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Alpha Boys School
Alpha Cottage School (often referred to as Alpha Boys School, Convent of Mercy "Alpha" Academy and now called Alpha Institute) was the name of the vocational residential school on South Camp Road in Kingston, Jamaica, still run by Roman Catholic nuns. Established in 1880 as a "school for wayward boys", it became renowned for both the discipline it instilled in its pupils and the outstanding musical tuition they received.Barrow, Steve and Dalton, Peter: "Reggae: The Rough Guide", Rough Guides, 1997, In 2014 Alpha's residence closed and the school continued as Alpha Institute to focus on educational and vocational training for inner city unattached youth. School band The school band was formed in 1892. It was originally a drum and fife corps, and later a brass band, following the gift of brass instruments from the Roman Catholic Bishop of Jamaica.
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Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island. In the Americas, Kingston is the largest predominantly English-speaking city in the Caribbean. The local government bodies of the parishes of Kingston and Saint Andrew were amalgamated by the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation Act of 1923, to form the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC). Greater Kingston, or the "Corporate Area" refers to those areas under the KSAC; however, it does not solely refer to Kingston Parish, which only consists of the old downtown and Port Royal. Kingston Parish had a population of 89,057, and St. Andrew Parish had a population of 573,369 in 2011 Kingston is only bordered by Saint Andrew to the east, west and north. The geographical border for the parish of K ...
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On-U Sound Records
On-U Sound Records is an English record label known for releasing its own unique flavour of dub music since the 1980s. The label was founded by Adrian Sherwood in 1979/1980 and is home to acts such as Tackhead, Dub Syndicate, African Head Charge, Akabu, The London Underground, Little Annie, Creation Rebel, Mark Stewart, Gary Clail (who would have a number of Top 40 hits, like "Human Nature", credited to Gary Clail On-U Sound System), New Age Steppers, Audio Active, Asian Dub Foundation, and the dub collective Singers & Players. See also * List of record labels File:Alvinoreyguitarboogie.jpg File:AmMusicBunk78.jpg File:Bingola1011b.jpg Lists of record labels cover record labels, brands or trademarks associated with marketing of music recordings and music videos. The lists are organized alphabetically, b ... References External links Official sitewith extensive artist information and discography.Discography at Discogs {{Authority control British record labels Elect ...
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Tommy McCook
Tommy McCook (3 March 1927 – 5 May 1998) was a Jamaican saxophonist. A founding member of The Skatalites, he also directed The Supersonics for Duke Reid, and backed many sessions for Bunny Lee or with The Revolutionaries at Channel One Studios in the 1970s. Biography McCook was born in Havana, Cuba, and moved to Jamaica in 1933. He took up the tenor saxophone at the age of eleven, when he was a pupil at the Alpha School, and eventually joined Eric Deans' Orchestra. In 1954, he left for an engagement in Nassau, Bahamas, after which he ended up in Miami, Florida, and it was here that McCook first heard John Coltrane and fell in love with jazz. McCook returned to Jamaica in early 1962, where he was approached by a few local producers to do some recordings. Eventually he consented to record a jazz session for Clement "Coxson" Dodd, which was issued on the album as ''Jazz Jamaica''. His first ska recording was an adaptation of Ernest Gold’s "Exodus", recorded in Novembe ...
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Skatalites
The Skatalites are a ska band from Jamaica. They played initially between 1963 and 1965, and recorded many of their best known songs in the period, including " Guns of Navarone." They also played on records by Prince Buster and backed many other Jamaican artists who recorded during that period, including Bob Marley & The Wailers, on their first single " Simmer Down." They reformed in 1983 and have played together ever since. History Before the Skatalites: 1954–1964 The founders of the Skatalites were musicians Doreen Shaffer, Tommy McCook (died 1998), Rolando Alphonso (died 1998), Lester Sterling, Lloyd Brevett (died 2012), Lloyd Knibb (died 2011), Don Drummond (died 1969), Jah Jerry Haynes (died 2007), Jackie Mittoo (died 1990), and Johnny Moore (died 2008). These musicians started to play together from 1955, when Kingston's recording studios started to develop. Tommy McCook was the first member of the band to record, though not for commercial release: he played with Don Hi ...
