WOW ...I am half way through the book

[Sir X]

Don Drummond "The Genius and Tragedy of the Worlds Greatest Trombonist "
By Heather Augustyn

It gives a brutal picture of the Jamaican psyche ,misogyny and in no way is it reserved for Don , more so Anita Mahfood father, also the classism and racism of the era, fertile ground for rasta and the rude boys to flourish.

To show the extent of the popularity and power of Don D , he had a song banned called the message ,he entered the Carib theatre from the top deck and walked down blazing horns unto the stage driving the audience into a frenzy.

This man made men cry , had musicians and composers at his feet, he studied and wrote music with a piano score sheet "upside down" Randy Chin among others testified to this.

The man got his ratings from international Jazz musicians.The music elders in the book say that Bob Marley music is rooted in Don Drummonds work,such is the man.

Jamaica at the time was a classist society(some would argue still is ) where clubs were segregated along class lines and music lines , its understandalble how some not acquainted with our history would rate Byron Lee as some leader in the ska era,without having the knowledge of the true history.

I dont believe Don intentionally killed Anita , in any fit of madness, if any madness was at play , it would stand to be from her history of abuse starting with her father and husband exploding onto the quiet , reserved Don who reacted.Yes a recipe for disaster.

Updates to come , get the book

[Peter R]

X, No doubt Don D. was a "don" with his instrument. That is without question.

With respect to the death of his significant other, how EXACTLY did she die? Is her cause of death established fact and is any perp identified in the book?

[Sir X]

Dont want to buss it , but two facts , Don was a quiet reserved man , Anita and she is an empress in her own right was brought up in abuse from father to her 1st husband, she had 3 kids by 21 from her husband and was divorced, her daughter said she was raped by her husband and the custom of the time was to marry when child or pregnancy was involved, run and hide as she did her husband pursued her.Up to his death her husband called her his wife , to his present wife with 11 kids, whom none was his own. This man was a boxer by the name of Bent from Honduras.

Coupled with the fact her mother comitted suicide after not succeding the 1st time , to get away from an abusive husband when she/Anita was 14 ,whom desperately wanted a son to maintain the muslim tradition of a male figurehead in the household, he had no boys by his wife, he did have children out of the marriage , where he concieved his joy boy , and if you read di bwooy comments about Anita and her relationship with marrying out of the culture/race, you could argue the father is alive and well.

Given all that baggae and Dons slip into psychosis, I dont know ,nothing is conclusive , but emotionally that death was set a long time ago by the enviroment.

[Sir X]

She was a fighter , all her life , fought for her sisters,children and herself .Its really a sad story .Quiet and reserved man slipping into psychosis falling in love with a woman born into psychosis.

Sure death...truly a sad story.

[Sir X]

2 corrections ,he was of arab descent , dont know if he was muslim ,christian or jewish but Mahfood cultural leanings was for a boy and 2nd Bent was from British Honduras now belize.

[Sir X]

I completed the book , and I cried some, really good book , minor errors in typos, but my lord what history that we dont know , the authour was brutal in seeking honesty , all was laid bare , even the Don himself,it gave me a new respect for that lady Anita Mahfood, Rasta dawta !

Will give my synopsis later, give me time to digest this book.

Peter in all honesty it does point to Don killing that beautifull young lady ,and at that stage in his life he was in my opinion a full blown jealous bipolar schizophrenic.

You cant make this story up , everything is in it ,Love- hate , class, racisim, anti rastafarism, uptown down town, jazz vs ska , rich - poor ,politricks,genius- madness , up pression - down pression struggles , psychosis, classic colonial schizophrenia in full rage (Jamaica). How far have we grown from that ? In my opinion not far.