- Herman Sang -______________________________________________________________________________ Often credited as “Hersang,” Herman Sang was the bandleader for the City Slickers, The Alley Cats, The Hersang Combo. Herman Sang was a formal member of the Jiving Juniors (with Derrick Harriott, Claude Sang Jr., Eugene Dwyer, and Maurice Winter). _______________________________________________________________________________ Herman Sang performed and recorded on piano/keyboards with The Skatalites, The Vagabonds, and worked closely on music recorded by The Blues Blasters. Jamaican born, Herman Sang played and recorded as a pianist and keyboardist during a critical period in the evolution of Jamaican music – The Shuffle Era. Sang then moved into a Golden era of Jamaican Ska music in a position of great prominence. Herman Sang was the bandleader for the City Slickers, The Alley Cats, The Hersang Combo, and was a formal member of the Jiving Juniors (with Derrick Harriott, Claude Sang Jr., Eugene Dwyer, and Maurice Winter). Herman Sang performed and recorded on piano/keyboards with The Skatalites, The Vagabonds (Derrick Harriott & Jimmy James) and spent a short time with Kes Chin and the Souvenirs. EARLY YEARS Herman Sang grew up in a musical home with a piano available for practice and a father who played the organ. Herman’s father played piano and sang with a group called “The Frats Quintet” which performed at weddings and other large functions. Sang recalls, “My father is Claudius Archibald Sang, he played organ at The Lincoln Kirk Presbyterian Church for 30 years. My four brothers and I took turns to manually pump church organ in the back as my father played. We went to church for 20 years, each and every Sunday. When I started playing music with the Jiving Juniors, my father never liked that. He called it ‘Boogie Woogie Music.’” JIVING JUNIORS Herman’s brother – Claude Sang Jr., formed a singing duo with Derrick Harriott, called The Jiving Juniors. Claude was a schoolmate of Derrick Harriott at Excelsior College in Jamaica and after the two entered and won the Vere John’s Talent Show at The Palace Theatre in 1957. Claude and Harriott enlisted Herman to play piano on all of their shows and eventually their recordings. Herman Sang comments, “I was still going to school at Kingston College and we would play in Kingston and also outside the area. ‘Claude and Harriott’ composed a song called ‘Lollipop Girl.’ That was a big hit! We went on to be very popular covering songs by The Coasters group. We had big shows where we opened for Lloyd Price, Fats Domino, and James Brown.” COXSONE DODD Sang was involved with the right people, in the right place, and at the right time. As an 18 year-old piano player, Sang worked with his close friend and Jamaican music pioneer Coxsone Dodd in the heart of Kingston, Jamaica in the year 1958. Jamaica’s music was vibrating and bubbling in preparation to pour out over the world. Starting in the year 1958, the Shuffle era was a relatively short period of time, but marked a surge forward in formation of music played by Jamaicans, recorded in Jamaican studios, and pressed and sold throughout the world. The rolling Shuffle style was influenced by very specific aspects of American Blues, R&B, and Boogie Woogie recordings. The desired sound included vocals that shouted out and horns plentiful. Shuffle became the inspiration for Ska music and Ska has been revived twice over the decades (now in it’s “third wave”). Herman Sang was one of the very first musicians to work closely with Coxsone Dodd to audition new talent. It was Sang who selected that initial talent to be recorded for Coxsone at Federal Studios. BANDS/RECORDING “When Coxsone just started, ‘Coxson’ was his first label. He asked me what name I wanted to use. He came up with Hersang and The City Slickers. It was first recorded as a b-side. What happened was these instrumental songs became so popular, the producers then put these same songs onto a-sides because of the demand” Herman Sang recalls an example of his musical discipline, “On the weekends at home when we would have the piano, my brother Claude and I would practice. I would play the chord section. Whenever I would learn a new chord sequence, I would practice it in all the different keys. By practicing in all the different keys, I could accompany a singer that might want to sing it in “F” because I had practiced it in “F,” “C,” and other various chords.” This discipline became vital as Herman Sang was influential and recorded with many (if not all) the top Jamaican artists in the late 50’s and early 60’s. “I played on well over 100 songs over the years. I started out working with Coxsone Dodd at Federal Recording Studio, then Duke Reid (Treasure Isle), Leslie Kong (Beverley’s), and Lyndon Pottinger of the Tip Top label. For Beverly’s we did Toots and the Maytals, worked with Jimmy Cliff, and recorded Desmond Dekker’s ‘Israelites.’” My very first recording was in 1958 with Chris Blackwell of Island Records. He had Owen Gray, Wilfred “Jackie” Edwards and Laurel Aitken. We did “Tell Me Darling” by Jackie Edwards, which was his first big hit and Laurel Aiken did another song at that session which was a hit. I did the Derrick Morgan songs about the feud he had with Prince Buster. I played on both sides of that feud! [laughs] On ‘Blazing Fire,’ we had just bought the first electric piano. This was a Wurlitzer like Ray Charles was playing. It sounded so good – “Blazing fire!” I was really proud of that one!” Herman also played the electric piano with Jimmy’s James and The Vagabonds on the original Jamaican recording of the international hit “Come To Me Softly,” which was a number one song on the Jamaican charts in 1960. PRESENT DAY Herman left the music arena in 1963 and began “shift work” and later as a Shift Supervisor for many years at an oil refinery owned by Standard Oil of the West Indies. “When I started work at the refinery I didn’t have time to go to the studios or to see Coxsone Dodd.” With his degree from Kingston College and his science background, Herman Sang was quite successful in his work in oil refineries. Presently Herman Sang resides in Canada with his wife Bernice and still plays the piano on a daily basis. Herman has two children Natalie and Sean. Natalie has her Nursing Degree and she and her husband Mike have two children. Herman’s son Sean works in the computer field and he lives in Texas with his wife Rayvonne and their five children. Both Sean and Rayvonne are members of the U.S. Airforce Reserves. Herman Sang performed at the now historical “Legends of Ska” show in Toronto, Canada in 2002. This program was recorded by filmmaker Brad Klein and is now the subject of a full length film titled “Legends of Ska.” Herman Sang is a member of an elite group of musicians that determined the path Jamaican music and projected it out to the world – Herman Sang is a legend. ________________________________________________ Herman Sang - Selected Discography “Best Twist”/Grandma, Grandpa” – Owen Gray with Herman Sang – Blue Beat 7” “There’s Always Sunshine”/”You Had It All Wrong” – the Blues Busters with Herman Sang – Blue Beat 7” (“There’s Always Sunshine” starts off with an intro on the organ and then an organ solo. I recall Monty Alexander played the organ and I played the piano on this song.”) “Hoppin’ Guitar”/”Old McTarvey” – Herman Sang and The City Slickers – All Stars 7” “Hilly Gully Rock”/”Four Corners of The World” – The Alley Cats with Roland Alphonso “River Jordan” – Clancy Eccles with Hersang and The City Slickers – produced by Coxsone Dodd “Tell Me Darling” – Wilfred Jackie Edwards with Herman Sang (with guitar solo by Dennis