Don Drummond (March 12, 1932 - May 6, 1969)
Drummond was a Jamaican ska trombonist and composer. He was one of the original members of The Skatalites, and composed many of their tunes.He was educated at Kingston's Alpha Boys School, where he later taught his younger schoolmate Rico Rodriguez to play the trombone.
“He was a musical prophet created by the people," according to Herbie Miller (quoted on allaboutjazz.com), "not one imposing himself on them in pursuit of stardom, but having it thrust upon him. Drummond observed their tribulations and aspirations then reshaped them into a blues allegory reflected through his compositions and plaintive trombone tone.”
Listen: A tribute to Don Cosmic by Dermott Hussey broadcasted by Radio Jamaica Rediffusion in 1969 with the participation of Prince Buster, Coxsone , Tommy McCook and others .
Drummond was a Jamaican ska trombonist and composer. He was one of the original members of The Skatalites, and composed many of their tunes.He was educated at Kingston's Alpha Boys School, where he later taught his younger schoolmate Rico Rodriguez to play the trombone.
“He was a musical prophet created by the people," according to Herbie Miller (quoted on allaboutjazz.com), "not one imposing himself on them in pursuit of stardom, but having it thrust upon him. Drummond observed their tribulations and aspirations then reshaped them into a blues allegory reflected through his compositions and plaintive trombone tone.”
Listen: A tribute to Don Cosmic by Dermott Hussey broadcasted by Radio Jamaica Rediffusion in 1969 with the participation of Prince Buster, Coxsone , Tommy McCook and others .
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His musical career began in 1950 with the Eric Dean's All-Stars. He continued into the 1960s with others, including Kenny Williams. With the birth of ska Don joined The Skatalites. With Drummond's politicized conversion to the Rastafari movement, other band members followed his lead.
Tragedy surrounded the end of his life however. In January 1965, Drummond stabbed his wife causing her death. Committed to the Bellevue Hospital for psychological supervision for the remainder of his life, Drummond
“In spite of being found guilty of murder and incarcerated as a criminal lunatic, in his best mental state, much of Don Drummond’s music and character exuded a liberating ethic,” explained Herbie Miller, curator of the Jamaica Music Museum (more on Susumba). “His personality and his music is a manifestation of his Afro-Jamaican experience and his music functions first and foremost as a conduit for aesthetic, spiritual and social liberation within that context.”
Tragedy surrounded the end of his life however. In January 1965, Drummond stabbed his wife causing her death. Committed to the Bellevue Hospital for psychological supervision for the remainder of his life, Drummond
“In spite of being found guilty of murder and incarcerated as a criminal lunatic, in his best mental state, much of Don Drummond’s music and character exuded a liberating ethic,” explained Herbie Miller, curator of the Jamaica Music Museum (more on Susumba). “His personality and his music is a manifestation of his Afro-Jamaican experience and his music functions first and foremost as a conduit for aesthetic, spiritual and social liberation within that context.”
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More from All About Jazz (link)...
In 1940's Jamaica, big band swing and jazz ruled, and the starting place for musicians was the Eric Dean Orchestra. Drummond joined them in 1955 having been voted Best Trombonist in 1954, and then formed The Don Drummond Four. He was also cutting specials for sound systems before being spotted by Clement 'Coxone' Dodd, performing at the Majestic Theatre.
Drummond had just completed one of his many short visits to one of the local mental hospitals, and didn’t even own a trombone, but Coxone was impressed enough to take Drummond on him as a solo artist and session player. In the meantime, the specials Drummond had previously cut were starting to be released commercially in Jamaica and England to critical acclaim. Drummond started his recording career sometime around 1956, with his first record being “On the Beach” with Owen Grey on vocals.
In 1962, Chris Blackwell started releasing recordings in England, and many of Drummond’s compositions first saw the light of day on the Island and Black Swan labels. In 1964, under Coxsone's supervision, keyboardist and musical director Jackie Mittoo began to assemble the best musicians in Jamaica to create a sound that would dominate the music scene for years to come. The seeds for the Skatalites were sown while Mittoo played in the Sheiks, alongside Johnny Moore (trumpet) and Lloyd Knibbs on drums. Drummond was the man Mittoo turned to, and he quickly became the most prolific composer and musician in the band. The Skalites would go on to be a who’s who of Jamaican musicians including the great Rico Rodriguez.
Again we quote Herbie Miller,to hopefully better grasp Drummond's personality. “Marcus Garvey's philosophy and the Rastafari community fortified Drummond's political ideal. Consequently, Black Nationalism was ideologically as important to him as the music he played.” Drummond’s prestige among other musicians carried with it the hopes and dreams of all of Jamaica’s shantytown musicians. This was an incredible stress on a man whose life hovered between eccentricity and manic depression. His delicate mental condition was not helped by the amount of ganja he consumed, and the pressures of fame without gain simply helped to push Drummond completely over the edge.
Drummond was duly convicted and remanded to the Bellevue Hospital where he died in 1969. Drummond recorded over 300 songs before he died at the age of just 27.
In 1940's Jamaica, big band swing and jazz ruled, and the starting place for musicians was the Eric Dean Orchestra. Drummond joined them in 1955 having been voted Best Trombonist in 1954, and then formed The Don Drummond Four. He was also cutting specials for sound systems before being spotted by Clement 'Coxone' Dodd, performing at the Majestic Theatre.
Drummond had just completed one of his many short visits to one of the local mental hospitals, and didn’t even own a trombone, but Coxone was impressed enough to take Drummond on him as a solo artist and session player. In the meantime, the specials Drummond had previously cut were starting to be released commercially in Jamaica and England to critical acclaim. Drummond started his recording career sometime around 1956, with his first record being “On the Beach” with Owen Grey on vocals.
In 1962, Chris Blackwell started releasing recordings in England, and many of Drummond’s compositions first saw the light of day on the Island and Black Swan labels. In 1964, under Coxsone's supervision, keyboardist and musical director Jackie Mittoo began to assemble the best musicians in Jamaica to create a sound that would dominate the music scene for years to come. The seeds for the Skatalites were sown while Mittoo played in the Sheiks, alongside Johnny Moore (trumpet) and Lloyd Knibbs on drums. Drummond was the man Mittoo turned to, and he quickly became the most prolific composer and musician in the band. The Skalites would go on to be a who’s who of Jamaican musicians including the great Rico Rodriguez.
Again we quote Herbie Miller,to hopefully better grasp Drummond's personality. “Marcus Garvey's philosophy and the Rastafari community fortified Drummond's political ideal. Consequently, Black Nationalism was ideologically as important to him as the music he played.” Drummond’s prestige among other musicians carried with it the hopes and dreams of all of Jamaica’s shantytown musicians. This was an incredible stress on a man whose life hovered between eccentricity and manic depression. His delicate mental condition was not helped by the amount of ganja he consumed, and the pressures of fame without gain simply helped to push Drummond completely over the edge.
Drummond was duly convicted and remanded to the Bellevue Hospital where he died in 1969. Drummond recorded over 300 songs before he died at the age of just 27.
