mReggae.com: Federal Records

In the early 50s, Kenneth L Khouri, who was an immigrant from Lebanon, discovered a movable cutting machine in Jamaica. As soon as the adventurousness businessman spots the machine, which was second-hand imported equipment from America, surprisingly, he struck upon a good idea that could bring him fortune if he ventures a voice-letter business as a large number of Jamaicans were immigrating to England. Briefly, this is how the legendary Federal and the whole Jamaican recording industry got started.

At that time, Trinidadian music, Calypso was gaining popularity all over the world and Kenneth Khouri never missed this chance. He started to record Jamaican Mento bands at his small downtown office. In this small studio, local Mento and Jazz musicans gathered at the nighttime to record songs with a single microphone. Of course, the studio had no soundproof facility so they had to restart a recording session if a heavy vehicle passes by. Moreover, recording sessions were still continuing until the early morning, they had to record songs before birds start to sing. Those recordings were soon or later sent to Decca in England and they were pressed in 78rpm SP format. The records were imported back to Jamaica and sold at his general store.

Kenneth continued to develop his business by establishing Jamaica's first pressing plant called Record Limited and a recording studio so he could sell more of Mento music locally. Into the 1960's, the company name was changed to Federal Records and they build a new studio with the latest equipments. During the decade, many of the local producers such as Coxsone Dodd, Duke Reid & Price Buster visited the studio to record their early productions.

The eldest son of Kenneth Khouri, Paul Khouri recalls, "Bunny Goodison, a great engineer from Australia, was working for us. At that time, we were all learning. Equipments were very simple and music was very local. We all did not expect this would be recognized by world. Everything was just a fun!"

As Federal Records expands, he approached American major record companies such as Capital and others and became their franchise. They were now licensing worldwide hits to press and distribute within Jamaica. The agreement between them also provided him opportunities to visit their up-to-date studios and pressing plants in US where he was able to learn both technical and commercial sides of the business as well as chances to purchase secondhand equipments at low costs. Undoubtedly, Federal Records was monopolizing the Islands American popular music in terms of sales and distributions.

They had all facility needed for vinyl record productions. Recording studio, mastering studio, photo studio, design laboratory, and pressing plant were fully equipped. Paul said, "At 9 o'clock in the morning, an artist and musicians start their recording session, then track tapes were passed to the next room and to another room, the records were playing in the late afternoon at downtown record shops”

While Kenneth was enjoying his success in the late 60\'s, a fire broke out at the federal headquarter and the facility was partly damaged. The studio was reconstructed to an up-to-date world-class studio and ready to welcome first-class stars from all over the world. It is well known that American singer Paul Anka visited the studio and did a recording session. Apparently, it helped their name to be known in music circles. The studio asked Ernest Ranglin to join them as a musical director and continued to release commercial hits, which of many broke into local charts.

As the Cuban socialism starts affect the politics of Jamaica in the late 1970s, Kennth Khouri decided to immigrate to the United States. People, especially wealth people were afraid of socialism that could dispossess their assets and businesses. Eventually, he sold Federal Records to Bob Marley and became now Tuff Gong.

The humble Kenneth was always behind the scene therefore when people talk about the beginnings of the Jamaican music industry, majority would not mention his name. Only musical giants only recognize him as the godfather of the industry. Allegedly, Kenneth Khouri provided Coxsone Dodd\'s first mixing board. Chris Blackwell, the founder of Island Records, considers that he is one of the most significant figures in the Jamaican musicology. Indeed, he was playing an important role in the success of some greatest names in local music.

Although he was allegedly one of people inducted into the Jamaican National Honours and Awards for contribution to the development of Jamaican music, Kenneth died in 2003 before he could collect it. He will always be remembered as the honored pioneer of the Jamaican music industry.

Naoki Ienaga 11th January 2011