Sindrey) – Produced by Chris Blackwell “Freedom” – Clancy Eccles with Herman Sang – Produced by Coxsone Dodd “Come To Me Softly” – Jimmy James and The Vagabonds (with Herman Sang as a member) *This is the only Jamaican recording session. All other recordings were done in England/Europe after Jimmy James and the group relocated) “Sit and Cry” – Millie Small, Owen Gray, and The City Slickers – “Best Twist” – Owen Gray with Herman Sang and The City Slickers “My Happy Home” – Roy Panton, Patsy Todd, and Hersang and His Combo “Do You Know” – Millie Small, Owen Gray, and The City Slickers “Sinners Weep” - Owen Gray and The City Slickers – “Donna” – The Blues Busters with The City Slickers “Georgie and the Old Shoe” – Theophilus Beckford and The City Slickers (with guitar solo by Dennis Sindrey) “Lonely Boy” – The Charmers with Hersang and The City Slickers “My Happy Home” – Roy & Patsy with Hersang and his Combo Blazing Fire – Derrick Morgan (with Herman Sang on Whirlitzer organ into) Housewife’s Choice – Derrick Morgan (with Herman Sang) “River of Tears” – Owen Gray (with Herman Sang & Joe Higgs on harmony) – On LP, Various Artistes - “It’s Shuffle ‘N Ska Time with Lloyd “The Matador” Daley – Jamaican Gold – Portugal – 1994 – Recorded 1960-66. “Made Up My Mind” - Owen Gray (with Herman Sang & Joe Higgs on harmony) - On LP, Various Artistes - “It’s Shuffle ‘N Ska Time with Lloyd “The Matador” Daley – Jamaican Gold – Portugal – 1994 – Recorded 1960-66. *Herman Sang as a member of The Jiving Juniors – “Lollipop Girl” – produced by Duke Reid “Over the River” “Dearest Darling” “Hip Rub” *Note: This is merely a selected discography. There are many other songs that Herman Sang recorded. ____________________________________________________________________________ Herman Sang Era - Session Musicians (pre-Skatalites) “I was fortunate to play with these accomplished musicians. Real legends in Jamaican music.” Ernest Ranglin - Guitar Dennis Sindrey - Guitar Jah Jerry - Guitar Lloyd Brevett - Bass Lloyd Mason - Bass Cluett Johnson - Bass Roland Alphonso – Tenor Saxophone Tommy McCook – Tenor Saxophone Lester Sterling – Alto Saxophone Carl Bryan – Alto Saxophone Johnny Moore - Trumpet Baba Brooks - Trumpet Arkland “Drumbago” Parkes (first it was Drumbago on drums, then Knibbs) - Drums Lloyd Knibbs - Drums Rico Rodriguez – Trombone Don Drummond – Trombone Charlie “Organaire” Cameron - Harmonica __________________________________________________________ Written by Rich Lowe, WRUW FM Radio - (Edited by Herman Sang) Source: Discussions with Herman Sang over the time period December, 2014- March, 2015 reggaejamaicaway.com Samuel the First - “A troop shall press upon Gad, but he shall overcome in the last.”“When Dennis Alcapone just came out in the 1970’s, I dj on the back of “Rivers of Babylon” (“Sounds of Babylon). This guy GG Ranglin, I done about four songs for him (including “Leap year”). There was this song, “Little Boy Blue” (Original by The Maytones, Samuel The First version is “Walking Stick”). I done something with Keith Hudson. It was John Holt just come in the studio and have a bass pattern. Lloyd Bevett was there with his figure bass. John Holt jus’ say, “Boom, boo, boo, boom boom.” Keith Hudson, Hortense Ellis, John Holt, myself and a guy from The Cables, we did that song. It was like a medley. We did four songs in the one riddim. I sung harmony, it call “Popular.” In the 70’s I was in a group called, The Four Harmonics. We did an LP for a guy name Derrick Teywell with about seven songs on it. We didn’t finish it, but I know we released it because this guy went to England and he sell it. We have money to get and when he get back to Jamaica, it was like Chaos to get a little money from it. I say, “To hell with it!” Another guy come in and finish up that LP. When they release the seven inch (the label) was “D. Teywell.” “When Road Vanish” was the name on the LP. It was me, a guy name Eddie Scorcher, and Peter Francis (aka Selvyn Francis). “ Along with Dennis Alcapone, Barrington Samuels, and Wee Wee Cameron, Samuel Phillips (Samuel The First) was a founding member of El Paso Sound System. Samuel worked as the Selector for El Paso Sound and also toasted on the mic. The following is a description of the El Paso selections and Dancehall structure: “When we start play Friday evening, we don’t stop until Monday night, or Tuesday morning. Dennis and myself – I don’t know if it was nerves thing, but bumps was growing in our hand middle. My head was going some way and a lotta bleaching! Some people call it “set-up.” Maybe shut our eye for a two or three minute get up an’ drink a pot a fish soup, burn a two ziggy, drink two beer, and work again. Every Friday I look at the top ten selection. Just how they have it in order, I select it in backward order sameway starting at 8:00pm. When I reach the number one, the people already mad because they relate to the (top) three. You have a perfect selection coming up all along! Then after you have that crowd now, we gone into our dubwise selection, You gonna have our entertainers. Man ah come up an’ do what they can do. Trust me, if they start an’ they don’t fit in that riddim or ride that riddim good, we’re gonna stop them an’ somebody else come. We keep a perfect thing going. Then we have a version one, a version two, and a version three. We don’t have to play a whole lotta record. You can play 50-60 records for the whole night, but it’s just how you catch the people. So you just hold them like that.” [How come you didn’t continue recording beyond that first group of singles that you recorded with Beverley’s GG Ranglin , and Keith Hudson ?] “True most of dem promoter guy back home a tief, eh? An’ they always want just for themselves. They never consider the goose that lay the golden egg. Not even think of giving two grain a corn to get back a lickle more energy to do it again. So I just say to hell with this! You have the writing in the bible, which will be my blessing, “A troop shall press upon Gad, but he shall overcome in the last.” Rich Lowe, June 2014 (Samuel The First Interview conducted 31, May 2014)
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Elephant Man’s music is fun. Not only is the music enjoyable to listen to, but Elephant Man himself is enjoying his music. The music is usually not too serious, it has some form of gimmick, and it’s packed with energy. Add a energetic live performance and the formula is complete. As a modern day Dancehall artist, Elephant Man has used this formula to bridge his work from the late 90’s and has made continued to make himself viable. In the arena of gimmickry, Elephant Man is a force. He walked onto the scene with orange hair alongside Harry Toddler, Nitty Kutchie, Boom Dandimite as The Scare Dem Crew. Elephant developed catch phrases like “Good To Go,” “Shizzle Mi Nizzle,” and was known by the nickname of Energy God. The nickname relates to Elephant’s well known stage performances. In a 2002 interview, Elephant Man comments, “Mi is a man, so ya see me, ya see energy. Mi nah put on. Is just me dat. From mi a lickle yout it just deh ya in mi. The fans, they give me the name “Energy God.” They see mi climb pon de box, mi go up pon the speaker, mi go up pon the iron, mi jump in a de crowd, mi up pon de wire, up pon de fence. Sugar Minott, and Ken Boothe. Ken Boothe say, “Elephant, you a the ungo dj mi see who used to go like me in my time. Fit and physical.” Tiger and Lieutenant Stitchie used to jump too. We ah the young generation, so we take it pon the next level. It jus’ the vibe of the people, them enjoy themself.” Elephant can also chat slackness and was involved in a August 2001 SumFest event where