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Richard Hall (musician)
Richard Hall was a Jamaican saxophonist who worked with many reggae artists including Peter Tosh and Burning Spear. Nicknamed "Dirty Harry," he also starred in the film '' Rockers'' alongside Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace. Biography Former Alpha Boys school student, he was well known for his tenor saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ... playing. In 1974, he played on Jacob Miller's "Keep On Knocking" for Augustus Pablo's Rockers Production team. In 1975, he was asked to contribute to Burning Spear's ''Marcus Garvey'' album, which featured the Black Disciples band. He also played on Peter Tosh's second solo album, ''Equal Rights''. The movie ''Rockers'' features Richard Hall, alongside Bobby Ellis and Tommy McCook, playing "Satta A Massagana". Richard Hall ...
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Rico Rodriguez (musician)
Emmanuel "Rico" Rodriguez (17 October 1934 – 4 September 2015), also known as Rico, Reco or El Reco, was a Cuban-born Jamaican ska and reggae trombonist. He recorded with producers such as Karl Pitterson, Prince Buster, and Lloyd Daley. He was known as one of the first ska musicians. Beginning in the 1960s, he worked with The Members, The Specials, Jools Holland, and Paul Young. Career Rodriguez was born in Havana, Cuba, and at an early age moved with his family to Jamaica.Campbell, Howard (2012)Rico Rodriguez: Man From Wareika, '' Jamaica Observer'', 22 June 2012; retrieved 24 June 2012. He grew up there in Kingston, and was taught to play the trombone by his slightly older schoolmate Don Drummond at the Alpha Boys School. In the 1950s, Rodriguez became a Rastafarian and was closely associated musically to the rasta drummer Count Ossie. In 1961 Rodriguez moved to the UK, where he joined live bands such as Georgie Fame's Blue Flames
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Keith Sterling
Keith Sterling (born Keith Sterling-McLeod, January 1952, Kingston, Jamaica)Larkin, Colin (2006) ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'', 4th edn., OUP USA, , p. 743 is a piano and keyboard player. Biography Keith Sterling is a well-respected Jamaican session musician, having played in various session/backing bands including The Upsetters, The Aggrovators, Soul Syndicate,Moskowitz, David V. (2006) ''Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall'', Greenwood Press, , p. 58, 320 The Boris Gardiner Happening,Katz, David (2006) ''People Funny Boy'', Omnibus, , p. 194, 241–2 Word, Sound and Power, Lloyd Parks' We The People Band,Boehm, Mike (1988) "Brown's Disarming Reggae: Gentle Voice for Have-Nots", ''Los Angeles Times'', 5 October 1988, p. 8 and Sly and Robbie's Taxi Gang. He is currently a member of The Wailers Band.
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Dizzy Reece
Alphonso Son "Dizzy" Reece (born 5 January 1931) is a Jamaican-born hard bop jazz trumpeter. Reece is among a group of jazz musicians born in Jamaica which includes Bertie King, Joe Harriott, Roland Alphonso, Wilton Gaynair, Sonny Bradshaw, saxophonists Winston Whyte and Tommy McCook, trombonist Don Drummond, pianists Wynton Kelly, Monty Alexander, bassist Coleridge Goode, guitarist Ernest Ranglin and percussionists Count Ossie and Lloyd Knibb. Biography Reece was born on 5 January 1931 in Kingston, Jamaica, the son of a silent film pianist. He attended the Alpha Boys School (known for its musical alumni), switching from baritone saxophone to trumpet when he was 14 years old. A full-time musician from the age of 16, he moved to London in 1948 and spent the 1950s working in Europe, much of that time in Paris. He played with Don Byas, Kenny Clarke, Frank Foster and Thad Jones, among others. Recording with British musicians, he led several sessions in London in 1955–1957. Al ...
