Country: Jamaica
Jarret Lloyd Vincent (12 February 1950 – 17 November 2000), better known as Bim Sherman, was a Jamaican singer-songwriter celebrated for his deeply spiritual reggae music and distinctive vocal style, often hailed as “reggae’s sweetest voice.” Beginning his career in the mid-1970s, Sherman recorded roots and dub tracks in Jamaica with renowned bands such as Skin, Flesh and Bones, Soul Syndicate, and Sly and Robbie. He also provided backing vocals on Dr Alimantado’s Born for a Purpose, a record that helped introduce reggae to British punk audiences when John Lydon played it on Capital Radio. Beyond reggae, Sherman covered blues and R&B standards, incorporated hymn and folk melodies, and reinterpreted rocksteady tunes, demonstrating a versatility that allowed him to bridge Jamaican roots music with global influences. In the 1980s, Sherman relocated to London and became a key figure in the post-punk reggae scene, working extensively with Adrian Sherwood’s On-U Sound label. He collaborated with collectives such as New Age Steppers, Singers & Players, Dub Syndicate, and Justice League of Zion, alongside prominent musicians including Ari Up, Prince Far I, Style Scott, and Jah Woosh. Sherman’s work during this period expanded reggae into experimental and dub territories, while he also engaged with hip hop artists linked to Sugar Hill Records, reflecting his openness to cross-genre collaboration. Notable releases from this era include Devious Woman, contributions to Threat to Creation, and vocal and dub recordings for the Jah Shaka label. Towards the end of his life, Sherman took his music in a new direction by traveling to India to re-record his 1970s roots material with a full Indian classical orchestra, producing the acclaimed LP Miracle. This fusion of reggae and Indian music opened his work to new audiences and was followed by remixes and his album What Happened?. Tragically, Sherman was diagnosed…
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