{"id":113510,"date":"2015-03-20T14:49:57","date_gmt":"2015-03-20T19:49:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kingston12.net\/?p=113510"},"modified":"2022-11-22T16:42:26","modified_gmt":"2022-11-22T21:42:26","slug":"reggaes-cuban-connection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/2015\/03\/20\/reggaes-cuban-connection\/","title":{"rendered":"Reggae\u2019s Cuban Connection"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jamaica<\/em> never really developed formal diplomatic relations with Cuba<\/em> until Michael Manley<\/strong>\u2019s government established diplomatic relations in 1972. That year Manley established multi-level relations with Cuba that included trade, bi-lateral technical assistance, loans and other direct aid. Today, there are many Jamaicans studying in Cuba \u2013 particularly in health-related professions, while there are many Cuban doctors and other health professionals working in Jamaica. The Jamaican tourist industry is also another employer of several multi-lingual Cubans. However, probably because of proximity (90 miles), informal (people to people) relationship has existed between the two countries for close to 100 years.<\/p>\n

Many Jamaicans (including two of my uncles) moved to Cuba and established residence there as earlier as the 1940s. Similarly, Cubans have been moving to establish residence in Jamaica since the early part of the century. As a result, some of the giants of almost any industry in Jamaica have roots in Cuba. Their contributions to Jamaica\u2019s cultural industries are well documented. The six icons referenced in this article represent a small but significant fraction of the bi-lateral, cultural exchange that has taken place between the two countries over the years. These are Cuban-Jamaican<\/em> giants that have provided significant input in the shaping and development of Reggae music \u2013 Jamaica\u2019s gift to the world.
\n\"seeco_patterson\"<\/a>
\nAlvin \u201cSeeco\u201d Patterson<\/strong> (born Francisco Willie<\/strong>) was born in Havana, Cuba on December 30, 1930 to a Jamaican father and Panamanian mother. He immigrated to Jamaica as a young child and lived in the parish of Westmorland. Most Jamaicans know him as the talented percussionist who played with Bob Marley<\/strong>, but for Marley, he was big brother, life teacher and music tutor. Patterson and Marley are said to have \u201cgrown immensely close and forged a bond that would last until the end of Marley’s life\u201d.
\nIt was Patterson who encouraged Marley as he began to experiment with singing \u2013 sharing the experience he had gained playing percussion with famed calypso artist Lord Flea<\/strong>, and with several other Mento\/Calypso bands. It is said that Patterson was the one who took the newly formed Wailers group, consisting of Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Livingston<\/strong> and Beverley Kelso<\/strong> to Coxsone Dodd<\/strong>‘s Studio One<\/strong> for their first audition, in July 1964. The resulting recording session, which took place only after Coxsone’s initial rejection of the Wailers, produced the hit single “Simmer Down” \u2013 – the record which launched the Wailers\u2019 career.<\/p>\n

Over the years Patterson served in the dual role of percussionist and road manager for the Wailers and (later\u00a0Bob Marley & the Wailers)<\/strong>. It is said that he was the \u201canchor that kept Marley\u2019s music grounded in tradition\u201d, and although not credited, is said to have contributed lyrics to several of Marley\u2019s songs. Patterson was what Jamaicans call a \u201cloyal soldier\u201d who was part of every Marley performance and recording session. He was with him when he collapsed in Central Park<\/em> and stayed by his side until death. He continued to play with the Wailers Band after Marley\u2019s death until he suffered a near fatal brain aneurism in 1990. Since then he retreated from the music scene \u2013 spending his time at home in Kingston and occasionally appearing as guest percussionist at jam sessions.
\n\"laurelaitken2\"<\/a>
\nLaurel Aitken<\/strong> was born Lorenzo Aitken in Cuba (of a Jamaican father and Cuban mother) on April 22, 1927. He moved with his family to Jamaica at the age of eleven (1938). Aitken began his career as a nightclub entertainer and was one of Jamaica\u2019s first recording artists in the 1950s. By 1958 he had racked up a number of mento hits including: Baba Kill Me Goat<\/em>, <\/strong>Swing Low, Nebuchenezer, More Wisky <\/em>and Low down Dirty Girl<\/em>. That year Chris Blackwell<\/strong> ventured into the recording business with Boogie in My Bones<\/em> and Little Sheila<\/em> with Aitkin for distribution in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n

