Dave Barker (born David John Crooks, 10 October 1947, Kingston, Jamaica), a session vocalist, and Ansell Collins (born 1949, Kingston, Jamaica) , a keyboards player, were working for producer Lee “Scratch” Perry in Kingston, Jamaica in the late 1960s, and joined forces in 1971, for the ska single “Double Barrel”. Released on Techniques Records, part of the Trojan Records label, it topped the Jamaican and UK charts in March of that year. It was the first record the celebrated drummer, Sly Dunbar, ever played on. He was aged fourteen at the time.
The follow-up release, the similarly styled “Monkey Spanner” enjoyed the same international success. Most of their recorded work was written by Winston Riley. After cutting an album, Collins and Barker parted company; Collins becoming a top class session player and Barker, now resident in the UK, singing with a number of undistinguished soul groups. They attempted a comeback in 1981 without success.
In 1986, Ansell appeared as one of Ernest Reed’s (Jimmy Cliff) back-up musicians in the reggae-themed comedy film, Club Paradise. He was billed as “Ansel (sic) “Double Barrel” Collins”[3].
Ansell Collins has played and worked with The Upsetters, Black Uhuru, The Mighty Diamonds, Barrington Levy, Gregory Isaacs, U-Roy, Pama International and Jimmy Cliff in a long career.
Dave & Ansell Collins (sometimes billed as Dave and Ansil Collins or Dave & Ansel Collins).