Words of Our Mouth, Meditations of Our Heart. Kenneth Bilby

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       Words of Our Mouth,Meditations of Our Heart

      WORDS OF

      OUR MOUTH,

      MEDITATIONS

      OF OUR HEART

       Pioneering Musicians ofSka, Rocksteady, Reggae,and Dancehall

       Kenneth Bilby

      WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY PRESS | MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT

      Wesleyan University Press

      Middletown CT 06459

       www.wesleyan.edu/wespress

      © 2016 Kenneth Bilby

      All rights reserved

      Manufactured in the United States of America

      Designed by April Leidig

      Typeset in Kepler by Copperline Book Services, Inc.

      Frontispiece: Buru drumming across the generations.

      Old Harbour Bay, Jamaica, 2005.

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      Bilby, Kenneth M., 1953–

      Words of our mouth, meditations of our heart:

      pioneering musicians of ska, rocksteady, reggae,

      and dancehall / Kenneth Bilby.

      pages cm.—(Music/interview)

      Includes index.

      ISBN 978-0-8195-7588-3 (pbk. : alk. paper)

      ISBN 978-0-8195-7604-0 (ebook)

      1. Musicians—Jamaica—Interviews. 2. Popular music—

      Jamaica—History and criticism. I. Title.

      ML3486.J3B45 2016

      781.646097292—dc23 2015022537

      5 4 3 2 1

      Cover illustration: Uzziah Thompson (Sticky), Kingston, Jamaica, 2005.

       Contents

       Give Thanks, vii

       Introduction, xi

       Words and Images

       Lammy Palmer and Emmanuel Palmer, 2

       Alerth Bedasse, 4

       Arthur Robinson (Bunny), 6

       Cecil Campbell (Prince Buster), 8

       Owen Gray, 10

       Jerome Haynes (Jah Jerry), 12

       Evan Lloyd Richards (Richard Ace), 14

       Ivanhoe Wilson and Members of the Zion Hill Congregation, 16

       George Dudley (Bunny), 18

       Rafael Griffiths and Members of the Congregation of the African Reform Church of God, 20

       Lloyd Clayton (Bro. Job, Baba Job), 22

       J. McLaughlin, 24

       Donald Manning, 26

       Herbert Armsby, 28

       Winston Grennan, 30

       Linford Brown (Hux), 32

       Edgar Reid, 34

       David Powell (Lapi), 36

       Neville Baker, Lucille Forbes, and Company, 38

       Vira Brown, 40

       Derrick Bell (Gus), 42

       George Matthews (Kwabi), 44

       Estavan Callaghan, 46

       Derrick Morgan, 48

       Headley Bennett (Deadly Headley), 50

       Freedom Mento Band, 52

       Radcliffe Bryan (Dougie), 54

       Kew Park Mento Band, 56

       Jackie Robinson, 58

       Owen Emmanuel (Count Owen), 60

       Stanley Hunter (McBeth), 62

       Kenneth Lara (Lord Laro), 64

       Stanley Beckford (Stanley Turbyne), 66

       Mount Peace Mento Band, 68

       Claudelle Clarke, 70

       Lloyd Robinson (Sarge), 72

       Rev. Otis Wright, 74