When you think of
Reggae music, the first name that comes to mind is Bob Marley. Even
though we first met Bob Marley in the 70s, the name still lingers
to this day, because he was the man who turned Jamaican Reggae music
into an international phenomenon, and with the help of a few others
along the way established reggae as a worldwide genre of music.
Reggae was an evolution of what had been happening in Jamaican music, and was
the next evolutionary step up from the other types of Jamaican music that had
been enjoyed before it. These styles were Ska, and rock steady.
The History Of Reggae
Reggae music History began with Jazz. As Jazz swept across the globe with the
help of radio broadcasts and records in the 1940s, Jamaica was not immune to
the fever and bands began to spring up everywhere to entertain the tourists.
Names like trombonist Don Drummond, and sax player Tommy McCook began their
careers.
In the 50s Jazz, Bebop become the new rage and Jazz orchestras began to fade
in favor of a new youthful type of music, the rage spread all over the world
including to Jamaica.
Jamaica first started their own label of music in the 50s. When there was a
lack of R&B releases, Edward Sega, the man who was to become the president
of Jamaica, was first known as the founder of a company called WIRL, or West
Indian Records Limited, this company began releasing the work of local artists.
Many more recorders began to follow suit, once the pressing plants were established
on the island, the Jamaican recording industry was born.
Ska
By the 1960s ska was the first unique style of music developed by the Jamaicans,
giving them their own identity. This was a welcome change for Jamaicans who
were finding that their versions of R&B didn't have the same appeal
as the originals.
Prince Buster is believed to be the founding father of Ska, when he set up
a record production and in one session created 13 songs for his new label Wild
Bells. Prince Buster had asked Derrick Morgan to come and sing, and the 13 songs
all turned out to be hits. Over the course of the 13-song session, they found
something new, by melding the rhythm of traditional mento music, and adding
R&B, they changed Jamaican music history.
The crowds loved the new music, and the new music fitted in with the mood of
the times, especially with Jamaica receiving independence. The people were glad
to embrace anything that was unique to Jamaica. Ska was made by the working
class Jamaicans, and told their stories. The other record makers followed suit,
in order to compete with buster.
Ska made a debut in America but was unsuccessful, but it did make an impact
on Britain, after the war many Jamaicans had gone to work in Britain to help
rebuild it, and brought along Ska. Rude boys made their entrance into the working
class Jamaican underground scene in Britain, and they were the generation that
changed the music to suit them, the result, rock steady.
Rock Steady Music
The Jamaican people embraced Rock steady music, especially after one particular
hot summer. The slowed down form of Ska meant that people didn't have to
exert so much energy, so they could stay on the dance floor for longer. Rock
steady also took off in Britain and was embraced by the skinheads of that time.
Reggae
Reggae was the direct decent of rock steady. Many Jamaicans had not liked the
name rock steady, and through a different version of an old song Fat Man, the
artist Morgan changed the beat and he created a creep with an organ and rhythm
guitar. The music sounded like the word reggae, and that's how the name
took off. The first Reggae Album was called, "Do The Reggae" by the
Maytals in 68. Reggae was faster than rock steady was, but more complex than
Ska.
Reggae soon took off in a new direction with toasting; King Tubby had discovered
that acetates or dub plates could be manipulated, by leaving the vocal track
out a new version could be created. With the help of a talented toaster called
U-Roy, Tubby made the first toasting reggae record called Wake The Town. This
style went to the top of the charts and would later go on to be one of the motivators
of hip-hop.
With the release of the album, "The Harder They Came" gave reggae
the global recognition they needed. Reggae now had the global attention it desired
all that was needed now was an image. That's when Bob Marley catapulted
to stardom, and created the image needed for reggae.
i luv dis music n thm colours-red, yellow, green n black, m always putting on thm-JAH BLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i lovee his musicc!
It puts you in the contemplating state of mine where nothing else matters in the World but the positive lyrics. My youths be strong try to listen to the Bob Marley, Morgan Heritage and Lucky Dube. Try not to listen to the Movado and the Vybz Cartel cause them so will filter your mind with negative vibz. Im true living for God and would like you to.LOVE U 2, CAUSE GOD LOVE U 2
fanx to god for bringin meh to life!
bigg uppers to da jamaicanz! BOB marley!
and i wuldnt noe the rest oof the ogeez!
but man loving lucky dube n bob marley..
love ther hits! jimmy clapton.. and da rest!
dei may have gone and lived llife up in heaven
but ther music stil livez!
welll it duz in my house every daY..
wana be rastafarian!
TONGANLICIOUZ MARY OVER N OWTS