Icons fill the pages of Caribbean Quarterly - University releases special edition

Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer

Point to note before reading the December 2010 issue of 'Caribbean Journal Quarterly' (CQ), which focuses on 'Pioneering Icons of Jamaican Popular Music, Pt II'. Icon does not automatically equate to being popular.

In some cases, making an iconic contribution does not even mean automatically being inscribed into popular consciousness and memory, much less being understood.

So do not be disappointed by the distinct lack of popularity of many of those featured in the most recent edition of CQ, tagged 'the flagship publication of the University of the West Indies'. After all, that is one function of academia, to unearth the overlooked or forgotten and shore up the collective memory.

In six essays, CQ December 2010 (which is also dubbed a 'Special Issue') covers a range of topics which indicates the incredible span of Jamaican popular music. Kenneth Bilby speaks to 'Distant Drums: The Unsung Contribution of African-Jamaican Percussion to Popular Music at Home and Abroad'. Clinton Hutton (who is also guest editor) pens 'Oh Rudie: Jamaican Popular Music and the Narrative of Urban Badness in the Making of Postcolonial Society'. Klive Walker addresses a pioneering female record producer in 'Naturally: The Crucial Contribution of Sonia Pottinger', while Earl McKenzie explores 'Don Drummond and the Philosophy of Music'.

The final two essays are penned by a creator and a participant, respectively, as Hedley Jones speaks about 'The Jones High Fidelity Audio Power Amplifier of 1947' while Neville Ying gets into the groove of 'Merritone: Music from Morant Bay to the World'.

That makes for a range of articles which covers hand drumming to the electric amplifier; gangster songs to a genteel lady; and a famed suicide to the most enduring sound system in the world.

In fact, the subjects and/or creations of said subjects have endured to today, which is in no short measure indicative of their worth.

In addition, there is a book review by Claudette Williams of 'The Devil in the Details: Cubad Antislavery Narrative in the Postmodern Age'.

McKenzie's article on Drummond is fascinating, not least so because the late trombonist has been the subject of so many poets' pens. As McKenzie writes, "Suffice it to say that a fascination with Drummond the man is understandable, for his extraordinary biography included poverty, a troubled childhood, insanity, murder, incarceration, allegations of suicide and rumours of a mysterious burial in the night." Among those who have written about Drummond are Bongo Jerry ('Roll on Sweet Don'), Mervyn Morris ('Valley Prince'), 'For the D' (Anthony McNeill), Lorna Goodison ('For Don Drummond'), Kwame Dawes ('It is the Cause (Belleview Ska)') and McKenzie himself ('Metaphysics and Trombone').

No wonder, then, that "literary critic Nadi Edwards sees Drummond as the muse who inspires poets".

Hutton also draws on multiple artistic works to illustrate his examination of 'urban badness'. The expected entries are there - Derrick Morgan's Tougher Than Tough and Rudies Don't Fear (about which there is the fascinating story of its creation for Carlton 'Buzzbee' Butler). But there is also the surprising explanation of the origin of Desmond Dekker and the Aces' 007 (Shanty Town). That came out of the destruction of the Shanty Town community on Foreshore Road (now Marcus Garvey Drive) in a process that Hutton eloquently terms "the bulldozing, the razing, beginning in 1963, of some two thousand poor Jamaicans' homes to clear the way for other poor Jamaicans equally victimised as colonial subjects up to 1962."

The pictures, primarily from The Gleaner, eloquently illustrate the destruction.

Hutton also gives a fascinating narrative on the development of Kingston gangs, from the Mau Mau and Phantom gangs, a worthwhile read itself even without the accompanying soundtrack of 'badness'.

The other articles are by and large straightforward narratives. Bilby traces the lineage of hand drummers and percussionists with Count Ossie as a central figure in addition to Watta King, who carried the Buru tradition. Bilby comes closer to present with Alvin 'Seeco' Patterson, who played with Bob Marley, and Bongo Herman, whose percussions flavour many a current dancehall track. Bilby records their concept of playing to and into 'space' in the music and the concept of the drums 'talking'.

Klive Walker addresses Pottinger's involvement, critically through her work with Marcia Griffiths on the 'Naturally' album as well as work with Culture, and takes pains to note that "she did not have a reputation for financially exploiting recording artistes in an environment where alleged unfair financial treatment of singers appeared to be an integral element of Jamaica's music industry".

Jones gives the chronology of events leading to his High Fidelity Power Amplifier in 1947, starting from seven years before when "I designed and built a solid Jamaican mahogany-body electric guitar, which required a special type of audio amplifier design that would properly respond to particular guitar sound frequencies generated from a magnetic transducer." He is detailed on the technology, but it was an inadvertent sound clash which brought the technology to the sound systems, as Jones says "Equipped with what I presumed to be the best recorded sound reproducer anywhere, I set out on a Saturday night in mid-1947 to demonstrate my thunder."

He did not know that Tom the Great Sebastian was slated to play across the street. Tom was duly 'flopped' and, in true sound man fashion, turned up at Jones' establishment the following Monday morning to buy an amplifier. Within a fortnight "the true Jamaican sound system was born and scratchy recorded noises receded into oblivion forever".

Wrapping up CQ December 2010 is Ying's chronology of Merritone, from Val Blake founding the sound system in St Thomas in 1950 through to his sons Trevor, Winston, Tyrone and Monty continuing Merritone until today. It is, however, more than a sound system, a family business and talent hub. It is part of a rite of passage, as Ying writes:

"The memories of Merritone make us look back and reflect on the happy days of our lives when we were young. It was a time when, irrespective of our station in life as young persons, we dared to dream of future success, good health and happiness. Merritone was an integral and enabling part of this exciting experience."

The most recent CQ offers us an irresistible opportunity to look back at pioneers and pivotal moments that have shaped and continue to inform Jamaican popular music today - even though some of those who have been shaped by the icons are ignorant of their influence.