Black History Month (African American History Month) is celebrated in February because it coincides with the birthdays of two significant figures in America’s history: Abraham Lincoln, a former president of the United States who was born on February 12, and Frederick Douglass, a former enslaved African American who chose February 14 as his birthdate.

Douglass was a social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman who ran away from enslavement and fought for equality and justice for all people. He did not know his actual birthdate. Black History Month was built on Black History Week, which was started in the second week of February in 1926. Black communities have celebrated both birthdays since the late 19th century.

Like Lincoln and Douglass, Reggae Month, celebrated in Jamaica, is recognised in February to acknowledge the births, lives, and works of Dennis Emanuel Brown on February 1 and Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley on February 6. Both individuals are significant figures in the history of Jamaican music, Marley from inception and Brown was a childhood phenomenon.

Brown recorded his first single (a rocksteady song) as a child, age 12. However, Marley, along with Bunny Livingston and Peter McIntosh (Tosh), then known as the Wailing Wailers, recorded tracks in the ska, reggae love songs, and rocksteady eras, the origins of what we now know as reggae music.

The Government of Jamaica officially announced February as Reggae Month on January 9, 2009, and the proclamation was read by then Governor General Sir Kenneth Hall on January 24, the same year, to acknowledge the reggae genre as endemically Jamaican and the impact and contribution the music made to Jamaica and the rest of the world. Many activities are planned each year as part of the celebration of Reggae Month, including tributes to various original creators of the different types of Jamaican music: ska, rocksteady, lovers rock, and dancehall.

Almost daily, during February, Jamaica, the diaspora, and the world are entertained by live and recorded performances, panel discussions, and interviews depicting this central part of our culture each night. There are, however, missing pieces that could be highlighted, streamlined, and captured to retain the foundation from which our music is derived. Nevertheless, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission does a beautiful job of capturing most.

It is good that we can showcase Jamaica’s musical journey for the world to see. Jamaica’s musical history is culturally rich and exciting, with all kinds of Jamaican music for everyone, from as far back as mento in the 1830s with Lord Flea, Count Lasher, Stanley and the Turbines, Lord Tanamo, Lord Messam and his Calypsonians, Count Owen and his Calypsonians, Lord Composer, Harry Belafonte, and more. Mento was popular in the hotel industry, entertaining tourists on the beaches from the 1930s as live entertainment, showcasing the banjo, rumba box, goady shakers, and cast aluminium lap steel electric guitar, sometimes with a steel pan. Popular mento songs include
Hill and Gully Ride,
Matilda,
Take Her to Jamaica,
Yellow Bird, and
Linstead Market.

Ska music entered Jamaica when it became apparent that Independence from Britain was imminent. The country wanted a more upbeat type of music, representing freedom from colonialism. It was Derrick Morgan, The Skatalites, Prince Buster, Desmond Dekker and the Aces, The Wailing Wailers, the Maytals, Lauren Aitkins, and many more artistes who led the charge. The sound was made famous by big bands led by Don Drummond, Roland Alphonso, Dizzy Johnny Moore, Tommy McCook, Lester Sterling, Jackie Mittoo, Lloyd Brevette, Jah Jerry, and Lloyd Knibbs.

Ska was characterised by a high tempo and high pitch, with a tremendous horn section. A few of the dance moves —
Wash,
Snap-fall, and
Scatter Leg — mirrored the
Swing,
Cha Cha, and
Twist in the US.

American rhythm & blues and pop music greatly influenced Jamaican music as American love songs also made it big on the island. Old school lover man, lover boy, sweet boy, and their speedos (girlfriends) three-stepped their nights away. The Maytals’ song
Daddy;
The Wailing Wailers
It Hurts to Be Alone; and Byron Lee’s
Empty Chair are a few popular love songs that made the dance culture famous. We could dig deeper to extract more of the origin of the music.

Much of this type of music needs to be added to what is captured and shown to us during Reggae Month. Dr Beverly Fray, an avid lover of early reggae music, agreed: “I have always been a fan of Reggae Month. However, this year, so far, I’ve been underwhelmed. The reason is that many of the interviews and performances have been repeated from previous years. Despite that, I would not miss nightly activities at all.” There is so much more to capture.

In 1966, the Jamaica Festival Song Competition started to celebrate the island’s history and culture, with one song being named the winner on Independence Day. The first winner was Toots and the Maytals with
Bam Bam. Other famous and subsequent winners include Eric Donaldson, Roy Rayon, Tinga Stewart, the Jamaicans, and Stanley Beckford.

The roots and culture era is also a forgotten favourite. The cultural music of Joseph Hill, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, Coco T, the Ethiopians, and the Rastafarian and Nyabinghi chants. These were roots music depicting some of the hardships in Jamaica or the Rastaman’s religious beliefs and practices. Missing alongside these are the specials popularly recorded on dubplates. The actual dancehall created a culture of competition using special dubs, initially drum and base, but later voiced by famous singers and toasters.

To maintain the viability of what Reggae Month should encompass, I recommend that the month be broken up into four named weeks, highlighted by unique names so each day is themed and easily recalled, planned for, and maintained each year accordingly. That way we look forward, artistes can plan to insert their pieces, and the government plays its role in the highlight. For example:

• Week 1: Dennis Brown and Bob Marley

• Week 2: mento, ska, rocksteady, festival, 60s lovers rock, Nyabinghi music, and folklore

• Week 3: reggae singers, roots and culture, dub poetry, Jamaica soca, and international

• Week 4: sound systems, clash, dubplates, soca, dancehall

Each category can be designated one, two, or three days, depending on its impact.

Jamaican music is eclectic and derived from a depth not experienced elsewhere worldwide. It should be captured for fun, excitement, embodiment, and richness in Jamaican living and lifestyle. Each era is varied and different. Let us streamline it for posterity.

Leo Gilling is the chairman of the Jamaica Diaspora Taskforce Action Network and a diaspora strategist and engagement advocate. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or leogilling@gmail.com.