jamarchMy Reggae Journey is a personal journey into the world of early Jamaican music spawned by American Blues from New Orleans, Louisiana to Memphis Tennessee. It a genre of music loved by Jamaicans.
The advent of sound systems early 1950s was a major influence on Jamaican musicians and singers. The journey begins in clubs of Kingston, and the lovely beaches of St. Thomas, where numerous sound systems competed with each other. People from all parts of the Island flocked the clubs and beaches of St. Thomas on Sundays.
In the late 50s, recording studios emerged. Artist like “Jackie” Edwards and Laurel Aitken paved the way for the others to follow.
My journey takes you to the early 1960s to the Bronx, NY, where Jamaican music gained acceptance and popularity through “basement parties” and social clubs. Reggae literally exploded when Caribbean record stores emerged in the late 1960’s.
New York radio stations aired Caribbean music on weekend shows, and gained attention and interest from the public. Caribbean radio personalities used their popularity to promote reggae shows in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. Andy’s Record Store emerged in 1970. Demands from customers took me to the streets of Kingston, Jamaica, purchasing and exporting musis to the USA and Canada. As music producer and distributor of several record labels, I worked with the best Jamaican artistes of the day. My journey ends in upstate New York, as a band manager, producer and promoter.
This book contains 230 pages of important information for anyone entering the music business.
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