‘JAMUSA’ marks milestone
For the past 60 years life has been one big party for Denver “JAMUSA” Silvera. On September 4 the broadcaster/sound system selector celebrated six decades in the music business with an event at Gold Choice Ballroom in Margate, South Florida.
Family and friends turned out in numbers to share in the momentous occasion, which was an emotional affair for the St Mary-born JAMUSA.
“To see people you have not seen for years was a joy. One of my friends who just made it out of the hospital, not fully recovered, came and that was heartfelt,” he told the Jamaica Observer.
JAMUSA’s daughter Nikecia, his twin brother Cornel, sister Dawn, and nieces attended the event. As did many of his friends, including singers Marcia Ball, Wayne Armond, Barry Biggs, Hal Anthony, and Latty Guzang and fellow sound system selectors Waggy T, O J Smith, and Janice The Empress.
The 73-year-old JAMUSA started out playing on ‘uptown sounds’ such as Detroit Sounds Incorporated and Soul Syndicate. He came to prominence in the late 1960s working with Jack Ruby Hi Fi, owned by Lawrence “Jack Ruby” Lindo, who became world-famous as producer of Burning Spear’s Marcus Garvey album.
After migrating to the United States in the early 1970s, JAMUSA maintained his ties to sounds systems, manning the turntables for Imperial Faith in Brooklyn, New York. He also debuted as a broadcaster on the WWRL radio station.
He is best known in Jamaica as one of the senior selectors for Mello Canary sound system for over 10 years, starting in the late 1970s. In South Florida JAMUSA is synonymous with the WAVS 1170 AM radio station on which he hosts the popular Making Tracks With JAMUSA show.
— Howard Campbell