MARCUS YABBA GRIFFITHS & TRAXX

A multi-talented musician whose repertoire includes vocalist, song
writer, performer, arranger, band leader, guitarist and producer, Marcus
Yabba Griffiths was born in Manchester Parish, Jamaica, and from age 11
he lived in Kingston. A member of the vocal group, Gold Tones, Griffiths
recorded a single entitled "Girl Exposer" for Duke Reid's Treasure Isle
Label, and caught the attention of Rendford Cogle (songwriter for The
Melodians). Gogle wrote "Lock Love Away" for Griffiths to sing on Sonia
Pottinger's Hi-Note Label and, in 1969, the song went to #8 on the Top
Ten charts in Jamaica. This same year he recorded a song for Clancy
Eccles, "Don't Break The Heart That Love You," and later re-recorded the
song - and another which was never released - for Clement "Coxsone" Dodd
of Studio One.


Moving from singing to playing guitar as a studio musician, Griffiths
worked with the great musicians and singers of Jamaica - Bunny Wailer,
Soul Syndicate, Gregory Isaacs, Roots Radics, Carlton and Family Man
Barrett, Ronnie Davis, Lloyd Parks, Winston Grennan, Jackie Jackson, Hux
Brown, Winston Wright, Lynn Taitt, Jackie Mittoo, Robbie Shakespeare,
Sly Dunbar, The Tamlins, Bobby Colphat, and many others.


Griffiths joined Charles Hannah and The Graduates in 1972, and 1974
found him touring Jamaica with Solid Foundation. During this time, he
recorded the first version of his big hit, "Devil Woman," featuring The
Tamlins; Devil Woman was released as a single in the U.S. and U.K. in
1976 and captured "hit song" status in metropolitan New York and
Chicago.


In 1976, he toured the U.S. with Big Youth and the band Creation. After
the tour ended he joined The Black Eagles (now known as Morgan
Heritage), then moved to New York City in 1977 to form Yahtova (God
Love). Still based in New York, Griffiths, with Patrick "Shaka" Hochen,
founded Traxx in 1979; Griffiths and Traxx relocated to Chicago, IL, in
1980, briefly joining forces with Alligator Records.


Marcus Yabba Griffiths & Traxx released its first album, Thrill Of
Victory, in 1986 on the New York based Gyasi label; Thrill Of Victory
was named one of the best new albums of the year in Europe.  During the
summer of 1989, Griffiths met producer Greg Errico, a founding member
of Sly & The Family Stone, and Errico produced Traxx's second album,
Reviver, recorded in Sausalito, CA.


Griffiths's third album, Only Yabba, was recorded in 1997 and released
in 1998 on Myjaki Records; Only Yabba features 11 songs including "Baby
Sugar," a re-make of "Devil Woman." Good Reggae Music, an ep-cd
featuring four songs, was released April 7 on Griffiths's Su-Cram
Records label, and will be followed by a full length cd entitled
The Yabba Griffiths's Story, also on Su-Cram and scheduled for release
in late July.


Griffiths's awards and honors include...


    Chicago's First Reggae Festival Arts Award - 1982
        #1 Reggae Band
        Best Male Vocalist
    2nd Annual International Reggae Music Arts Awards - 1983
        Most Talented Musician
    4th Annual Chicago Reggae Music Awards - 1984
        Most Outstanding Showman
    5th Annual Chicago Reggae Music Awards - 1985
        Best Male Vocalist
    7th Annual Chicago Reggae Music Awards- 1987
        Outstanding Contributions To Reggae Music
    8th Annual Chicago Reggae Music Awards - 1988
        Most Talented Musician
    9th Annual Chicago Reggae Music Awards - 1989
        Most Talented Entertainer
        Best Male Vocalist
    9th Annual International Reggae Music Arts Awards - 1990
        Outstanding Contributions To Reggae Music
    10th Annual Chicago Reggae Music Awards - 1990
        Most Talented Musician
    11th Annual Chicago Reggae Music Awards - 1991
        Outstanding Contributions To Reggae Music
    12th Annual Chicago Reggae Music Awards - 1992
        Best Song for "More Jamaican"
    13th Annual Chicago Reggae Music Awards - 1993
        Most Outstanding Musician
    14th Annual Chicago Reggae Music Awards - 1994
        Most Talented Entertainer
    15th Annual Chicago Reggae Music Awards - 1995
        Most Talented Entertainer


Traxx is:
        Marcus Yabba Griffiths - lead vocals, guitar
        Anthony Lewis - bass guitar
        Jubal Davis - rhythm and bass guitar
        Muntheru Shah - drums, percussion
        Charles Taylor - keyboards, background vocals
        Russell Owens - keyboards, background vocals
        Mandingo Guadelupe - percussion, drums, background vocals


Marcus Yabba Griffiths & Traxx's performances includes concerts at The
Taste Of Chicago, Evanstan Ethnic Arts Festival, Rock Island, Ya Maka Ma
Weekend, Grand Emporium, Music Box, Park West, Cubby Bear, House Of
Blues, 1st Avenue, Cabooze, Wild Hare, and many more. They have shared
the stage with Roland Alphonso, Yellowman, Marcia Griffiths, Bob Andy,
Dean Frazer, Tony Rebel, Ken Parker, Dennis Brown, Freddie McGregor, The
Mighty Sparrow, Ken Boothe, Toots & The Maytals, The Mighty Diamonds,
Burning Spear, Steel Pulse, and many others.


For information on Marcus Yabba Griffiths & Traxx, visit
http://members.aol.com/Nettie4725/traxx.html. A new web site for Traxx
is currently being developed and will be announced in the near
future.


Marcus Yabba Griffiths is available for interviews; contact:


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   Entertainment Works (RAW #72)
      Telephone 540/888-4916
 E-mail   nanlewis@crosslink.net
  www.entertainmentworks.com
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