Dreams Do Come True

Groundins

By: Charles H.E. Campbell

All of us as children are taught as a motivational tool by our parents and teachers that if we work hard, dreams do come true. In addition to this, those generations that came of age between the 1940’s and 1970’s were also taught, and in significant numbers were involved in some form of volunteerism- helping to organise socially uplifting or charitable programs and deeds. This engineered and engendered a gradual transformation of our social landscape and structure. Professor Rex Nettleford refers to this as the ‘smaddification’ of our Jamaican society.

These generations recognised this to be a critical task in the formative phase of the process of nation building. To them, it was imperative for us to pull ourselves up, from the hovels and ghettos, by our own bootstraps. Organisations like Jamaica Welfare, Jamaica Agricultural Society, Jamaica Teachers’ Association, as well as church groups including the Anglican Women’s Auxiliary, the Roman Catholic Social Action Centre and Christian Youth Organisations, Mico Teacher’s College, Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) and Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) played a leading role in the process of social integration.

During this era, they concentrated on skills training in the traditional trades, but more importantly, incubated indigenous entrepreneurs and cottage industries. The end result was the development and grooming of future leaders in the social, economic and political spheres. One such institution was the Alpha Boys’ School, which trained underprivileged and wayward youths- not only as musicians, but as well-rounded individuals who went on to master the playing and public performance of American jazz and rag music in the big bands which entertained sailors and the society’s upper crust at clubs and hotels, mainly located in the eastern end of the city.

Simultaneously, up in Wareika Hills, a group of Rastafarian, intuitive musicians led by Count Ossie had regular jam sessions using African-inspired religious and traditional beats and tunes. Ernie Ranglin, already a seasoned musician, regularly participated in these sessions. A core of these Alpha trained musicians, including Don Drummond, Roland Alphonso, Johnny ‘Dizzy’ Moore, Tommy McCook, Lester Sterling and Lloyd Knibbs, with a conscious urge for self-expression, and drawn by their cultural roots, found this camp to be their ideal crucible for their musical experimentation and self-definition. Out of this, our first modern musical genre called Ska was born, incorporating jazz, blues, Mento and Nyahbinghi, with an underlying Latin influence.

These musicians had a dream and although many of them did not live long enough to reap financial or symbolic awards, they were the builders and Ska became the foundation, the cornerstone on which we have built an entire industry. Other than those musicians referred to above, who were all fiercely patriotic, no one then, could have foretold the incredible spread and impact that Jamaican music and culture would now have on the entire world.

The next generation of musicians and artistes led by Millie Small, Desmond Dekker, Prince Buster, Derrick Morgan, Jimmy Cliff, followed by Burning Spear, Culture, Peter Tosh, Dennis Brown, John Holt, Bob Andy, Marcia Griffiths, Bob Marley, Mighty Diamonds, Gregory Isaacs, U-Roy, Inner Circle and Third World all played their part, at great personal sacrifices sometimes, in propagating our music and culture worldwide.

In the succeeding years, with the emergence of Dancehall as a primary genre, highly influenced by the same pioneering sounds of Ska, Rock Steady and Reggae, deejays like Shabba Ranks, Patra, Shinehead, Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Sean Paul, Elephant Man, Capleton and Shaggy have pushed Jamaican popular music and culture into new and wider international markets. While other nationalities have profited substantially from its enormous market appeal, unfortunately, to an extent, we in Jamaica have taken this resource for granted and failed to sufficiently protect and exploit the great legacy bequeathed to us by the pioneers. Within the industry, though we all see the bigger picture- the true potential- we are so preoccupied with developing our individual careers and generating income for ourselves and our enterprises, that collectively, we have so far been unable to coalesce around one single project, volunteering our services in the true Jamaican spirit, for the long term interest of the music and the nation. They say however, it’s never too late for a shower of rain.

Finally in 2008, the government of Jamaica declared February as Reggae Month in Jamaica. It now behoves all the players in the entertainment industry, to come together in a common cause, to take the ball and run with it. Reggae Month should be treated as the launch of our annual cultural calendar.

Jamaica is already seen as the cultural mecca of the Caribbean. It is famous for grand, outdoor events and festivals like Sting, Jamaica Jazz and Blues, Rebel Salute, Reggae Sumfest, ATI/Negril Dream Weekend, Jamaica Carnival, Little Ochi Seafood Fest, Yam Festival, Portland Jerk Festival and Jamaica Festival and Independence celebrations, to name just a few. Popular street dances like Passa Passa, Bembe and Rae Town have their own unique appeal, as do parties and sessions like Good Times, Mello Vibes, Osmosis, Yush, French Connection, Fully Loaded, Luau, Frenchmen and Renaissance signature soirees.

Now, in addition to Doctor’s Cave Beach, Dunn’s River Falls and the Blue Mountains, we also boast internationally renowned attractions like the Bob Marley Museum, the National Gallery and Trench Town, the so called birth place of Reggae, because so many of our artistes resided there early in their careers. Recording studios such as Studio One, Harry J, Tuff Gong, Dynamic Sounds, Big Yard and Anchor are legendary for the artistes and international hits recorded. Some of the most dynamic night clubs in the Caribbean operate right here in Jamaica, including the Quad, Amnesia, Jungle, Bourbon Beach, the Deck, Waterfalls and recent additions, Fiction and Pure/Plush.

By putting the focus on Reggae Month, if properly planned, organised and promoted, it will give us the perfect launching pad for marketing all of these entertainment ventures and products to the world, raising the profile of Jamaica as a premier destination for leisure, entertainment and cultural and heritage tourism.

Happy birthday, Ele. Walk Good, Steelie. Job well done- Reggae/Danchall will forever be in your debt.

Email: che.campbell@gmail.com

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