In 1960 Aitkin moved to Brixton, England<\/em> and began recording on the Blue Beat<\/strong> label. During that early sixties he traveled between Jamaica and England, recording for producers in both countries \u2013 working with the Skatalites<\/strong> in Jamaica and recording for Pama Records – <\/strong>a label established by Palmer brothers, Harry, Jeff and Carl\u00a0in England. It was during this period that Aitken earned the title Godfather of Ska<\/strong>. In the late 1970s the multi-talented Aitken recorded a few DJ tracks under the name \u201cKing Horror\u201d. In the 1980s Aitken move to Leicester, England<\/em> where he returned to his \u201croots\u201d as a nightclub performer. That move coincided with the 2-Tone Ska movement in England and Aitken returned to the British chart with a song call Rudi Got Married<\/em>. He continued to perform until his death at the age of 78 in 2005. He died from complications of a heart attack.
\n\"tumblr_mfurvlDnLj1rhleojo1_400\"<\/a>
\nRita Marley<\/strong> was born Alpharita Constantia Anderson in Santiago, Cuba<\/em> to Jamaican parents\u00a0Leroy Anderson<\/strong> and Cynthia Jarrett<\/strong> on July 25, 1946. She was brought to Jamaica shortly thereafter \u2013 residing in Kingston. In the 1960s she was introduced to Clement Dodd<\/strong> at Studio One and became lead singer of a group called the Soulettes<\/strong>. This group also included her cousin Constance \u201cDream\u201d Walker<\/strong> and Marlene \u201cPrecious\u201d Gifford<\/strong>. It was during this period that she met and married Bob Marley (February 1966). Her group evolved into Rita Marley & the Soulettes and over the years, included singers like Nora Dean,<\/strong> and made hits like Why Should I<\/strong> and Deh Pon Dem<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

At the same time, there was another female group at Studio One called the Gaylettes<\/strong>. This group featured Judy Mowatt<\/strong> (lead), Beryl Lawson<\/strong> and Merle Clemenson<\/strong>. They were known for hit records like Silent River Runs Deep, Like Your World<\/em> and Son of a Preacher Man<\/em>. In the early 1970s, Judy joined force with Rita and Marcia Griffiths<\/strong> (of Bob Andy & Marcia fame) to form the I-Threes<\/strong> – Jamaica\u2019s premiere female group of the period. They racked up several chart toppers as a group, but were mostly known as the back-up singers for Bob Marley and the Wailers. Rita was injured in the attack on her husband shortly before the 1976 \u201cSmile Jamaica\u201d concert. She continued her solo career after Bob\u2019s death, topping the Jamaican and international charts with One Draw<\/em> in the 1980s.<\/p>\n

In 1986 she founded the Robert Marley Foundation<\/strong>. She is chair of the Bob Marley Trust<\/strong> and the Bob Marley Group of Companies<\/em>. Since the late 1980s, her life has take a somewhat different turn \u2013 towards a life of philanthropy \u2013 and giving back. That life includes adoption of children in Ethiopia (35), educational and feeding projects in Africa \u2013 particularly Ghana<\/em> where she presently resides – music education scholarships and multiple projects aimed at alleviating poverty in targeted countries – by way of the Rita Marley Foundation<\/strong>. Her children \u2013 Sharon, Cedella, Ziggy<\/strong> and Stephen<\/strong> continue to provide their imprint on reggae music, sports, fashion and other aspects of Jamaican and international life. Two other children \u2013 Stephanie and Serita are lending their talents in Rita\u2019s philanthropic efforts.
\n\"RicoP1970s\"<\/a>
\nRico Rodriquez<\/strong> was born Emmanuel Rodriquez on October 17, 1934 in Havana, Cuba. He moved with his family to Jamaica at a very early age and settled in Kingston. He attended Alpha Boys School – <\/em>a trade and training school founded and run in\u00a0Kingston run by the Roman Catholic Church in the late 19th century. The school was established in 1880 as a “school for wayward boys”, and became renowned for both the discipline it instilled in its pupils and the outstanding musical education it provided its students. It was here that he met his mentor and teacher \u2013 the legendary Jamaican trombonist Don Drummond<\/strong> who was also an older student at the school. He joined Count Ossie<\/strong>\u2019s band in the late 1950s and played trombone on several recordings during that period. He left Jamaica for England in 1962 where he played with and led several Ska, Rock Steady and Reggae bands – included The Specials<\/strong>, Jools Holland\u2019s Rhythm & Blues Orchestra<\/strong> and his own band \u2013 Rico and the Rudies<\/strong>. His recordings included Man from Wareika, A Message to You, Rudy <\/em>and the album \u2013 Roots to the Bone.<\/em><\/p>\n

