Musicians: 15 of Jamaica’s All-Time Greatest

[Historian]

Musicians: 15 of Jamaica’s All-Time Greatest
(Names are listed alphabetically here)

Here we go again, another of my lists! No doubt this one will cause as much controversy as my previous lists, but I can assure you that a great deal of thought went into this compilation of the people I regard as Jamaica’s Top 15 Greatest Musicians!

Monty Alexander (pianist)
Peter Ashbourne (keyboardist)
Sonny Bradshaw (trumpeter)
Huntley Brown (pianist)
Michael “Ibo” Cooper (keyboardist)
Don Drummond (trombonist)
Tommy McCook (saxophonist)
Larry McDonald (conga drummer)
David Madden (trumpeter)
Winston “Sparrow” Martin (drummer)
Ernest Ranglin (guitarist)
Rohan Reid (bassist)
Jon Williams (violinist)
Luther Williams (pianist)
Mallory Williams (keyboardist)

[Historian]

Regarding This List....

Others who nearly made the list include earlier pioneers like Aubrey Adams and Carlos Malcolm. Also, guitarist Eugene Grey should probably have been somewhere on the list.

Remember that this list is not based on fame, although some, like our amazing pianists Monty Alexander (jazz) and Huntley Brown (classical and gospel), are highly respected internationally. Rather, the standard I used was the actual musical brilliance (that is, musicians with genuinely outstanding technique, etc.).

[Mosiah]

Flawed list if it doesn't have my cuz, Valentine Douglas (bassist).

Wheel and come again, Histy!

[Jangle]

Again Desi Jones gets no love. What about Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare? Add pianist Dennis Rushton (my classmate) to the list.

[Gamma]

Would only harass for the inclusion of Dwight Pinckney?

[Mosiah]

Orrett Rhoden (classical pianist) would put himself at the top 3 spots. Yuh nuh rate him, Histy?

[TDowl]

Barry Saddler - Baritone Sax.

[Historian]

Let Me Explain....

Again Desi Jones gets no love. What about Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare? Add pianist Dennis Rushton (my classmate) to the list.

Jangle, boss, I am probably the biggest fan of Desi Jones on this forum. If you recall my “Top 10 Jamaican Drummers” post a few years ago, I had Desi ranked as my Number One drummer.

Trust me, I totally respect Desi, who I regard as probably a more eclectic drummer than any other Jamaican today (he’s equally at home with jazz, salsa, ska, reggae, etc.).

I cannot think of a reason why I would even think of adding Robbie Shakespeare to this list. Certainly he’s nowhere near the sheer brilliance of a Rohan Reid or a Glen Browne or a Dwayne Livingstone (Dwayne is a Kingston-based gospel bass player who has mastered the Victor Wooten style of playing) or a Phil Chen, bass players who are technically outstanding in genres such as jazz, funk, etc. And there are other good bass players in Jamaica.

Remember that this list is not based in any way on fame. The people I have listed are all world-class.

[Historian]

Rhoden Belongs On This List!

Orrett Rhoden (classical pianist) would put himself at the top 3 spots. Yuh nuh rate him, Histy?

Apparent arrogance aside, Orrett Rhoden, a truly brilliant classical pianist, is right up there with someone like Huntley Brown! The exclusion of Rhoden simply points to the shortcomings of my list.

Good reminder, Mo. He should have been on this list.

[Historian]

Well....

Barry Saddler - Baritone Sax.

TDowl, you may indeed be right. Unfortunately I have never heard Barry Sadler play.

[Assasin]

bwoy you have some good ones but some good ones missing too. Take a youth like Harold Butler for example. Jackie Mittoo, Dean Frazier, Sly could be in there, Bongo Herman, Agustus Pablo to name a few.

[Jangle]

Any opinions on Dennis Rushton

[Historian]

Re: Dennis Rushton

Any opinions on Dennis Rushton

Jangle, boss, I did not comment on Dennis Rushton only because I am not familiar with his work. In other words, my lack of comment is in no way an indication of Dennis’ expertise, but rather, the fact that I am not qualified to speak about him.

[Historian]

True

bwoy you have some good ones but some good ones missing too. Take a youth like Harold Butler for example. Jackie Mittoo, Dean Frazier, Sly could be in there, Bongo Herman, Agustus Pablo to name a few.

Thanks, ‘Sass, but to add those names I would have to remove some people from the “Top 15” list I posted. The question is, who do I remove? For example, despite Jackie Mittoo’s stellar contribution to Jamaica’s music development (Robbie Lyn too), as a keyboard player Mittoo is nowhere as technically advanced a player as, say, Huntley Brown or Peter Ashbourne.

The two most deserving names that I neglected to include, in my honest opinion, are Harold Butler and classical pianist Orrett Rhoden.

Augustus Pablo’s playing is rudimentary at best, and the strength of his music lies in the dub rhythms; in other words, the feel.

The fact is that the Jamaican musical landscape is littered with outstanding musicians (a saxophonist like “Deadly” Hedley Bennett and a drummer like the tragic Calvin McKenzie immediately come to mind) and so, in the final analysis, making a list as limited as a Top 15 does not really tell the full story.

[Islandman]

I like the list but I was expecting to see Cat Coore not just for his Third World studio work but also for the versatility he has, he can play many instruments competently.