the Jamaican government shutdown artists chatting slackness, while the artists were performing on stage. Elephant comments, “Jamaica the land of bad word y’know. Some people them ah try use we now fe make an example a what dem do wrong. Artists clash. When dem clash, bottle fling, people get lick. Then the promoter turn it over pon we an’ lef we inna everyting. I didn’t make no clash start. I jus’ curse one bad word, yes. Memba, a beer elder there inna a de show. It depends on how I cuss the badword, because I was just expressing my feeling when I was saying that Malcolm shouldn’t dead. Mi just a vex that Malcolm was dead an’ curse the badword. They just come up pon this profanity thing and everybody try to use the entertainer for bad example.” Elephant has been riding a path of prolific single recordings as well as popular tunes that are related to his slang and various dances that have been created. Some of the specific dance related “Ele” songs include: “Shaka Shaka,” “Limbo,” “Ova Di Wall,” “Wine for Me” etc. Beenie Man has described his own style as, “I ‘m like water, I can fill any space.” Elephant Man has that same quality with a lot to offer. Elephant has been able to maintain his value for Dancehall fans while making it seem natural and effortless, except when he’s holding a fat girl up in the air and grinding in front of 1,000 Dancehall fans. Selected Singles Discography: (Song Title, Record Label, Notes) 1. Bun Bad Mind, Stone Love 2. Jamaica, Stone Love 3. Deh Dem Bad, Renaissance, Distributed by in The Streetz 4. Pakistan, Renaissance, Stepz Riddim 5. Dead Over It, Renaissance 6. Rapid, John John, Jammy's Son, Target diddim 7. The Ride, John John, Chikita Riddim 8. Sorrow To the World, Q45 9. Higher Level, Q45 10. Afraid A We, Q45 11. Over Di Wall, King of Kings 12. Long Story, King of Kings 13. Propella, King of Kings 14. Dirt Bed, Daseca 15. Get On Up, Echo, Christpher "Birch" Production 16. Jamaica, Black Shadow, 2002 17. Do Yuh Thing, In The Music, Distributed by in the Streetz, Party Time Riddim 18. Hypocrites, In the Streetz, Free Up Riddim 19. Waste Man, Big Neck, Dist by Fat Eyes 20. Down, Big Ship, Stephen McGregor, Outbreak Riddim 21. Let Them Drown, Builders 22. Enemy, Fire Ball, 2003, Foot Step Riddim 23. Hands Dem High, Mac Dada, Mac Dada Production 24. Dance, Birch, Christpher "Birch" 25. Wine For Me, VP 26. It In Deh, Black House, Dist by In The Streetz, Middle East Riddim 27. Ghetto Youths, Mentally Disturbed, Prod by Ward 21 28. Somebody, Massive B, Bobby Konders Production 29. Shaka Shaka, Maverick, Prod by Wayne Wonder 30. Gully Creepa, SR, Creepa Riddim 31. Shake Up Yuh Body, Chiney K Riddim, 2007 32. Wine Up Pan me, Daybreak Riddim 33. Gal Wan More, Summer Bubble Riddim 34. Gal Set Away, Global diddim 35. Wild Shot, Greensleeves 36. Ready Fi Di Video, Gully Slime Riddim 37. Limbo, Limbo Riddim 38. Nuh Linga, Look Gal riddim 39. Nah Put Nuh Man, Me Mumma Riddim 40. More 41. Put Down The Gun, Statement Riddim 42. How We Do It 43. Man A bad Man 44. There I Go - Reggae Vibes 7", Produced by Jah Mike (Nude Riddim) 45. Father Elephant - Black Chiney Records (Kopa Riddim) 46. Chiney Thing - RMC Promotion (Blank Label) 47. Krazy - Don Corleon, Distributed by in The Streetz 48. Bad Man - Mad House (Fiesta Riddim) Rich Lowe, June, 2014 We listen to songs over and over when we find them enjoyable. Repetition will draw interest to music that does not immediately attract. Proper ingredients, carefully arranged, and then revisited can become masterpieces. Harry A. Mudie (HAM) is a producer of Jamaican music who uniquely revisits his creations. As he returns to his creations, he improves and refines them with vision. Adjustments are made and the music is rereleased. In one instance, the original vinyl pressings were crushed up for use on another project. It was the original release of “The Drifter” that was crushed into pieces and later resurrected. “The Drifter” is just one example, HAM has used repetition throughout his career. Harry A. Mudie grew up with Jazz music. To this day, he maintains his extensive Jazz vinyl collection, which includes Dave Brubeck, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Gene Ammons, Sonny Rollins, and Thelonius Monk. In 1955, while still in school at St. Jago High School in Spanish Town, HAM connected the love of Jazz and music to a sound system called Mudie’s HiFi. Eventually, this sound played throughout the island of Jamaica. HAM attributes his success to his personal address (PA) system. This system was very sophisticated for the time period. Harry A. Mudie recalls how Mudie's HiFi was configured, "Three individual microphone inputs. We used the best quality microphones available. We positioned the output speakers on stands, with complimentary output speakers on the floor." The design produced a reliable sound which was deep and rich and it drew the interest of Byron Lee. In his early days, Byron Lee worked with HAM to rent HAM’s system for his big band events. In 1961 HAM visited Federal's Two Track Studio to complete his first recording. Vocal and Instruments were both balanced and simultaneously recorded HAM's first production, featuring Count Ossie. The engineer was Graham Goodhall This recording resulted in the “Remembering Count Ossie” album on Moodisc Records. Count Ossie is an icon of Jamaican culture. HAM and Count Ossie became fast friends from their first meeting. HAM describes when Ossie took him to Warieka Hill, “It was like a cut-off, because not everyone could go up there. You had to have a password to get in there because of the weed. Ossie was someone that the Police respected because he used it, but not on the street. He used it for religious purposes. He never smoked a cigarette. A very, very great guy. They used to have sit-in and play music. I used to go up there pretty often and we decided we would do an album together. That was my first recording.” In January 1962, HAM left Jamaica to live with his Aunt Hazel in England. During this period, HAM studied electronics and photography. As a result, HAM learned the skills to mix, engineer music, create album photographs, and how to process album jackets. HAM commented, “I try to do everything." HAM really does do everything, often with the assistance of close friends and family. After his return from England in 1965, HAM opened his own Electronic repair store and Record shop at 39 Young Street inSpanish Town. Harry A. Mudie worked under a service contract with Stanley Motta to repair Televisions, Radios, and Appliances. Motta’s business worked with photography, prints, television sales, parts and repairs. That business was good as the contract allowed for a specific dollar amount to be paid for repairs. Next, HAM revisited the recording studio with a collection of artists and musicians that he had befriended from his work on Mudie’s HiFi. The rhythm track instrumentals were completed on one weekend day and the following weekend HAM brought in the vocalists for another one day session. The rhythm track instrumentals were recorded by a group HAM named "The Rhythm Rulers." This group consisted of an amazing collection of some of the most skilled and influential musicians in Jamaican music history. Without hesitation, Harry A. Mudie recites the lineup for "The Rhythm Rulers," "Winston Wright on Organ, Jackie Jackson on Bass, Joe Isaacs on Drums, Hux Brown On Guitar, Eric Frater on Guitar, Theophilus "Snappin" Beckford on Piano, Val Bennett on Tenor Sax, Carl "Cannonball" Bryan on Alto Sax, Rico Rodriquez on Trombone, and Denzil Laing on Percussion." The vocals were laid the following week and included G.G Grossett, The Ebony Sisters, and Dennis Walks. HAM