C.S. "Coxsone" Dodd 1932-2004

I don't know how in the name of Red Stripe beer I missed the death of pioneering, crucial ska and reggae producer Clement "Sir Coxsone" Dodd back in May - he was 72.

The new Tings a Gwann reggae magazine has a fine feature on Father Dodd, founder and owner of the legendary Studio One record label and recording studio:

Founded in Jamaica in the late 1950's, just prior to the island's release from the British colonial shackles and subsequent desire to establish its own global identity, Studio One established a foundation in reggae music which helped to put this likkle island on the global radar screen thus making it internationally recognizable. Nuff reggae music legends and worldwide ambassadors of the music were born in the house of Studio One. True reggae music pioneers such as Dennis Brown, Freddie McGregor, Toots & The Maytals, Burning Spear, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Marcia Griffiths, and a little known group called Bob Marley & The Wailers, all got their start at 13 Brentford Road, Kingston, Jamaica, the home of Studio One Records.

Before there was reggae music there was ska, a faster more rhythmic forefather to the rude bwoy style music we know today. With legendary producers such as "Scratch" Perry leading the way in the early 1960's, Studio One began to make its mark on the Jamaican music scene with numerous ska hits by groups such as the Skatalites. The more the ganja pipe burned over the years, the slower the music got and the creative vibes began to take it to a new level. Ska gave way to rocksteady, rocksteady to roots, roots to dub, and dub to dancehall, and so goes the chronology of reggae music in the late 60's to mid 70's. Instrumental in each transition of the development of this music, was Studio One Records which happened to be the breeding ground for virtually every wicked riddim and artist of these times. Artists such as Bob Marley, Dennis Brown, Sugar Minott, and Freddie McGregor came to Sir Coxsone @ Studio One with raw talent and a dream. Studio One honed their skillz, put some wicked production behind their vocals, and made them into international superstars who have forever changed the face of reggae.

Another major contribution of Sir Coxsone and Studio One was the establishment and popularizing of a soundsystem and sound clash culture. Studio One popularized its music in the streets of JA by playing the just bust, hot off-the-press releases on Coxsone's Downbeat Soundsystem. Led by legendary DJ's like King Stit , a style of talking and rhyming over the record (known as toasting) was born which evolved into dancehall reggae, which eventually gave birth to rap (yes, that rap). There was tremendous competition among the top soundsystems of that time to see who could play the hottest new Toots & The Maytals ("Bam, Bam") or Dawn Penn ("No, No, No") or Marcia Griffith ("Truly"), etc. This competition, backed by the toasting of the soundsystem DJs, led to sound clashes which featured one soundsystem versus another, with the battle for supremacy and bragging rights on the line. So today when you hear about a clash, featuring Stone Love versus Black Chiney , remember it all started with Studio One

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Article Author: Eric Olsen

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