Spanning the Jazz Globe from Jamaica

By Ken Grady

LATELY, I’ve been writing about Jazz in Brazil, Chile, Panama and Peru. So, I figured it was time to move on to the Caribbean with a great story. 

This article looks at Jazz beginnings in Jamaica more than a century ago at the historic Alpha Boys’ School in Kingston. The school’s music department was established by Catholic nuns in the 1890’s.

The seeds of Jazz instruction have been growingfrom the school which has been turning out stalwarts in Jazz, Latin Jazz, reggae, Ska and other genres for generations.

I’ve previously played music on the radio from some of these cats over the years, but didn’t know their complete background stories until recently. Here is a look at a few of the Alpha Boys’ School’s talented Jazz alumni. Maybe you’ll recognize someone.

Alto sax man, Joseph “Joe” Harriott(ts), was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1928. Initially a bebopper, he played with other local Jamaican Jazz artists before migrating to the UK in 1951. Harriott became a major player in free Jazz and fusion in Europe in the 1950’s. He was on a course similar to other cats I would later follow in the 70’s like, Sun Ra(p), andCecil Taylor(p). He remained a resident of the UK for his entire life. Harriott died in 1973. I got hip to him only after his death. I, periodically, played some of his tunes on the radio. I only saw him play on Youtube. Check him out.

Cedric im Brookshas been described as a “bop jazzman beating to a reggae rhythm”. Hewas born in Jamaica in 1943, and entered the Alpha Boys’ School at age 11. The saxophonist, composer, and arranger is credited with blending Jamaican folk, free form jazz, and Rastafarian consciousness music. When I was introduced to his music 30 years ago I only got the Jazz. Brooks gained commercial success in the late ‘60’s working with trumpeter David Madden. And, in the late 70’s he was a touring member of the group, the Skatalites, Jamaica’s best known Ska group.Brookspassed away in 2013.

Trumpeter, Alphonso Son “Dizzy” Reece, was born in 1931 in Jamaica, and entered the Alpha Boys’ School at 14. He was a hard bop Jazz trumpeter with a distinctive style who received praise from Miles Davis andSony Rollins. Reece moved to Europe in 1949, and in 1958 he played with Donald Byrd. Later, in New York, he worked with Thad Jones, Kenny Clarke, Don Byas, Frank Foster, andArt Taylor.

Dizzy Gillespierecruited Reece into his orchestra in 1968. Reece’s recording career lasted from 1958 to 1969. Some of his original work on Blue Note has been reissued on the Mosaic Label.

Another Alpha Boys’ School alum, Wilton “Bogey” Gaynair, wasborn in 1927. He began his career on the tenor saxophone in the 1950’s. Gaynair migrated to London in 1955. By then there was a strong network of Caribbean musicians jamming there. Many of them were his classmates from the Alpha Boys’ School, like Dizzy Reece. Gaynair died in 1995.

For more on the Alpha Boys’ School go to, www.alphaboysschool.org.

Also, check out my jazz blog, myjazzjourneys.blogspot.com