had rehearsed the artists at his repair shop in previous weeks so that he and the artists were ready for the coming recording session. This session produced vocals and instrumentals, which would dominate Jamaican music to present day. The music created includes “The Drifter" & "Heart Don't Leap" (by Dennis Walks), "Let Me Tell You Boy” (by The Ebony Sisters), “Run Girl” (by G.G Grossett), "Mannix" (by the Rhythm Rulers), "Run For Your Life" (by Carl Bryan & The Rhythm Rulers), "Waking The Dead" (by Carl Bryan, "Musically Red" (by The Rhythm Rulers), "Mudies Mood" (by Lloyd Charmers & The Rhythm Rulers). Despite the aforementioned impact of the music, ”The Drifter” did not sell and HAM crushed all of the singles that he had pressed and put the recorded tape to the side. HAM describes this event: “Yes. Sometimes you put a song out and it’s too early. It’s ahead of its time. I found that out with some of the songs [I] release. When I find it that way, I just relax, put it down, and then reintroduce it. Maybe with something else mixed in or change along the way. "Sometime force we go back." They want a new version, so I try to see what we can do to make it fresh. We do DJ, we do instrumental, a different version, a dub version, while keeping the rhythm section tight just the same. It’s because the people love the stuff so much that they want more of it! As they say, ‘You can't get too much of a good thing. Vin Gordon plays the trombone as is often referred to as “Don Drummond Junior.” Mr. Gordon played with the top historical bands The Soul Vendors, The Soul Brothers, and Tommy McCook and The Supersonics as well as The Skatalites. Mr. Gordon plays a King trombone with a 6 and one-half Vincent mouthpiece. He likes a silver trombone with a large silver bell (not brass). JJ Johnson also used to played a the same manufacturer’s product, a King trombone. Under the supervision of Alpha Boy’s School band master Lennie Hibbert, Mr. Gordon played the “blow bass” tuba or the string bass. It was not until he left Alpha in 1964-5, that he took up the trombone, although he did sample the trombone the week before he left Alpha Boys School. The first time Mr. Gordon played the trombone, he had to adjust to the smaller mouthpiece of the trombone as the tuba mouthpiece is significantly larger. Fortunately the trombone was the same bass clef instrument like the “blow bass.” Mr. Gordon commented, “it’s very easy to leave from the blow bass to play the trombone. You get a rounder, better, sweeter sound because you read the music the same way. They are in the same clef, the bass clef. All I had to do was learn the positions and there I go!” Although Mr. Gordon described the transition as easy, he also states, “I had to practice hard! Very hard, hard, hard. I used to practice eight hours a day.” It was after this that Rolando Alphonso took Vin Gordon to Studio One. The nickname “Don Drummond Junior” was coined at Studio One. From Bellevue Hospital, Don Drummond himself sent Mr. Gordon a message. A friend by the name of “Seedie” who worked at Randy’s Records on North Parade was a very good friend of Don Drummond. Seedie was very familiar with all of Don’s music and met up with Vin Gordon after Mr. Gordon left Alpha School. Seedie would travel with Mr. Gordon when he played in Franklin Town and surrounding areas. One day when Vin Gordon was dropping off some records at Randy’s, Seedie had a message to relay. Seedie had been on a recent visit to see Don Drummond at Bellevue Hospital on Windward Road and delivered the message from Don Drummond, “Tell him that he is good!” Gordon commented, “He (Seedie) could talk with Don Drummond very good, y’know.” Vin Gordon recorded “Heavenless” at Studio One. Mr. Gordon describes the release, “I did ‘Heavenless’ as a little boy in Studio One and Coxsone Dodd say Don Drummond play it. He put it on his album. He told me that it’s a mistake he made.” The critical issue is that Don Drummond was committed to Bellevue Hospital a short time after the incident occurred on January 1, 1965. Heavenless has a Reggae beat and Reggae was first used in song titles in approximately February, 1968 (Daulke, “Regay To Reggay”, 1994). While at Studio One, Vin Gordon also composed and recorded the dancehall anthem “Real Rock.” “Real Rock” was first known as an instrumental. Gordon recorded this music at the age of 19 with Jackie Mittoo. Gordon wrote the melody and Jackie Mittoo wrote the remainder of the rhythm. Mr. Gordon also recorded with Dave Madden, Glen DeCosta, on horn work for Bob Marley’s music. As a three-piece horn section, they recorded “Natty Dread,” “Rat Race,” “Natural Mystic,” “Guiltiness” and others. Vin Gordon was at Channel One when Sly Dunbar just started. Gordon recorded as a member of The Revolutionaries with hornsmen Tommy McCook and Herman Marquis. Gordon commented that Marquis’ alto sax helped to supply a unique “intonation” to the tracks produced. Presently Vin Gordon is working on a new solo album. He is also composing “pain music” for ill people to medically treat their pain. There is also the 2012 album titled “In The Garden,” which is available for purchase from I-Tunes. Much of Mr. Gordon’s musical work is playing live. He often plays his signature songs, which are now considered hallmark Jamaican music. Mr. Gordon describes these live performances from his uniquely historical perspective: “As a featuring horns specialist, they put you there ‘an you playin’ the tunes when you was young. You play “Real Rock” ‘an dem song, but it’s not your songs. It’s not your album. At that time you was so young and you did it because you were in practice. You didn’t care about watching it. You didn’t know how great you was, so it didn’t matter. Now when you listen back, you say, ‘Oh my God, if I knew!’” Below are a series of ”mutant singles” by Luciano. Mutant in the sense that they are all 7” releases not thought to be widely distributed (not on albums or major labels). In the late 80’s – early 90’s, Luciano recorded dubplates for neighborhood sounds until he and Ricky Trooper crossed paths. Trooper recognized Luciano’s singing ability and took him to the Aquarius recording studio in Half Way Tree Square. Fatis Burrell of Exterminator Productions managed Luciano along with Sizzla and Turbulance at a time of dramatic growth of the Bobo Dread movement. Over time Luciano expanded his recording limitlessly, recording on singles, albums and under contract with International labels. Luciano clearly does not believe in overexposure. In the early 1980’s when Yellowman and singer Don Carlos released volumes of singles and albums, some felt that recording and releasing too much would be harmful to an artist. Overexposure appears to be a thing of the past as the baritone voice of Luciano has benefitted from recording widely, now with over 40 albums in his wake. *Thanks to the Central Village Crew from Cleveland – Survivalist, Sparticus, Willpower, and Tan Tan. Selected Singles: World Peace – John John – Lloyd James Junior – 7” Hail Rastafari – Reggae central – 2006 – 7” Good Times – Mac Dada – 7” All Fruits Ripe – Junk Yard – Scarkmooch – 7” World Leaders – Roots Rockers Music – 7” Rock and Come In – Thompson Sound – Kevan Thompson – 7” Fire and Ice – Main Frame Records – 7” What Is Man – South Block – Michael Sterling – 7” When Will Things Change (with Tony Rebel) – Big League – 7” By Rich Lowe It all comes down to the clash. There have been many clashes on Boxing Day in Jamaica at Reggae Sting and everyone has their opinion over the ultimate winner. Over the years, some of the clashes involved Kartel vs. Ninja (2003), Bounty vs. Beenie (1993), Ninja vs. Supercat (1991), Ninja