Rasta Movement..
Count Ossie, born Oswald Williams (1926, St. Thomas, Jamaica - 18 October 1976) was a Jamaican drummer and band leader
As a young boy Ossie grew up in a Rastafarian community where he learned techniques of vocal chanting and hand drumming under the tutelage of Brother Job. In the early 1950s he set up a Rastafarian community in Rockfort on the east side of Kingston, where many of Kingston's musicians learned about the Rastafari movement. In the late 1950s, he (with other percussionists) formed the Count Ossie Group. His first sound recordings were made after meeting Prince Buster. One of those was a song by the Folkes Brothers, "Oh Carolina", regarded by some music historians as the first-ever ska record. During this period Count Ossie also recorded for Harry Mudie.
He formed a group called "Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari" and during his life issued two albums that he recorded with them. His masterpiece was the Grounation three-LP set (1973), which includes songs such as "Oh Carolina", "So Long", and "Grounation" (the latter title with over 30 minutes running time).
Two years later Tales Of Mozambique (Dynamic 1975) was issued, continuing the legacy of the first album.
As a young boy Ossie grew up in a Rastafarian community where he learned techniques of vocal chanting and hand drumming under the tutelage of Brother Job. In the early 1950s he set up a Rastafarian community in Rockfort on the east side of Kingston, where many of Kingston's musicians learned about the Rastafari movement. In the late 1950s, he (with other percussionists) formed the Count Ossie Group. His first sound recordings were made after meeting Prince Buster. One of those was a song by the Folkes Brothers, "Oh Carolina", regarded by some music historians as the first-ever ska record. During this period Count Ossie also recorded for Harry Mudie.
He formed a group called "Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari" and during his life issued two albums that he recorded with them. His masterpiece was the Grounation three-LP set (1973), which includes songs such as "Oh Carolina", "So Long", and "Grounation" (the latter title with over 30 minutes running time).
Two years later Tales Of Mozambique (Dynamic 1975) was issued, continuing the legacy of the first album.
Count Ossie (left, front row) with members of the All African Peoples Revolutionary Party during a visit to The Gleaner Company in July 1974. Standing at left is Trinidad-born Black Power advocate, Stokely Carmichael. The 'Mystic' backed the Folkes Brothers on Oh Carolina, the 1959 hit song produced by Prince Buster.
The MRR's finest work is Grounation, an album recorded in 1973.
Another strong studio effort, Tales of Mozambique, was released in 1975.
Rodriquez's remarkable 1977 album, Man From Wareika, was inspired by his time with Count Ossie.
Trombonist Nambo Robinson got his start with the MRR.
Count Ossie (born Oswald Williams in 1926) was killed in an auto accident in Kingston on October 18, 1976, returning from his native St Thomas.
In October 2007, the Institute of Jamaica awarded the MRR the Musgrave Gold Medal for its contribution to Jamaican music.
Claim to fame: Master drummer, founder and leader of seminal group, Mystic Revelation of Rastafari.
The MRR's finest work is Grounation, an album recorded in 1973.
Another strong studio effort, Tales of Mozambique, was released in 1975.
Rodriquez's remarkable 1977 album, Man From Wareika, was inspired by his time with Count Ossie.
Trombonist Nambo Robinson got his start with the MRR.
Count Ossie (born Oswald Williams in 1926) was killed in an auto accident in Kingston on October 18, 1976, returning from his native St Thomas.
In October 2007, the Institute of Jamaica awarded the MRR the Musgrave Gold Medal for its contribution to Jamaican music.
Claim to fame: Master drummer, founder and leader of seminal group, Mystic Revelation of Rastafari.
The name Rastafari is taken from Ras Tafari, the title (Ras) and first name (Tafari Makonnen) of Haile Selassie I before his coronation. In Amharic, Ras, literally "head", is an Ethiopian title equivalent to prince or chief, while the personal given name Täfäri (teferi) means one who is respected or feared.
Bob Marley's granddaughter has become involved in a campaign to protect the site of Jamaica's first Rastafarian community.
Leonard P Howell established the Rastafarian village in the 1930s. (Destroyed in 1953)
The Rastafari movement is a Caribbean-based spiritual ideology that arose in the 1930s in Jamaica. It is sometimes described as a religion but is considered by many adherents to be a Its adherents worship Halie Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia (ruled 1930–1974), some as Jesus in his Second Advent, or as God the Father. Members of the Rastafarian way of life are known as Rastas. The way of life is sometimes referred to as "Rastafarian-ism", but this term is considered derogatory and offensive by most Rastafarian's, who, being highly critical of "isms" (which they see as a typical part of "Babylon culture"), dislike being labelled as an ism.
Many elements of Rastafari reflect its origins in Jamaica and Ethiopia, two countries with predominantly Christian culture. Ethiopian Christianity traces its roots to the Church of Alexandria, founded by St Mark, and its 5th-century continuation in the Coptic Church of Alexandria. Rastafari holds many Jewish and Christian beliefs and accepts the existence of a single triune deity called Jah, who has sent his son to Earth in the form of Jesus (Yeshua) and made himself manifest as the person of Haile Selassie I. Rastafari accept much of the Bible, although they believe that its message and interpretation has been corrupted.
The Rastafarian way of life encompasses the spiritual use of cannabis and the rejection of the degenerate society of materialism, oppression, and sensual pleasures, called Babylon. It proclaims Zion, in reference to Ethiopia, as the original birthplace of humankind, and from the beginning of the way of life calls for repatriation to Zion, the Promised Land and Heaven on Earth. Literally, moving to Ethiopia physically, but mentally and emotionally repatriating before the physical. Rastafarian's also embrace various Afrocentric and Pan-African social and political aspirations.
Some Rastafarian's do not claim any sect or denomination, and thus encourage one another to find faith and inspiration within themselves, although some do identify strongly with one of the "Mansions of Rastafari"—the three most prominent of these being the Nyahbinghi, the Bobo Ashanti and the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
Many elements of Rastafari reflect its origins in Jamaica and Ethiopia, two countries with predominantly Christian culture. Ethiopian Christianity traces its roots to the Church of Alexandria, founded by St Mark, and its 5th-century continuation in the Coptic Church of Alexandria. Rastafari holds many Jewish and Christian beliefs and accepts the existence of a single triune deity called Jah, who has sent his son to Earth in the form of Jesus (Yeshua) and made himself manifest as the person of Haile Selassie I. Rastafari accept much of the Bible, although they believe that its message and interpretation has been corrupted.
The Rastafarian way of life encompasses the spiritual use of cannabis and the rejection of the degenerate society of materialism, oppression, and sensual pleasures, called Babylon. It proclaims Zion, in reference to Ethiopia, as the original birthplace of humankind, and from the beginning of the way of life calls for repatriation to Zion, the Promised Land and Heaven on Earth. Literally, moving to Ethiopia physically, but mentally and emotionally repatriating before the physical. Rastafarian's also embrace various Afrocentric and Pan-African social and political aspirations.
Some Rastafarian's do not claim any sect or denomination, and thus encourage one another to find faith and inspiration within themselves, although some do identify strongly with one of the "Mansions of Rastafari"—the three most prominent of these being the Nyahbinghi, the Bobo Ashanti and the Twelve Tribes of Israel.