Rico was awarded an MBE<\/strong> (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for a life of services to music in July 2007. In October 2012 he was awarded the Silver Musgrave Medal<\/strong> by the Institute of Jamaica <\/em>in recognition of his contribution to Jamaican music. He still lives in the United Kingdom and performs occasionally at music festivals.<\/p>\n

Roland Alfanso<\/strong> was born Ronaldo Alphonso in Havana, Cuba on January 12 1931 from a Cuban father and Jamaican mother. He moved to Jamaica with his mother at the age of two. He began studying the Saxophone at the \u201cStony Hill Industrial School\u201d at a very early age. In 1948 he left school to join the \u201cEric Deans\u201d orchestra and later played with several bands on the hotel circuit. Alfanso became a member of Stanley Motta\u2019s session musicians in 1952. Four years later he began recording for Clement \u201cCoxsone\u201d Dodds\u2019s Studio One. In 1958 he joined Bim & Bam\u2019s touring comedy act. The following year he joined one the more popular Jamaican bands at the time \u2013 Clue J & His Blues Busters, while simultaneously leading recording session musicians for both Studio One and Duke Reid\u2019s Treasure Isle recordings.<\/p>\n

By 1960, Alphonso had become the primary \u201cgo to, get it done\u201d session leader for several early sound system operator\/producers \u2013 including Duke Reid, Prince Lloyd \u201cthe Matador\u201d Daley, Clement Dodd and King Edwards \u201cthe Giant\u201d. He played virtually all the saxophone instruments \u2013 alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax and flute. During that period he played with several emerging bands including The Alley Cats, the City Slickers, Aubrey Adams Orchestra and the Drew Droppers. In 1962 he left Jamaica for \u201cgreener pastures\u201d in the hotel industry in Nassau, Bahamas.<\/p>\n

He returned less than a year later to take up the leadership of the newly formed Studio One Orchestra. This band was later rebranded as the Skatallites \u2013 a band that has hardly received the credit it truly deserved for building the foundation of Jamaican music. The band included some of the architects of the Jamaican music industry – namely Tommy McCook (died in 1998), Roland Alphonso (died in 1998), Lloyd Brevett (died in 2012), Lloyd Knibbs (died in 2011), Don Drummond (died in 1969), Jah Jerry Haynes (died in 2007), Jackie Mittoo (died in 1990), \u201cDizzie\u201d Johnny More (died in 2008) and Barbadian singer, Jackie Opel (died in 1970).<\/p>\n

The Skatalites recorded their first LP Ska Authentic<\/em> at Studio One in 1964. They toured Jamaica as the creators of Ska. Among their producers were Coxsone Dodd, Duke Reid, Prince Buster, Vincent “King” Edwards, Justin “Phillip” Yap, Leslie Kong, Lindon Pottinger, Sonia Pottinger and Vincent “Randy” Chin. The Skatalites led sessions with all Jamaica\u2019s top artists of the period \u2013 including several young talents that went on to become superstars – such as Delroy Wilson, Desmond Dekker, The Wailers, Toots and the Maytals and Lee \u201cScratch\u201d Perry. The Skatellites played their last show as a band in Kingston in August 1965. The music they made during the period they were together continued to top the charts in Jamaica and the United Kingdom long after the disbanded. In 1967, their Ska adaptation of the theme from the film \u2013 The Guns of Navarone<\/em> entered the UK top 40 chart.<\/p>\n

The band dispersed and evolved into two super-groups – Rolando Alphonso and the Soul Brothers (later rebranded Soul Vendors) and Tommy McCook and the Supersonics. Alphanso suffered a stroke in 1972 at the early age of 41 and decided to migrate to the United States later that year in order to have closer access to medical treatment. However, he returned to Jamaica to record on a regular basis. He kept up this pace throughout the 1980s and 1990s. During this period he also performed live with reggae band – Jah Malla on the reggae music circuit in New York.\u00a0In 1977, the Jamaican government honored him with the title of Order of Distinction.<\/p>\n