vs. Shabba (1990), Bunny Wailer and the crowd (1987). Back in the eighties, further clashes involved Papa San, Stitchie, Admiral Bailey, Cobra, among others. These clashes are modern day folklore around who prevailed and are always controversial. One favorite is Sting 2000 where Merciless was involved with what is known as “Four The Hard Way.” At that Sting, the relatively unknown Merciless took on Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, and Ninja Man and dispatched all three with a solid collection of fresh clash lyrics. Some were caught off guard and off balance as Merciless challenged all, dressed in full fatigues and menaced physically. We had the opportunity to visit Merciless in 2001 at his yard in Kingston and discussed his Sting performance. A video of the interview was posted on YouTube. As a result, a Beenie supporter provided a string of intelligent observations of the clash, of the artists, and of Dancehall. The discussion follows: TlkDiTruth merciless kill ninja in 2000 naa lie even tho ninja stil betta dan him its jus 1 a dose tings sumtime u hav da upper hand sumtimesu dont,, he kinda brush bounty aswell wudnt say kill him but he did hav da better of ninja an bounty, but defo did not kill beenie man becoz beenie was not in da clash to b killed an merciless an beenie did not go hed to hed for either to b killed, mercilles an beenie on da radio afta sting an merciless didnt say he killed beenie, do da research an chek da facts (Rich Lowe) True, Beenie came in late on the clash. Beenie also did not approach the situation to directly compete, based on his performance. Still, as you know, the general position is that Merciless was the overall winner. Merciless was physically menacing and had a lotta lyrics. In my opinion he caught the others by surprise - they did not expect it. In those days there was always a clash and in that period, always a winner. TlkDiTruth your ryt i agree overall Merciless took sting dat year no doubt but beenie only sang 2 songs an if u chek bak it was like 1 of da biggest fawud frm da crowd an den merciless himself was sayin Laing NEW MONEY to kill dese 2 fools so dat alone shows relly an truly dat merciless himself didnt relly kill anybdy apart frm ninja coz he was askin laing for new money to clash an kill bounty an beenie but him an bounty sang mre songs at each other dan him an beenie. (Rich Lowe) You are right in what you say. You are applying a lot of background and "intention" with the Laing comment and how many tunes were sung, I don't know if the background you supply supports Beenie’s hesitance. Now, I am also a Beenie supporter (really I follow all of the participants), but I'm gonna be partial cuz I shot that Merciless video man! Further, did you see 2011 Kiprich and Merciless? Whew! Merciless was caught flat-footed, had no response to the casket, and then was left alone on stage only to hear "boos" from the crowd. I will say that the prior Sting with Merciless was Merci's day in the sun. I'll also admit Merci copied Bounty's style. Still like Merciless though! TlkDiTruth yh i hear wat ur sayin an u defo hav a point dere i must say merciless jus ad his day in 2000 on dat night dey cudnt relly defeat him but unfortunatly he cudnt sustain a long standing high level career like a beenie or a bounty or a kartel or a vado, dt is da key in da dancehall industry, to keep a long lasting career as long as possible its all about longevity or else its not worth it to be honest, i am a fan of dancehall in general i listen all artist as long as da songs are good, i dont like da Bias ting an sum fans are soooo BIAS its unbelievable SMH (Rich Lowe) Merciless does not really have the talent to maintain for the complete horse race. I also argue that Beenie has used up all his lyrics. Beenie has not produced much of anything quality or enjoyable in the last few years. He sure is prolific and puts out volume, but maybe he has used it all up. I never thought Vybz had much talent, except for controversy and image. In the image Department he is the boss. Dead bodies scattered around your houses sure does paint a picture. - TlkDiTruth yes so true all these artist now a days seems to just let fame an wealth get the better of them and end up start doing ridiculous tings to fuck up their own career in the long run. just pathetic if you ask me..... all the music industry needs right now is love an unity an good music without any ridiculous controversy for a while t least a good 5 years of just pure good solid music and everybody living together as 1....... not saying there shouldn't be any competitive rivalry at times yes everything needs a bit of a competitive edge at times to keep it balanced but most of them just take it out of proportion on a ridiculous level,,,,, i don't even listen to them most of the time when they go over board tbh (Rich Lowe) Good assessment. Now, I just saw the video for the Sting 2012 with Kip Rich and Merciless and Ninja... and then Twin of twins and Kip Rich. The Twin of twin was laughable, (even though I enjoyed their original entry in the scene with the Sizzla interview with the white guy). Twins had no lyrics, would stop and then repeat cuz they screwed up the lyrics, and then Kip rich steam rolled them with lyrics, aggression, and then just walked off. He nailed it. ___________________________ in 1984, Reggae Sting began at Cinema 2 and was the product of Supreme Promotions. The man behind Supreme is Isaiah Laing, who is a former police with the Jamaica Constabulary Force. Laing has maintained his promotion of Sting in Jamaica to present day and in the mid 80’s was a producer of the Supreme Record Label. Supreme was the label that produced many Brigadier Jerry singles. At the time, Brigadier rarely recorded as the Dancehall lyrics for The Twelve Tribes of Israel member were considered precious and exclusive to the dance. The exception is when Brigadier Jerry did record, it was almost exclusively as a single on Supreme. Laing – often with Tommy Cowan’s assistance recorded other artistes like Frankie Paul, Gregory Isaacs, and Pinchers, but the recordings were selective and not in great quantity. One perspective is that Laing did not have to record. Recording was a choice, a show of strength, and related to the authority in his role as a police. Laing is what some call a “Bad Man Police.” A Bad Man Police is a police officer that does not always secure proper paperwork or backup to pursue an alleged criminal. Historical police fitting this role include Laing, Keith Gardener (“Trinity”), Tony Hewitt, Reneto Adams, and Cornwall Ford (known as “Bigga Ford”). Bigga Ford is a very large and husky man, but is surprisingly agile. A good friend once told me how he saw Bigga Ford chase a youth down the street who had fired a gun. Ford was running right in step with the youth and swiftly jumped down into a gully after the youth. Soon after two shots were heard in the distance. A few minutes after, a silhouette of the hulking Ford dragging the dead body back up the gully was seen by the growing crowd of people. These police are celebrities. These police expose themselves to extreme violence and frequently gunshot. Laing himself has been physically shot three times (The Jamaica Observer, 13, November, 2013). When groups successfully attack and destroy police stations, securing paperwork is not always a consideration. The Bad Man Police has a list of people he has killed over the years. A lesser or aspiring police is often deceased. Conversely, any innocent lives lost are a struggle for the surviving family. Laing has maintained the Sting concerts on the day following Christmas - Boxing Day. Christmas concerts have a