Christopher Birch
Born in Birch Hill, St James, Jamaica, Christopher Birch entered the music business following in the footsteps of his brother Winston Birch. He began learning music at Montego Bay’s Boys Club and Herbert Morrison High school. His first instrument was the cornet, then the trumpet. He also learned the piano, but that was because he wanted to play Whitney Huston and Karen White songs to impress the girls at school.
Days of it were spent going back and forth between Herbert Morrison and the Boy’s Club walking over the train tracks. Those were some of the best days of his life. After high school, he was on the hotel scene in Montego Bay, as part of his brother’s band, playing keyboards. He also played for other local bands on the circuit. He then moved on to work with Negril Hedonism II and Grand Lido. In 1991 he joined the Sane Band, playing for international Reggae artists like Garnet Silk and Tony Rebel among others.
Joining the famous 809 Band in 1993, he moved to Kingston, working with artists such as Nambo, Dean Frazer, Chico, Gibby, Bo Pee, Paul Kastick, Micheal Fletcher and Desi Roots. They were the best teachers Birch could have had.
Being the youngest in the band, they were like parents to him. They played for legends like the late Dennis Brown and Gregory Isaacs, Freddie McGregor, The Mighty Diamonds, Beres Hammond, Frankie Paul, Marcia Griffits, Judy Mowatt, Bob Andy, Sugar Minnott, Lieutnant Stichie, Papa San, Ninja Man, Buju Banton, and Bounty Killer.
As one of the original members of the band Shy Guy, he started playing for Diana King in 1996. It was a great experience as the diverse sound broadened his musical horizon. He joined the Big Yard family tour with Shaggy in 1997. Did the Bombastic world tour enjoying every minute of it. Then they went into the studio with Robert Livingston and recorded the album ´´The Midnight Lover´´, before heading back on tour.
While on the road he turned to producing, creating Longman Productions. In an interview he stated, “It’s my first UFO pace, it just made me hungry for more.” He wanted to make an album titled ‘Longman and Friends’, but Shaggy heard the tracks and loved them, and used one for the title track of his breakthrough multi-platinum album, Hot Shots.
He continued producing for Big Yard, before moving on to form Birchill Music in 2004. Since then, Birch has been making dancehall and reggae music that has been embraced by the music community around the world. Some of the rythms Birch has created include Salsa, Thriller, Millitary, Gansta Rock, My Swing, Cry baby, Wild Tonight, Get Fresh, Limbo, Ghetto Blues, Mash up, Drink and Party and Sexy Back to name a few.
Other rhythms include Birchill Swing, Sunblock Rhythm, Klymaxx Rhythm, Tun Ova Riddim, 12 To 12 Rhythm, One Don Rhythm, the Bounce Rhythm and many more. One of his riddims – The Moskato Riddim featuring Konshens with the chart-topping hit “Bruk Off Yuh Back” was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry for selling over 200,000 units in the UK.
Music is his life and Birch thinks that love is a big part of what the world needs right now. He would like to keep Reggae and Dancehall strong.
As far as Birch is concerned, he isn’t even a producer.
“I am a musician that loves to play music,” he said. “Being a producer is kind of like being in the kitchen cooking food.”
The highly respected producer said he got pleasure from the journey rather than the destination.
“I am still learning along the way,” he said. “The destination is good, but the journey is the better part of it, because while the destination is good, it is also where the problems are. You know how the saying goes, ‘more money, more problems’.”
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