Not very ‘Kool Runnings’ for singer Errol Dunkley
Veteran looking for album distributor
Published:Sunday | October 31, 2021 | 12:07 AMSade Gardner - Staff Reporter
Veteran singer Errol Dunkley describes his Kool Runnings album as one of the best he’s ever done, but he’s been having a hard time finding distributors for the 12-track set.
The project premiered in December with a mix of original and cover songs, of which guitarist Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith, drummer Kirk Bennett and the Roots Radics band played part.
“I put a lot into it and I had some real professionals with over 40, 50 years experience work on it, like Steven Stanley who is coming from Island Records days,” Dunkley told The Sunday Gleaner. “He’s very expensive and he mixed it down so I tried to get the best for the album, but the outlet is weak.”
He added that it is through the promotional support of UK band Dub Natty Sessions that the album has picked up overseas.
“They’re the ones who are sort of getting it established in England and Europe cause you can find it on YouTube,” he said. “I’m trying to get a good company to licence it to, as there’s no power behind it. I need some help with it. It’s selling online anyhow, but I need it to be established some more. I need a lot of promotion on it.”
The pandemic has made the latter challenging as he said he could have utilised touring as a means of promotion, likewise press CDs. Nonetheless, he’s looking to go on a six-month tour with Dub Natty Sessions starting in March next year. The tour will cover the US, Canada, Europe and South America.
Despite his distribution dilemma, Dunkley is pleased that his other 2020 album, O.K. Fred: Storybook Revisited, is being promoted in various markets. The project was released by London-based Burning Sounds label and hosts 14 tracks including the hit title track, Black Cinderella, Please Stop Your Lying and You’re Gonna Need Me.
“I did that album in England and it’s a big company so they have strength behind fi dem ting,” he said. “I had a O.K. Fred album before (1980) but this album is a cover album. Most of the songs are songs I’ve done before, but the company request me doing them again as well as a couple other cover songs.”
Dunkley is considering starting a new album, but is waiting until he makes headway with Kool Runnings.