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For over twenty years, Triston Palma has been delighting listeners around the world with his sweet voice and cultural vibes. Though reggae has gone through many changes since the '70s, Triston has endured, always staying true to roots and culture. He has given reggae one of its biggest dancehall anthems, "Entertainment," which still rams the dance whenever it is played, and he has scored hits around the world up to this day.
Triston Palma was born in 1962 in Waltham Park, Kingston 13, Jamaica. By the time he was just ten years old, he was singing backing vocals for Sugar Minott and Tony Tuff, as well as singing with Earl "Chinna" Smith's Soul Syndicate band. While still very young, Triston recorded his first single, "Love Is A Message," for Bunny Lee's Justice label. Throughout his teens, Triston's reputation as a sweet voiced vocalist continued to grow, culminating in his breakout performance in 1979 at the General Penitentiary Memorial Concert for Claudie Massop, which also featured Bob Marley. Around the same time, Triston started his own label, Black Solidarity, with Ossie Thomas. His first big hit on the label was "A-Class Girl," which was followed by "I'm Ready," "Susan," "What A Bubbling," and "Spliff Tale." All of these tunes were number one hits on the Jamaican charts.
As the '80s began, the best was yet to come. Jah Thomas, who had been residing in England, came over to Jamaica to check out the young singer everyone was talking about. Their association led to one of the biggest dancehall hits of all time: the aforementioned "Entertainment." Triston recorded over thirty more tunes for Jah Thomas in the early '80s, including "Give Me A Chance" and "Joker Smoker." At one point, Triston had nine songs in Jamaica's Top 40 at the same time, and this was before he had even reached the age of twenty! Also in the early '80s, Triston recorded a couple of albums for Linval Thompson, as well as a few tracks for Henry "Junjo" Lawes, two of the biggest producers of the day. His song "Folly Ranking" was a big hit for producer George Phang. Triston also recorded for, and sing with, Sugar Minott's Black Roots label and Youth Promotion sound system. Two of his efforts from this time, "Mathematics Love" and "School Days," can be found on Easy Star Records' Hidden Treasures (ES-1003) and Hidden Treasures Volume Two (ES-1005), respectively.
In 1985, Triston recorded the single "Land of Africa" with Freddie McGregor, Gregory Isaacs, Third World, Steel Pulse, and Mutabaruka, to benefit famine relief in Africa. In the late '80s, when the computerized sound of modern dancehall became all the rage and slack deejays began to predominate the charts, Triston and many other cultural singers stepped back from the spotlight a bit. Triston used this time to concentrate on honing his production skills, which culminated in 1995's Three Against War, which featured Triston, his good friend Dennis Brown, and a then up-and-coming deejay named Beenie Man. This album, along with another self-produced effort, 1998's Born Naked, won Triston a whole new legion of fans.
In the year 2000, Triston Palma linked up with Easy Star Records to put together his latest album, Two Roads. Produced by Triston, his manager, Steve Ibanez, and engineer Nigel Burrell, it is a collection of songs about love, faith, and life in the ghetto. For the recordings, Triston assembled many of reggae's greatest musicians, including the Roots Radics, Sly & Robbie, Robbie Lyn, and Benjy Myaz. Several songs off the record have already been released as singles in Jamaica, such as "Never Be Ungrateful," "Get Up," and "The Struggle," which features Norris Man.
The title cut, "Two Roads," has just been released as a single by Easy Star. Moreover, Triston is working with Easy Star to produce several more singles featuring some of Jamaica's top singers and deejays, including Luciano, Beres Hammond, Anthony B., and more.
Releases
1981
Presenting
1982
Fancyness
Joker Lover
Joker Smoker
Show Case
Touch Me, Take Me
Nice Time (Triston Palmer & Toyan)
1983
Settle Down Girl
1984
The Big Showdown (Phillip Frazer & Triston Palma)
1985
Triston Palma Meets Early B The Doctor (Triston Palma Meets Early B The Doctor)
I And I And Inity (Triston Palmer & Phillip Frazer)
Compilations
Entertainment - 1980
Spliff Tail - 1981
The Best Of - 1981
Triston Palma Meets Michael Palmer - Triston Palma Meets Michael Palmer - 1982-84
Triston Palmer Meets Jah Thomas In Discostyle - Triston Palmer Meets Jah Thomas - 1984
Productions
Phillip Frazer & Triston Palma - The Big Showdown - 1984
Robert Ffrench - The Favourite - 1985
Triston Palmer - Fancyness - 1982
Triston Palmer - The Best Of 1985
Appears on
Dancehall Explosion
For Health And Strength
Haul & Pull Up Selecta
Bad Boys
Spliff Tail
How Can A Man Be Happy (12'' Version)
Hidden Treasures
Mathematics Love
Hidden Treasures Vol 2
School Days
I And I And Inity
Love You Need You
Love You Dub
If You Could Meet Somebody
Somebody Dub
What A Struggling
Struggle Dub
Jah Jah Dreader Than Dread
Rubadub Session
Let's Go To The Blues
Don't Make Me Cry
Heart Breaker
I The First Time
Midnight Rock Classics Vol 1
Run Around Woman
Entertainment - Two Bad Dj Haffe Talk
Nice Time
Fussing & Fighting
Mona Lisa
Sit A Wonder
Nice Time
Walk Out On Mev
Sometimes Lover
Roots Dancehall Party
Runaround Woman - Black A Fi Mi Beauty
Roots Reggae Party Vol 1
Butti Fi True
Shank I Sheck
The Big Showdown
What A Bubbling
Dance Hall Fan
Out A Hand
Buy Out The Bar
The Biggest Dancehall Anthems
Entertainment
Triston Palma Meets Early B The Doctor
Trash And ReadyVersion
Tek Set Pon Me
Version 18
Dance One Tune
Version 20
Triston Palma Meets Michael Palmer
Joker Smoker
Babylon
Sad News
Peace And Love In The Ghetto
Ghetto Living
Please Stop Your Lying
Sing Along
The First Time Girl
Lover Man
Triston Palmer Meets Jah Thomas In Discostyle
That's All I Want
For Health And Strength
Times So Hard
Entertainment
Runaround Woman
Got To Praise Jah Jah
Reggae Taking Over
Give Me A Chance
Heartbreaker
Woman Woman
Trojan 12" Box Set
Settle Down Girl
Trojan Dancehall Box Set
Touch Me Take Me
Shank I Shenk
Trojan Dancehall Roots Box Set
Peace And Love (In The Ghetto)
Time So Hard
Got To Praise Jah Jah
Trojan Roots and Culture Box Set
Babylon
Vintage Various Artists 70s-80s
You Go Your Ways
Vocals
Triston Palma - Presenting [1981]
Triston Palma Meets Early B The Doctor - Triston Palma Meets Early B The Doctor [198X]
Triston Palma Meets Michael Palmer - Triston Palma Meets Michael Palmer [1982-84]
Triston Palmer - Entertainment
Triston Palmer - Joker Lover
Triston Palmer - Joker Smoker
Triston Palmer - Show Case
Triston Palmer & Phillip Frazer - I And I And Inity
Triston Palmer & Toyan - Nice Time
Backing Vocals
Freddie McGregor - Come On Over
Freddie McGregor - Rhythm So Nice
Sugar Minott - Ghetto-ology
Tony Tuff - Presenting Mr Tuff
