Jamaican Music

Wayne Wonder, better known to friends as Von Wayne Charles has been making music in Jamaica since 1987 when his self-titled disk, Wayne Wonder came out. He is still going strong today and is better known for his mainstream hit, “No Letting Go” which features the Diwali Riddim.

Tommy McCook was a Jamaican saxophonist and also a founding member of The Skatalites. He also directed The Supersonics for Duke Reid, and during the 1970s backed up many sessions for Bunny Lee or with The Revolutionaries.

Tommy McCook’s death in 1998 passed by unnoticed by the press, and like his fellow Skatalites, Roland Alphonso and Jackie Mittoo, he never received the respect from the general media for which his contribution to Jamaican music richly deserved.

TYRICAL Michael Haris is a versatile reggae music artist whom has contributed to the industry by performing and writing for some of the most prominent individuals in the music fraternity. He grew-up in the heart of Barbican (Barbican Square). His formal education peaked at Shortwood All Age School but he was able to increase his knowledge base by reading and associating with elders in the music profession (and prominent individuals outside of the industry as well). His professional musical work spans 15 years. The first song was recorded approximately the same time he made his debut in the music business. Tyrical has being getting enormous exposure for his ‘No Guirrella War’ product that he has contributed to the Tremor Rhythm compilation.

The Paragons were composed of Garth Evans. Bob Andy, Junior Menz, and Leroy Stamp. However, in 1964 Stamp was replaced by John Holt, and Howard Barret replaced Menz. The group was heavily influenced by American soul music and the tight vocal harmonies of of Jamaican groups of the early 1960s.

The Paragons shifted from their soulful sound to become the most popular rocksteady group in Jamaica, but the band broke up in 1970 due to disagreements with money.