long history in Jamaica dating back well over 100 years. The history is described by Neely (2008, p. 210), “…Christmas morning concerts began shortly thereafter in the late nineteenth century. The most important of these were organized by [Astley] Clerk…”. Neely continues, “…Clerk figured prominently in the festival movement. In addition to Christmas morning concerts, Clerk was named the Second Vice President of the Poetry League at its formation in 1924 and took an active role in its annual competitions” (Neely, 2008, p. 212). There is a grand variation between Merciless’ lyrical talents, YouTube comments in patois, Bad Man Police, and 100 year-old history. These remote connections, strung tightly together, make Jamaica’s music and culture so interesting. This December (2013) marks the 29th year of Reggae Sting and people are already talking. REFERENCES Neely, Daniel Tannehill. (2008). “Mento: Jamaica's Original Music”: Development Tourism and the National Frame. (Doctoral Dissertation). New York University. Staff Writer, (2013, November 03). DP: 'Super Cop' Laing's blazing gunfights. Jamaica Observer. Retrieved from http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/-Super-Cop-- Laing-s-blazing-gunfights_12485193 Bling Dog - Lady Saw - Very beautiful. Nice crowd - very responsive. Lady Saw supplied a very sexual interlude during her performance. Lady saw's sexual prowess was challenged by a male patron - Saw was victorious in her tactful response to the man's "challenge." Bling Dog in action. Producer Bulby from Fat Eyes accompanied Lady Saw and Bling Dog for this particular tour. “Mento Music: Jamaica, Belafonte, and the Golden Age” Rich Lowe March, 2013 For decades the Jamaica Cultural Development Council (JCDC) has held a Festival Song Competition in celebration of Jamaica’s Independence. The JCDC has also featured contests for Jamaican Mento Bands. Authentic Jamaican music was promoted early on, by plan, to help to build Jamaica. In his doctoral dissertation on Mento music, Neely describes "A Better Village Plan" developed by the Pioneer Clubs which produced "Jamaica Welfare’s Song Sheet #5" (2008, p. 205). These song sheets helped to spread a musical message throughout Jamaica and helped to influence Jamaican music to present date. The documentation and communication in the form of sheet music, provided songs to the citizenry of Jamaica like “Linstead Market,” “Mango Walk” and “Emanuel Road.” The sheet music was reminiscent of the "tracts" sold on the street over two decades prior by a famous Kingston street duo known as "Slim and Sam." These tracts were the written music to be played by families and friends, often in the form of parlour music. The "Jamaica Welfare’s Song Sheet #5" even included songs written by Slim and Sam and were the songs that were to be the training tools for Mento bands in competition. According to Witmer (1987), the sale of tracts by Slim and Sam were quite significant, “… with Slim and Sam and early twentieth century itinerant songmen, we are dealing with a genuinely indigenous Jamaican urban popular music expression.” These songs were uniquely Jamaican, unlike a prior attempt described by Neely (2008, p. 201) by Jamaica Welfare in the 1930s to relate much more English and American songs like "My Bonnie." As Mento bands refined their own tunes, they integrated the sheet music into their final product for presentation at community gatherings, in hotels, and in the 1950’s onto vinyl. Many of these songs have been played and played by The Skatalites in more "modern day" recordings. Jamaican Mento music entered the scene after Trinidadian Calypso music’s popularity in the 1920’s and 30’s. One of the earlier Jamaican Calypsonians is Lord Fly. Garnice (2013) references a 1948 Jamaica Gleaner article that documents Lord Fly as active in the 1920's where he worked with George Moxey at The Silver Slipper Club in Kingston, Jamaica. Fly sang and played the saxophone and was one of the very first artists to record for Stanley Motta. As a featured artist, Fly commonly recorded and performed with The Dan Williams Orchestra up to the approximate year 1952. [This is where the genius of the website “Mentomusic.com” comes into play. In his careful documentation, Garnice (2013) communicated with the grandson of John Dan Williams who revealed that Dan Williams is the grandfather of singer Grace Jones] In the 1950’s Lord Flea continued Mento’s momentum as a guest on national television in the U.S. The show was NBC's “Perry Como Show,” which aired on Saturday night February 9th, 1957. Flea was billed as "Lord Flea's Calypso Combo." Just a month later, Como was singing the “Banana Boat Song” on that same show. Lord Flea was hugely popular in the Golden Age of Mento in the mid 1950s. In 1956, Billboard magazine described Flea's talent: "Flea has a dynamic drive with the attention-getting sides. These can stir attention at all levels. But these two sides, performed by one of the most authentic and commercial groups around, could put many to shame" (1957, p. 58). This article hailed the success of the Capitol Records single "Shame Shame Señora" which had as a b-side, "The Naughty Little Flea." Dennis Howard (2011) describes the introduction of jukeboxes into Jamaica after 1955, "jukeboxes were scattered in bars all over Kingston." As a result, Jamaicans were exposed to the talents of their own with a new vehicle. As Lord Flea was creating his own place in music, Harry Belafonte was next in line to push both Jamaican folk music and Calypso to a larger audience. Belafonte was born in New York in 1927 and when his parents separated, he moved to Kingston, Jamaica to live with his maternal grandmother. His mother Melvine Love had Harry return to New York in 1939. With the first gold record in history in 1956 for the album "Calypso," Harry Belafonte soon became known as "The King of Calypso." The title of "king" for Belafonte was considered an insult to many Trinidadians and to Calypsonians like Lord Melody and Lord Kitchener who had earned their titles through organized competitions during Carnival in Trinidad. Supporters crowded into tents to watch the talents of their favorite Calypsonian who both wrote and sang their own music and displayed their talents by creating lyrics on the spot during competitions. Belafonte scored hits on the Billboard charts and became hugely popular singing the songs of these Calypsonians. An example is "Boo Boo," which reached number 11 on The Billboard charts. This song was penned by Lord Melody and was crafted through years of trial and error in live performances. Belafonte was not the only one to sing “Boo Boo,” the song had been sung by many artists over the years, including The Monarchs. Belafonte’s charisma, talent, and timing is displayed on a 1957 episode of NBC’s Nat King Cole Television Show where Belafonte and Cole sang “Boo Boo” as a duet. The performance was candid and full of infectious energy. Eventually the paths of Lord Melody and Harry Belafonte had to cross. In a 1986 interview from the film “Calypso Dreams,” Melody describes his first meeting with Belafonte: “I met him on the street and I said to him, I say, ‘Hi Belafonte.’ And he stood up. First time that man ever see me. He say, ‘Who are you?’ I say, ‘Melody.’ He said, ‘The Lord Melody?’ I said ‘Yes.’ He said ‘Come with me.’ And from that time to about you know, six years ago, we was totally married!” (2003). Lord Burgess (Irving Louis Burgie) was a writer for Belafonte. Burgess wrote Belafonte's signature tune, "Jamaica Farewell." Burgess also wrote the version of "The Banana Boat Song" (reworked from the original Mento folk version) that Belafonte popularized. This version of "The Banana Boat Song" reached number five on the U.S. Billboard Magazine charts in 1955. Ironically, Burgess himself was born in New York in the United States. Burgess is an important connection to Belafonte with the written Jamaican folk music lyric. Burgess grew up in a Jamaican section of New York and he studied at Julliard. Lord Burgess was a singer himself and appears on many recordings. There is an excellent album on Stinson Records (SLP 42) entitled "Calypso Serenaders" which showcases Jamaican, Haitian, and other folk music of the Caribbean. One tune on this album is "Rum and Cocoanut Water," which features the pennywhistle of Herbert Levy. The entire song is laced with the pennywhistle. Lord Burgess also utilized Levy on his album "The Father of Modern Calypso" and Belafonte was joined by Levy on his November, 1960 CBS Television performance "Belafonte: New York 19." With the influences of Burgess, Lord Melody, Levy, his own Jamaican bloodline, good looks and luck, Harry Belafonte's contribution to Jamaican Folk music mushroomed in the 1950's. Lord Fly had set the track and Lord Flea established a youthful backdrop to Belafonte's sophisticated presentation of Jamaican Folk music. The conflict over the use and authorship of the Calypso and Mento folk music continued to follow Belafonte. In a 1986 interview in the film “Calypso Dreams” (2003), Belafonte provided an explanation: When this “King of Calypso” stuff came out, the Trinidadians went crazy. Boy, they went nuts! “Ya call yourself “The King of Calypso” and you never come here and you never go up into competition. You never do jump up. You never go into the tent. You never do nothin’ and you tief (sic) the music and you call yourself King? How can you do that?” And I said “You’re absolutely right! I’ve never been in the tent. I’ve never competed. I never thought I could. I never wanted to. Those who possess the Calypsonian art are men of remarkable gifts and there is a speciality to it that I’m not privileged to embrace. The fact that I’ve been called The King of Calypso was not my manufacturing. Deal with those who market and sell you goods that you buy every day. What I did was to use the environment of Caribbean lore to put us on the map at another level that I thought was instructive and creative for us. And in that service if I’ve offended you, then I beg your forgiveness.” REFERENCES Dunn, G., Horne, M., Schwartz, M., Thiermann, E. (Producers), Dunn, Geoffrey, Horne, Michael. (Directors). (2003). Calypso Dreams [Motion Picture]. USA: Pulse Productions. Garnice, Michael, (2013). Lord Fly. Retrieved March, 15, 3013 from http://www.Mentomusic.com/fly.htm Howard, Dennis, (2013). Punching For Recognition: The Jukebox as a Key Instrument in the Development of Popular Jamaican Music. Retrieved March, 15, 3013 from http://www.academia.edu/2238087 Neely, Daniel Tannehill. (2008). “Mento: Jamaica's Original Music”: Development Tourism and the National Frame. (Doctoral Dissertation). New York University. Nielsen Business Media, Inc (23 February 1957). "Billboard". Retrieved 15 March 2013. Witmer, Robert. (Spring-Summer, 1987). "Local and Foreign": The Popular Music Culture of Kingston, Jamaica, before Ska, Rocksteady, and Reggae. Latin American Music Review/Revista de Musica, Latinoamericana, 8(No. 1), 1-25. (Exerpt from an upcoming feature on Lord Sassafrass)
R. Lowe February, 2013 It was 1986 at 2:00 in the morning, the night was especially hot and without a moon. Sassafrass was driving a motorcycle through the outskirts of Western Kingston with Ginger Tea, his hype man riding pillion. A hype man is a person who cheers on a performer at a dance which encourages the crowd to join in. This was not Sassa’s area, he was moving through a neighboring area, hoping to pass without drawing attention. In the darkness, Sassa steered left around a corner and Ginger Tea was steady leaning and looking right, at some activity on the corner. This caused the motorcycle to lose balance and wobble. Hitting the brakes, the bike came to a halt. Immediately, two men approached the bike. As they approached, the shorter, stockier man turned his head and exclaimed, “Hey Sassafrass! Ya gone foreign and mi nah hear ya voice again! Come chat pon the sound fe me.” The short man motioned over to the corner where Ginger Tea had been looking and Sassa could hear the music coming from beyond the zinc fence. Although Sassa was feeling kind of “boomy” (apprehensive/jumpy), there was pressure to comply given that he was not in his own area, but was being shown some decency. Once inside the yard, there was a crowd of people moving in the darkness. A small set of lights were strung in the corner and on either side, Sassa and Ginger Tea could see a sound system with individual groups of men. This yard had two neighborhood sounds competing and Sassa immediately recognized the dj working the mic on one of the sounds, it was Gregory Peck. Sassa comments on many of the dance goers, “Them nuh really know Peck. So I stand up beside him to support him.” As Sassa settles into position, Gregory Peck turns to him and in his clear voice over the speaker boxes he shouts out pure attack lyrics against Sassa, trying to kill him! This was Peck defending his area as he was the local favorite. Quite likely that Peck wanted bragging rights of killing a hot dj who was scoring on the charts. Peck had not yet recorded much and had not yet made impact on the music scene, but he was ready for a fight. Peck then proceeds to run through a few riddims aggressing toward Sassa in relation to his recent time spent in New York, him being fat, and any other crafty insult he could manufacture. Sassafrass was almost knocked over, “I come there to support this guy and he try to kill mi man! Being a dj, ya have to be great to go into another dj area.” Once Peck had his time on the mic, the crowd recognized that Lord Sassafrass needs to make his response and they beat the fence. At this point Sassa’s hype man Ginger Tea grabs hold of the mic and shouts to the crowd, “We nuh mix wid dutty bungle! All weh we deal with a nice n deacent peeeple. Hear dis, a strickly one, one. One me dealwid tonite people. Ecko Mnott one, Gentrees one, Sassa one! Come dung now Horseman.” Standing next to Ginger Tea, Lord Sassafrass takes hold of the mic and djs his song “Pocomania Jump,” “Poco jump, poco jump, make we do the poco jump…grow a Marveley inna one tenement. Month end come an me couldn’t pay mi rent…” Sassafrass commented, “The place tun over.” Sassafrass was able to depart that night with his pride, but was still struck at how Gregory Peck attacked him without provocation. Sassa recalls, “The little bwoi a try.” The next day, he reasoned with Echo Minott about the incident. Echo said, “Yeh a kill im wa kill u, a bus im waa bus, weh u tink? Yu was like dat bak in a de days. Yu want piece a everybody. Yu wrenk and feisty.” Ironic that it was Gregory Peck that followed Sassa’s Poco lyrics lead and later recorded one of his most recognizable songs “Poco Man Jam.” On South Camp Road in Kingston, there is a saying - "Labour for learning before you grow old. For learning is better than silver or gold." These words have been repeated for generations by the nuns and Alpha Band Directors of Alpha Boys School. This learning involves musical instruction and many students have converted their musical education into gold - some more successfully than others. Beginning in 1892, Alpha Boys School's musical education has produced highly skilled musicians. Musicians like Joe Harriott (saxophone), Winston "Sparrow" Martin (Drums, keyboards, trumpet), Johnnie "Dizzy" Moore (trumpet), Cedric "Im" Brooks (Saxophone, flute), and Bobby Ellis (trumpet) all had their skills tapped by the bandleaders and producers of Jamaica in the 1950s and 60s. Today's youth at Alpha are ready to test their skills. Today's generation of Alpha is Sykie Campbell who at age 14, recorded with Coxsone Dodd on the Studio One album "Come Dance With Me." Sykie plays drums, percussion and xylophone and during the day walks the same dirt path to the playing field that 16 year old Don Drummond walked when he attended Alpha in the 1940s. Before her death in 2003, Sister Mary Ignatius Davies worked with Sykie Campbell. Sykie recalls his time with her: "I've been at Alpha a long time. She'd always say, ‘Lickle man, one day you're gonna be that person that's going to be tall and be a big man.' She was that type of person that show love every time she see you." The abilities of the youth at Alpha have not gone unnoticed over the years. Like a professional football coach recruits, the bandleaders and producers of Jamaica have recruited at Alpha for musicians. Sonny Bradshaw recruited Joe Harriott and Wilton Gaynair. Actually it was Alpha School's Sister Ignatius that suggested Alpha student Joe Harriott to band leader Sonny Bradshaw. Coxsone Dodd recruited Cedric Brooks, Bobby Ellis, Vin Gordon, and Headley Bennett. In a 1991 interview, Coxsone Dodd commented about his first recordings in the late 1950s and his searches for talent, "Rhythm and Blues became obsolete because of Rock and Roll. Rock and Roll didn't [go] over in Jamaica too strong, so we decided to start doing our own stuff. First of all we're lookin' for a good voice, delivery, and willingness to learn." Band leader Eric Dean recruited Rico Rodriguez, Tommy McCook, and the great Don Drummond from Alpha School. In a 2002 interview, Sister Ignatius commented on the excitement that Don Drummond created: "Even though he was still in school, he was almost the number one trombonist in the island. When the band went out on Alpha engagements, a lot of musicians would go and listen to him. Band leaders used to come ‘round and listen." Today's Band Director (since 1989) is Winston "Sparrow" Martin - an Alpha graduate himself. Mr. Martin continues the Alpha tradition by not only giving back in his role as band Director, but by assisting past Alpha Boys professionally. Mr. Martin comments, "I have a group of past Alpha boys who play at different functions, they do recordings, they travel abroad and go to places like France, Germany, Italy, to perform Jamaican music. I think it's a good thing to expose them and show them that the world is large and there are so many things you can do that will enhance you to be a better person." Youthman Sykie Campbell represents the future of Alpha - talented, capable, and driven. Sykie Campbell recalls his parting with Sister Ignatius: "I can remember when I went to the chapel. Before she died, she said: ‘Lickle man, you have grown into a big man' and I laughed with her. I remember those words clearly." Decades before, it was Sister Ignatius that introduced Joe Harriott to band leader Sonny Bradshaw. It may be that Sykie Campbell will receive his recommendation from Band Director Sparrow Martin. From here it is "upward and onward!" Educating the young men at Alpha Boys School is no easy task, but the outcome is youth with skills to survive wherever they may go in life. Where music is concerned, discipline teaches Alpha students how to play an instrument, to read music, to compose music, and to arrange music. Education is the key. When a musician is taught to read and write music, the possibilities are limitless. These great heights are expressed through accomplished musicians like Tommy McCook, Joe Harriott, and Don Drummond who are respected around the world for their musical genius. The impact of Alpha is seen in the 1930's London, England music performances by Bertie King on clarinet and saxophone. King worked with the Leslie Hutchinson Band in London - playing, writing, and arranging musical numbers. King made his return to Jamaica in the late 1950s and formed the 14 piece Bertie King's Royal Jamaicans, playing as JBC Radio's studio band. Like Stanley Motta and Ken Khouri before him, King arranged for Jamaican music to be pressed onto 78 speed records in England by Decca Records. Early 1950's Jamaican Mento music was recorded by Alpha graduate Babe O'Brien when he worked with George Moxey's band on tunes which were recorded at Stanley Motta's Studio. Babe O'Brien also played with Moxey at The Silver Slipper Night Club in Kingston. Alto saxophone player Joe Harriott attended Alpha as a youth and traveled to England in 1951. Three years after his arrival, Harriott recorded his first full length album as the Joe Harriott Quartet entitled "Cool Jazz with Joe." On trumpet, Oscar Clarke first attended Alpha in 1914-15 and as an adult toured the U.S. with Jazz legend Louis Armstrong's orchestra. Being that Clarke played the trumpet like Armstrong, it is likely that he was part of a large orchestra that utilized multiple instruments. It is unclear as to if Clarke worked with Armstrong before or after the memorable visit of Louis Armstrong to Kingston in May of 1957. Armstrong greeted thousands of Kingstonians that year when he played and sang at a free outdoor show. Alpha School overflows with graduates - many of which are not commonly known. These graduates often worked as freelance musicians, but Alpha has also produced great singers - Alpha formed a Boys Choir in 1917. Owen Gray attended Alpha School as a youth continuing his singing as a tenor at church. Desmond Dekker attended Alpha after his mother passed away and his father desired a proper education for his son. Soon after graduation, Desmond was auditioning at Coxsone Dodd's Studio One. Other students include Winston Francis, Tony Gregory, Johnny Osbourne, and even Yellowman. One of the most influential graduates of Alpha is Thomas Mathew McCook. McCook became interested in the saxophone after he saw his brother Frank playing. In response, his mother who worked at The Bournemouth Club enrolled him at Alpha in1939 (The Bournemouth Club was one of the first small clubs in Kingston and was originally called "The Bournemouth Bath"). It was not until 1940 that McCook began playing tenor saxophone under the instruction of Alpha School's bandleader George Neilson. McCook left Alpha in 1953 when he accepted an offer by Eric Dean to play at The Bournemouth Club. The same Tommy McCook went on to form The Skatalites band which played a critical role in the development of the uniquely Jamaican music: Ska. It took a full year of work by Coxsone Dodd to encourage Tommy to play for Studio One as The Skatalites. Tommy was first approached by Coxsone in 1962, but turned Dodd down. In 1963 he accepted the offer and assisted in the formation of The Skatalites. At that time mentor Sister Ignatius was looking on with a smile: "I heard them on the radio station and we also heard them practicing because sometimes they would come up here [Alpha School] and practice. Sometimes they would practice down by the sea - Bournemouth, and we would take the children down there for a sea bath." For the past 45 years Ska has been copied and duplicated throughout the world and is still building steam. It was no coincidence that when Ska was hitting big in England in 1981, Alpha graduate Rico Rodriguez was supplying the much needed Jamaican flavor with his trombone work on the number one charting song "Ghost Town" by The Specials (Two-Tone Records, 1981). The origins remain uniquely Jamaican with the Alpha Boys School signature stamp. Rich Lowe, 2007 . |
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