In 1983 he rejoined a re-structured Skatallites for several tours and recording sessions until November 2, 1998 when he suffered an aneurism while performing with the band at the Key Club in Hollywood, California. He died at the Cedras-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA eighteen days later.
\n\"tommymccook\"<\/a>
\nTommy McCook<\/strong> was born in Havana, Cuba to Jamaican parents on March 3, 1927. He was brought to Jamaica by his parents in 1933. He began playing the tenor saxophone as a student at Alpha Boys School in Kingston. He eventually left school at age 14 to joined the Eric Deans orchestra and later with Roy Coburn orchestra, emerging as a highly skilled jazz player. Between the late ’40s and early ’50s, he also frequently collaborated with Count Ossie<\/strong>, lending his talents alongside those of the Rastafarian hand drummers and chanting vocalists who comprised Ossie’s<\/strong> group.<\/p>\n

In 1954, after an overseas engagement with Dean\u2019s Orchestra (in the Bahamas), he decided to stay in south Florida \u2013 Miami. It was here that he became exposed to American Jazz legends like John Coltrane and Miles Davis. Upon his return to Jamaica in 1962, he was approached by several producers to record Jazz. This led to his first Jamaican recording session (for Clement \u201cCoxsone\u201d Dodd) titled Jazz Jamaica. Later that year he recorded a Ska version of Ernest Gold\u2019s Exodus<\/strong><\/em>. He went on to become a leader of the legendary Skatalites where he was among the most innovative and influential Jamaican musicians of his generation, a prime catalyst behind the evolution and international popularity of ska and reggae music.
\nAfter the Skatalites disbanded, McCook founded the Supersonics. This band was soon installed as the house band at Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle studio and became one of the the most sought-after studio unit of the rock-steady era \u2013 appearing on classic hits from artists including Alton Ellis, Justin Hinds, and the Techniques.<\/p>\n

Tommy McCook remained a fixture of the Jamaican session circuit throughout the years that followed, while simultaneously issuing a number of solo albums for producer Bunny Lee. Among them 1974’s Cookin<\/em>, 1975’s Brass Rockers<\/em>, and 1977’s Hot Lava<\/em>. for producer Glen Brown. In 1976 McCook also issued a blank-labeled LP generally referred to as Horny Dub<\/em>, and two years later he teamed with trumpeter Bobby Ellis for Blazing Horns<\/em>.<\/p>\n

In 1983 he formed the Skatalites (2.0) nearly two decades after their initial breakup. He relocated them to the U.S. in 1985. A few months later they released their comeback album, Return of the Big Guns<\/em>. A series of new releases from the Skatalites followed. Their work during this period led to a pair of Grammy nominations. In 1994 they launched their first world tour, which included appearances as part of the Skavoovee U.S.A. tour, a package that included their descendants British Ska band the Specials, the Selecter, and the Toasters. McCook died quietly at his home in Atlanta, GA, on May 5, 1998 at the age of 71.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jamaica never really developed formal diplomatic relations with Cuba until Michael Manley\u2019s government established diplomatic relations in 1972. That year Manley established multi-level relations with Cuba that included trade, bi-lateral technical assistance, loans and other direct aid. Today, there are many Jamaicans studying in Cuba \u2013 particularly in health-related professions,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":113611,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[57,168,65,69,70],"tags":[250,274,284,293,294,318,352,379,416,420,431,432,447,494,496,541,575],"class_list":["post-113510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-music-articles","category-caribbean","category-cuba","category-culture","tag-alvin-seeco-patterson","tag-beverly-kelso","tag-bob-marley","tag-bunny-lee","tag-bunny-livingston","tag-coxsone-dodd","tag-eric-dean","tag-glen-brown","tag-king-horror","tag-kingston12","tag-lord-flea","tag-lorenzo-aitken","tag-michael-manley","tag-peter-tosh","tag-posts","tag-skatalites","tag-the-wailers"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/2b3909c3df792a4f750402aa20e457b5-e1426881117403-1.jpg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":115377,"url":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/2025\/10\/11\/mental-health-challenges-in-the-caribbean\/","url_meta":{"origin":113510,"position":0},"title":"Mental Health Challenges in the Caribbean","author":"Sydney","date":"October 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The Caribbean is facing a growing mental health crisis. In just three weeks, five people in Jamaica took their own lives \u2014 a tragic reminder of rising depression, anxiety, and hopelessness across the region. 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