THE notion that Jamaicans should write their own history is valid, but it is misguided to believe that only Jamaicans should write about their culture and not foreigners. Jamaican culture is a global phenomena and the 2015 Reggae Month activities underscore this. Last Sunday, the final in the Institute of Jamaica’s (IOJ) Grounation series focused on the drum. Colorado-based Dr Kenneth Bilby highlighted the global influence of Jamaican hand drummers, who are seldom credited for their role in developing the island’s popular music.

As stated in Millard Faristzaddi’s book, Itations of Jamaica and I Rastafari, which was published three decades ago, Bilby spoke about the unconquerable African spirit which was transported to the New World, which included the Americas and West Indies. Before a packed IOJ Lecture Hall, Dr Bilby shared his 40-odd years of understanding Jamaican music, which is not limited to reggae, but is enhanced by traditional folk forms such as Myalism, Kumina, Revivalism, and Rastafarian Nyahbinghi drumming. “The drums of Rastafari have gone around the world,” was how Bilby began his intensive discourse under the theme, ‘Distant Drums:

The Unsung Contribution of African-Jamaican Percussion to Popular Music at Home and Aboard’. During his multi-media presentation, he showed clips and played Nyahbinghi music from France, Mali and Brazil, followed by reggae/mentoinfluenced music from Chile. “Those of you (who) speak Spanish would realise that the singers were praising Rastafari and how he (His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I) was crowned,” Bilby said. He also featured Nyahbinghi music in Hebrew and Arabic from West Africa, Suriname and Israel. Bilby saluted Prince Buster, one of the first Jamaican producers, who used traditional folk forms in popular music. “That is why I am doing this project, because many of the artistes are not acknowledged. Prince Buster played a prominent role in those days when the ska was coming about and even before.” Legendary Jamaican percussionist Larry McDonald closed the series.

“I just want to say how happy I am to play for you. Some of you don’t even know me, but hear your parents talk about me,” mused McDonald, who has recorded and toured with firebrand poet Gil Scott-Heron and blues giant Taj Mahal.

— Basil Walters