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Harold McNair
Harold McNair (5 November 1931 – 7 March 1971) was a Jamaican-born saxophonist and flautist. Early life McNair was born in Kingston, Jamaica. He attended the Alpha Boys School under the tutelage of Vincent Tulloch, while playing with Joe Harriott (a lifelong friend who considered McNair his ''de facto'' younger brother), Wilton "Bogey" Gaynair, and Baba Motta's band. He spent the first decade of his musical career in The Bahamas, where he used the name "Little G" for recordings and live performances. His early Bahamian recordings were mostly in Caribbean musical styles rather than jazz, in which he sang and played both alto and tenor saxophone. He also played a calypso singer in the film '' Island Women'' (1958). In 1960, he recorded his first album, a mixture of jazz and calypso numbers entitled ''Bahama Bash''. It was around this time that he began playing the flute, which would eventually become his signature instrument. Initially he had some lessons in New York, but ...
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David Madden (musician)
David Madden (born 1943) is a Jamaican trumpeter known for his solo recordings and as a member of Zap Pow, as well as playing on records of Bob Marley and many other great reggae artists. Biography David Madden has been around for many years in the Jamaican music business – composing, arranging, singing, and playing the trumpet. He has recorded with artists such as Bob Marley & the Wailers,Campbell, Howard (2013)David Madden is Pon Di Internet, '' Jamaica Observer'', 12 October 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2013 Ernest Ranglin, Freddie McGregor, Jimmy Cliff, Burning Spear, Bob Andy, Peter Tosh, Beres Hammond, Ziggy Marley, Dawn Penn, Dennis Brown, and Sean Paul. Madden began playing the trumpet at Alpha Boys School. By age 17, he went to Jamaica Military Band, then on to the Jamaican entertainment pop scene.Campbell-Livingston, Cecelia (2014)David Madden gives ‘good measure’, '' Jamaica Observer'', 21 May 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014 Madden teamed with saxophonist ...
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Bobby Ellis
Bobby Ellis OD (2 July 1932 – 18 October 2016) was a Jamaican trumpet player. He worked with many reggae artists including Peter Tosh, Burning Spear and The Revolutionaries. Biography Born in Kingston on 2 October 1932, Bobby Ellis attended the Alpha Boys School which is famous for its musical alumni.Campbell, Howard (2014)Trumpet Honours: Hornsman Bobby Ellis to receive national award, ''Jamaica Observer'', 24 August 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2014 While at this school Ellis received tuition on the trumpet and flugelhorn. The school's music curriculum consisted of marches, waltzes and classical pieces which gave Ellis an extensive knowledge of timing, harmony and form. These factors have contributed to his work as a horn arranger for the Studio One. He also acted as arranger for producer Jack Ruby and was part of Ruby's studio band the Black Disciples, playing on Burning Spear's ''Marcus Garvey'' album and going on to tour as part of Spear's band for twelve years. He also p ...
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Leslie Thompson (musician)
Leslie Anthony Joseph Thompson (17 October 1901, Kingston, Jamaica – 26 December 1987, London) was a Jamaican jazz trumpeter and trombonist who moved to England in 1929. Biography Thompson was born in Kingston, Jamaica, where he studied music as a child at the Roman Catholic Alpha Cottage School.Eileen SouthernReview of ''Leslie Thompson: An Autobiography as Told to Jeffrey P. Green'' in ''Black Perspective in Music'', Vol. 15, No. 2 (Autumn 1987), p. 236. When he was 16, he joined the West India Regiment and played in their band locally in Kingston movie palaces in the 1920s, before moving to London in 1929 and studying at Kneller Hall.Jeffrey Green"033: Leslie Thompson 'Swing from a Small Island./ref> He had been unable to become a bandmaster in the army because of rules preventing black soldiers becoming officers. He also played euphonium and cornet.''Swinging into the Blitz: A Culture Show Special'', BBC, 16 February 2013. In 1930 he began playing with Spike Hughes, where h ...
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