Byron Lee, Alton Ellis, Roy Shirley et al
|
Thursday, November 06, 2008
|
In as much as one can judge the end of an era by the passing of its greatest stalwarts, Jamaica may be seeing the closing days of a great musical epoch.
The latest of these iconic figures to pass from our midst is the great Byron Lee who has now joined the growing band of singers and players of instruments who were born between the latter part of the 1930s and 40s.
They became pioneers in the field of Jamaican music, creators of a sound that has brought this country worldwide recognition by evolving into an international product and a brand extraordinaire.
The year 2008 will surely be remembered, though dubiously, for claiming the lives and careers of the likes of Roy Shirley; Johnny Dizzy Moore; Alton Ellis; Cherry "Smith" Green (the former female member of the Wailers) and now Byron Lee who was latterly awarded Jamaica's fourth highest honour, the Order of Jamaica (OJ).
By whatever yardstick we use to measure genius, Byron Lee would have to be singled out among his peers as an outstanding exponent of his musical craft. Fifty-two years ago, at the age of 21, Mr Lee, with his lifelong friend Ronnie Nasralla, founded the Dragonaires. The 14-piece musical aggregation became later known as Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, and in the ska era provided international exposure to our music, touring extensively in the Caribbean and North America.
His passion for music overcame his flirtation with football, even though he made it to the national level. This extraordinary bandleader who played the bass guitar was more than a musician. His real strength was his business acumen, which he put to the service of the music. For apart from providing backing support for generations of local and international acts, he used his creative impulses in the production of records, the purchase of West Indies Record Limited from another close friend, former Prime Minister Edward Seaga, and transformed it into what is now known as the Dynamic Records, a recording studio and international distribution company. The Jamaica Carnival out of his Trinidadian experience is further testimony.
Like the music he created, Mr Lee not only fashioned an enabling environment for the growth and development of scores of local entertainers by facilitating their participation in the band, but for many decades, was one of the island's leading show promoters.
His company Lee Enterprise offered well-needed exposure with an annual series of shows across the island, giving exposure to some of the country's top entertainers, among them a certain Alton Ellis, in whose signature hit song, the cover version of Rosco Gordon's Let Him Try, he was instrumental, according to some aficionados.
As fate would have it, Lee passed away on the day after Alton Ellis was buried, victim of the same scourge of cancer.
Jamaicans have a saying: "What nuh dead nuh call it duppy." And Alton Ellis epitomised that statement. A year ago, he was given a short time to live by doctors, but returned home this year to perform on what turned out to be five farewell shows.
Alton Ellis began as a dancer whose trademark was his ability to take rhythm and blues soul songs and re-record them in an enthralling Jamaican flavour that bettered the original. He became one of Jamaica's most prolific hitmakers and earned himself the honorofic, Godfather of Rock Steady.
We will miss them all.
|
|
| Related Articles |
| No
related articles were found |
| |
|
|
|
