Kiddus I himself is a mysterious figure. His song "Graduation in Zion" was featured on the soundtrack to the 1978 film Rockers, but little has been heard of him since the early '80s. Born Frank Dowding in St Mary in 1954, Kiddus (which) means "Blessed One " in Amharic) operated a Rasta commune and crafts center (Zap Pow, the band who brought us non other than Beres Hammond and whose horn section included David Madden and Nambo who went on to play with Bob Marley, Sly and Robbie and more) at 1C Oxford Road (Kingston, JA) : it's location at the juncture of Uptown and Downtown meant persons of all social strata could meet in a harmonious atmosphere. A graduate of Ras Michael's Sons Of Negus, a key member of The Wailers milieu, and a Black Ark artist, his recordings - centred on the Roots Reggae period - are marked by the openness of their musical horizons, and a striking originality and integrity. (Also during this era he was a key voice raised in the Jamaican music industry against political oppression.) Kiddus I's disdain for careerism has held him back from the spotlight though, and few of his recordings were released, aside from a 7" and a couple of 12"s recorded with Lee "Scratch" Perry at the Black Ark and the track 'Graduation in Zion' as featured on the 'Rockers' soundtrack. Kiddus I was also a very prominant member of the 1978 Peace Movement, praising the efforts of "brother Claudie, brother Buckie, Tony" on record with "Security In The Streets" issued on his Shepards label. On a contemporary note, Kiddus I has waited 27 years to release Inna de Yard, his full-length debut on the Makasound label in 2005. Its acme, No Salvation Until, honours reggae’s timeless one-drop rhythm; the bulk of Inna de Yard feels like blues bred on the Mississippi Delta. More recently a compilation of his 70s and 80s tunes have been released through the Japanese label 'Dubstore', who plan to release another 2 compilations of unreleased tunes over 2007 and 2008.
