Fireflight. Exit.

For the next release we head to Barbados and 1985 for the first official reissue of ‘Exit’ by Fire Flight. The best reissues succinctly capture a moment in time and this album provides a snapshot of Island life in the Caribbean region of the America’s in the middle of the 1980’s. The LP encompasses new wave, funk and early house rhythms with a backbone of calypso.

The idea for Fire Flight started with Carl “Beaver” Henderson, a musician, arranger and producer who initially provided back up band services for the Royal Bank of Trinidad & Tobago’s annual staff Calypso competition. In 1981 the idea quickly evolved into the 15 piece band that was Fire Flight who took Trinidad and Tobago’s performance spaces and annual carnival by storm with their electrifying life performances. The band also travelled to Toronto, Montreal and New York for their annual carnivals. In 1984 the band entered the now defunct Coral Sound Studios in Barbados to record their debut album. The driving force behind the LP was the band’s main songwriter Francis Escayg’s desire to explore alternative avenues of recognition for the band and to perform and thrive in the carnival off season. Highlights from the LP include the slow new wave funk of ‘Best Shot’ & ‘White Horse’, the melting pot of calypso, zouk and reggae influences on ‘Hard Life’ & ‘Mornin Lovin’ and the tropical proto house of ‘Wantin U’ that was a highlight of the Fire Flight live show.

The LP is pressed on heavyweight 180 Gram Vinyl with new full sleeve artwork from Bradley Pinkerton.

Arranged By [Horn Arrangements] – Kelvin Brown

Arranged By [Percussion Arrangements] – John Afoon

Arranged By [Vocal Arrangements] – John Afoon (tracks: B2)

Bass Guitar, Synth, Bass – Donald Phillips

Design – Edgar Afoon, Francis Escayg

Electronic Drums – Dane Charles

Engineer – David Roberts - English*, Eric Michaud, Jerome*, John Afoon, Phillip*

Engineer [Assistant Engineer] – Tennerson 'Bird' Katwaroo

Guitar, Vocals – Francis Escayg, George Victory

Keyboards – Carl 'Beaver' Henderson*

Lead Vocals, Percussion – Evris "Ajala" Walcott, Jo-Ann Brown

Mastered By – Tony Dawsey

Percussion – David Achee, Ja-Jah Oga Onilu*, Robert 'Bobby' Dolly*

Percussion, Vocals – Ronald Sylvester, Steve Sealy

Producer – Francis Escayg, John Afoon

Producer [Assistant Producer] – Martin 'Mice' Raymond*

Saxophone, Percussion – Pedro 'Timmy' Lezama*

Synthesizer, Guitar – Martin 'Mice' Raymond*

Trombone – Vincent Harry

Trumpet – Kelvin Brown

Vocals – June 'Gwenny' Morris*, Patsy Holder