Yusimi Yusimi —
As a musician, singer Yusimi Yusimi developed his skills as a member of two respected bands. A student of roots-reggae, his songs bear the live sound he learned to appreciate during his time with the Fabulous Five and Monyaka.
Two of those songs, Dance With Me and Behold, are his current releases. They are from Automatic, his 2017 EP, which was self-produced for Yusimi Yusimi’s Sounds of Riddim company, and distributed by Zojak Worldwide.
“I started writing and playing in the mid-70s, so all of my songs are basically roots, rock reggae and some lovers rock. As you would say, old-school style reggae,” he told the Jamaica Observer. “I grew up in the era where it was mostly roots-reggae, so I have that feel.”
Automatic is the artiste’s biggest project since taking an extended break from recording and performing. According to Yusimi Yusimi, though he started with Fab Five in 1975, he still had a lot to learn about the music business, which he did during his interlude.
Yusimi Yusimi performs on mainly West Indian events in his hometown Atlanta including the Atlanta Jerk Festival. He is also a regular at venues like Vibes Club, Crazy Atlanta, and Moonshiners.
Getting his music out to a wide audience, he admits, takes some effort.
Originally from Manchester, Yusimi Yusimi was born Beres Barnett. Moving to Kingston in his late teens, he spent four years with Fab Five with whom he recorded sporadically.
The highlight of his time with that band was the song, Love Lost, which he did for the 1977 Festival Song Contest as a member of the group Reality. Jimmy London sang lead on the track.
Migrating to the United States in 1979, he stuck to music and joined Monyaka in the early 1980s. The band was a major force in New York reggae circles, backing top acts like Dennis Brown, Jimmy Cliff, Burning Spear, and Peter Tosh when they passed through the Big Apple.
Monyaka disbanded in 1987 and Yusimi Yusimi eventually relocated to Atlanta. He said the meticulously-produced Automatic is proof he is anything but a spent force.
“I restarted as a solo artiste after all this time learning the business and recording, so now I know that I’m seasoned and ready to go.”
— By Howard Campbell
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