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Establishing the missing link in the Jab Jab music

This story was posted 4 years ago
2 August 2019
in Arts/Culture/Entertainment, OPINION/COMMENTARY
5 min. read
Arley Gill
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by Arley Gill

There is no doubt that Grenada’s Jab Jab culture – the masquerade and Jab Music – is gaining regional and international recognition and approval.

The victory by Hollice Mapp, aka Mr Killa, at the 2019 International Soca Monarch in Trinidad in some ways has been a crowning moment for the music and the Jab Jab culture. And ably assisting in this regard was “Tombstone” sung by Mandella Linkz.

It is well established that MOSS International’s “Jambalassie Rule” the winning Road March song of 1991, remains the watershed moment for the creation and breakout of Jab Jab Music.

The making of the song is brilliantly captured in the “Jambalassie Rule” documentary, a must-see for every cultural enthusiast. In short, the documentary is the story of Grenadianism; of the consciousness to conventionalise, formalise and promote what is Grenadian. It memorialises the creativity and genius of a group of young Grenadians embarking on a musical adventure. The result of which, was the birth of a unique and distinctive sound, essentially a derivative or branch of Soca music.

“Jambalassie Rule” was not only the creation of a Road March or the first Grenadian song to be nominated for a Caribbean music award in 1992. Essentially, it also was a “lamppost’’ of Grenadian culture; a signature point and a bright light.

So, what happened with Jab Jab Music in the ensuing years following the release of “Jambalassie Rule”? To many commentators Tallpree’s “Ole Woman Alone’’ was the other “big’’ Jab Jab song, and it is “Ole Woman Alone’’ that propelled Tallpree to regional and international recognition and gave the music significant notoriety.

What happened to the music between the release of those two songs – “Jambalassie Rule’’ and “Ole Woman Alone’’? Who or what is the bridge?

I submit that the music did not move from MOSS International to Tallpree; or, should we say from St Mary’s Street, Grand Bras, to Vendome, or from 1991 to 2006. It is this period that I refer to as the “missing link’’.

What is this Jab Music, though? Jab Jab Music, in its origin, is the rhythmic drum beat created by Jab Jab masqueraders. The drumbeat was then re-created using conventional musical instruments or music aids in a music studio. This was explained by Ricky Charles, the MOSS International drummer, in the aforementioned “Jambalassie Rule” documentary. It is this distinctive drum beat which distinguishes Jab Jab Music from other soca sounds.

Traditionally, Jab Jab masqueraders used goatskin drums, biscuit tins, plastic buckets and the like, to provide musical accompaniment to their singing or – as some would describe it – their chants. The challenge was to recreate that beat with more conventional instruments. MOSS, no doubt was the pioneer, in achieving that recreation.

I am of the respectful view that Nordley Frederick – aka “Phat Traxx’’ and Rhythm Mix band – were the essential bridge from MOSS to Tallpree and, as such, constituted the missing link. This is not to say that no one else did Jab rhythms. Dr Trevor Friday, a prominent musical arranger during that period, must be credited for his significant contribution. However, there is no other person or group of persons that was more consistent in creating and playing Jab Jab Music.

I asked Nordley what are the ingredients to this Jab Jab beat. He said, “the drums, especially the percussion. The congas, bongos and iron are what we try to re-create from the traditional Jab bands on the road”. He further argued that, “everybody feeling the music must have shell; I don’t think so.” Dr Friday, in response to the same question, said simply, “the drum”.

The shell was an unbelievable innovation by MOSS, which was followed by WCK that also included the shell in their hit song, “Conch Shell’’. However, I submit that the shell is not a mandatory instrument in the Jab Jab rhythm.

Detailing the link

Rhythm Mix was founded in 1990 in Birchgrove, St Andrew. The founding members were Hilderbrand James (vocals), now deceased; Rowan Alexander (vocals); Mikey Berkeley (bass); Alison Williams (keyboard, then vocals); Rondolf Christopher (keyboards); and Nordley Frederick (guitar, then bass, then keyboards) and musical director. Frederick – the Don Charles of Rhythm Mix, if you please.

The influence of MOSS International on these young pretenders was not just through listening to MOSS music. There was a link from MOSS studio to PHAT TRAXX studio. That link was Hilderbrand James whose father Gellineau James was a trumpet player in MOSS; as well as saxophonist Ulric Simon, who was married to Hilderbrand’s aunt.

Hilderbrand, who was an elder among the Rhythm Mix band, used to be around MOSS during rehearsals and playouts. As such, he was able to bring back intelligence to the Rhythm Mix camp. Nordley confirms, “so he (Hilderbrand) tried incorporating what he learned from them into what we did”.

Nordley, being the musical director, had to now translate the “classified’’ information from Hilderbrand into the music of Rhythm Mix.

In 1995, Rhythm Mix released “Drunk Self’’ and “We Ting’’. In 1996, they came with “Drunk and Crazy’’, “A Jab is always a Jab’’ and “Roast Fowl’’. In 1997 they sang, “Go Down’’. In 1998, they produced “Ride me’’ and in 1999, “Up In Dey’’ and “Wuk Your Body Remix’’. All these musical contributions from Rhythm Mix incorporated the Jab Jab beat.

Dr Friday also produced “Drunk and Bawling Out’’ by Selwin ‘Durity’ Noel.

