Becoming Grace Jones

[TDowl]

http://www.stylelist.com/2011/05/19/.../?ncid=webmail

[Hortical]

Was her father or uncle a high school teacher in Jamaica? Mi nuh memba right now.

[TDowl]

Her grand father played in a big band.

[Historian]

Close

Was her father or uncle a high school teacher in Jamaica? Mi nuh memba right now.

I think her father was a preacher.

[Gamma]

yes that is what i seem to recall ... and either himself or her mother was a school teacher/principal ....

[MdmeX]

Yep, she is the daughter of a preacher man

[TDowl]

Dan Williams
In May of 2007, I heard from Donovan Williams, one of four grandchildren of John "Dan" Williams. He recalls attending his farhers funeral after he died of a heart attack after completing a tour of the Caribbean with his band. Donovan surprised me by with the information that Dan Williams is the grandfather of disco singer, actor and model Grace Jones.

[TDowl]

On these recordings, with Fly's backing band was often billed as the Dan Williams Orchestra. (This band does not appear to have recorded with any singer other than Fly.) These performances are high spirited, slick affairs. Fine vocals and jazz chops abound, featuring piano, several percussionists, bass and lead clarinet. We have a good idea of some of the musicians from Daniel Neely's excellent article, "Long Time Gal! Mento is Back!" in the December 2001 issue of The Beat magazine. In addition

Jamaican recording pioneer
Rupert Lyon (Lord Fly) and his sax
courtesy of great grand niece
Mish Kumar-Misir

to Fly on vocals and saxophone, there was:

[TDowl]

Mento and Jazz

Page last revised: 3/12/11

Jazz and mento have enjoyed a long relationship, with recordings first appearing in the 1920s and continuing today. Jamaica produced not only a rich repertoire of folk/mento songs, but also a host of talented jazz musicians. It's not surprising that Jamaican jazz musicians would take these songs and perform them in jazz.

[TDowl]

Born in Lucea, Jamaica in 1905 to a musical family, Lord Fly (Rupert Linly Lyon , called 'Pertie' by friends and family) has the distinction of the recording the first records for the first Jamaican label, MRS. As a child, Rupert played violin and organ, but by the time he was 25, he was playing saxophone professionally. His jazzy dance band mento sounds less and less like the Jamaican music that followed. But would have Jamaica produced other mento, ska, reggae, and dancehall records if not for the success of Fly's initial recordings? If for no other reason, Lord Fly is assured a place in the Jamaican music hall of fame.

[Willi]

Yes, her Dad was a preacher, she is from Spanish Town and the family is close to mine.

Her Unc was deputy principal at KC.

The Jones family is a big one and prominent in Spanish Town....though I think they are all gone from Span Town now.

[Hortical]

Ok, I recall a relative was taught by her uncle at KC.