHY :
Albums:
- Sings The Classics
- Love's Got A Hold On Me
- Missing You
- Special Attention
- Shower Me With Love
Singles :
- Sorry Baby - Ambelique
- Picking Up Packing Up - Ambelique
- Enough Is Enough - Ambelique
- Me Oh My - Ambelique
- Labamba - Ambelique/Chevelle Franklin
- Walk Away From Love - Ambelique
- Bluer Than Blues - Ambelique
- Agony - Ambelique
- Come Together - Ambelique
- Mr Talkative - Ambelique
- You're The One - Ambelique
- Our Prayer - Ambelique/Tapper Zukie/Chevelle
- This Love In Me - Ambelique
- You Were Mine - Ambelique
- Black Woman - Ambelique
- The Shoulder To Cry On - Ambelique
- It's Gonna Be Alright - Ambelique
- Put It Back - Ambelique
- Jah Is The Light - Ambelique
- Back Stabbers - Ambelique
- Don’t Do It - Ambelique
- Sad Love Song - Ambelique
- Heartless - Ambelique
- I Am A Believer - Ambelique
- Groove Me - Ambelique
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