In those days, after the cooling of “Jambalassie Rule’’, Grenada Soca by and large was mainstreamed with Kingman Ajamu, Black Wizard, Flying Cloud, Mr Dee, Inspector, Peter Humphrey, Squeezy and others giving us sweet music that rivalled anything Trinidadians had to offer. It was the trend back then for many of these top Soca bards to use, in producing their music, Leston Paul, Frankie McIntosh and Pelham Goddard, who were the big arrangers in Soca. It was at PHAT TRAXX, the little studio in Birchgrove, where Jab Jab Music was kept alive for the most part.

Nordley Frederick arguably has been the foremost arranger of the Jab Jab Music after Don Charles and MOSS.

“Ole Woman Alone” was not an accident. Tallpree knew where he had to go to get the best Jab Jab musical arrangement. Nordley was the musical genius behind that song. So there it is – from “Jambalassie Rule’’ to “Ole Woman Alone’’, the latter being the song that opened the floodgates for Jab Jab Music in modern times. “Ole Woman Alone’’ arranged by Nordley Frederick of Rhythm Mix.

I say respectfully that to my mind, up to this day, Nordley is yet to receive the credit and adulation he deserves for the role he played in arranging “Ole Woman Alone’’.

On an aside is an interesting geographical route of Jab Jab Music. From Grand Bras to Birchgrove and then on to Vendome. There is no doubt that St Andrew is the cradle of the Jab Jab Music in Grenada. However, I don’t think that there was a distinctive chant of the “Labaye Jab Jab” compared to that of Jab Jabs from other parts of Grenada. Thus, I think that the notion of a “Labaye sound” for Jab Jab masqueraders may not be entirely accurate.

Now that Jab Jab Music is widely accepted and sung by various Grenadian artistes, and attempted by artistes outside of Grenada, it’s important to show the progression of the music; from its birth in the MOSS International studio to its growth through infancy until now.

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Tags: arley gilljab jabmoss international
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Comments 2

  1. Ken Lewis says:
    4 years ago

    He creates a “missing link” to go find it. Moss played a part in development of JabJab music but so did Harmonies, Black Experience, The Mag 6 and 7 and all the other bands.

    He behaves as though Grenville Introduced JabJab to Vendome ect.

    The 73/74 Jab explosion based in the anti Gairy struggle and the Black power consciousness movement originated more than anywhere else from NE and SE St.George in their thousands. Jab didnt have to come over the hills to intriduce Jab to Vendomme Arley. Vendomme-Beaulieu was Jab central.

    Before 73/74 Jab bands were small (5 to 15) tops and village based. Songs when sung were slow and poetic in nature. Witty and many groups simple simply spoke, questions and answers.

    The development and honing of a music fitted to this new Jab Jab culture after 73/74 was basically non existent. Something had to be done fast . Jabs moved from groups of 15 to a mass demonstration of 5000. New music was needed. Questions and answers didn’t suffice.

    By 75, with Beaulieu and other Jabs getting permits to “practice” the mass Jab movements was strengthened and became a phenomena with staying power. Young people embraced it. Steelband and drums alone couldnt gold up. More was needed.

    So both grew together with multiple protagonists. In fact by the time Moss came to the party, mainly through proponents as Singing MC, Titus ect. the Jab Jab music was already well established as the future. I dont knock Jabmaliasie as a unification song but no where was it some crowning moment.

    We tent and Calypson Rama predated Moss as accompanying music to the emerging mass Jab movement. Turkeys King in Hell trilogy was far more a watershed moment than Jab Malaisie by Moss. And as significant as Jab malaisie maybe heaping Praise to one group ignores the chronology of Jabs development. Many many proponents of the true Jab culture came to the fore reach adding bits as we moved along.

    African Teller was another important persona in the lyricalization of Jab music. He came and was master immediately. With a firm focus on Africa he was one who help cement the black consciousness portion of Jabs identity more than any other. But their were many others. Chain, Tangler the emerging Manacanne contingent all played roles.

    But the biggest push to get a propriety music wouldn’t come from the Jab areas themselves. We are a small country and their were groups already with a far more millitant sound. Shortknee and Veco (dont kill me spelling police) traditionally had longer songs rooted in their militancy of that mass itself.

    “It have some police
    In the police station
    They don’t have no ambition
    All they do is f…king woman”

    Late 70s, it was the first song that I can remember we had as our own. Played in school calypso event backed by Harmonies it became an instant hit. By Tueday evening everyone was playing it.

    It fit with the Anti Gairy theme and the Sound was finally not a chant or finally not an adjusted slow calypso. This was a Jab jab song even if it Shortnkee origins were clear. Later Snakey Boy would have a few hits clearly made for Jab.

    Revo came and left. 4 years change to Aigust. In the bombing we lost a treasure tribe. Our music recorded in tapes were destroyed.

    But we didnt stop. Moss one of our best 3 bands and now with their own tent joined the party. Singing MC, Titus, Slim, Darius, Durity all came singing and adding to the sound that was emerging. Run fast yu mudda coming… It was unique but not foreign or somehow new. It was merging the best of the north to give the Jab Jab a lasting song.

    Keep writing Arley.

    Reply
    • De Jab says:
      3 years ago

      Mr. Gill gave supporting evidence for his findings.
      Where are your supporting evidence ?
      Your reply seems to rooted in personal opinion.
      Moss’ Jambalasee is rooted in the elements of Jab music. The drums. The horns. The Chants.

      Reply

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