Jamaican Me Crazy – Pete heads to the home of Reggae.
September 9, 2011
Last Sunday I emerged, bleary-eyed and weary with fatigue and plane travel onto the runway at Gatwick Airport. As I stepped into the grey drizzle of an English September, I cast my mind’s eye back to the previous fortnight, when I stepped into lush, green, Caribbean humidity.
Jamaica is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, and needless to say the music, culture and coffee (from the Blue Mountains) is incredible.
A Creek in the Blue Mountains, in the midst of the coffee plantations
I was also lucky enough to head over to the birthplace and final resting place of Bob Marley, where his legend lives on. One of the best songwriters ever, Bob sung of his upbringing in the poorest areas of Jamaica, both in St Anne and in Trenchtown, Kingston. His honesty and passion still ring true in his music even today.
Bob Marley's Guitar - a gift from Epiphone
A group of Rastafarian musicians perform 'One Love' at the site of Bob Marley's birthplace
We saw a lot of music on our trip and I have managed to bring a little bit of it back to Robot House! In Jamaica, you can often see groups of musicians utilising a bass instrument unique to Jamaica – it has number of names, including ‘Rumble Box’, ‘Bass Box’, and simply ‘Box’. Its the ultimate in portable music and after listening to a group perform, the singer informed me that he actually makes the instruments and that if I desired he would happily sell me one – so I just had to buy it!
The Jamaican Rumble Box - handmade by local musician, Steve Drummond and now residing at Robot House!
On a final note, I’d recommend Jamaica to anybody. However, I was struck by the poverty in some areas of the country and it really brought home how lucky we are in the UK. The country has had a real effect on me and as Tin Robot continues its charitable works, in our growth we will continue to look at ways we can help the poor in other countries, from Jamaica through to India, Africa, Eastern Europe, and everywhere there is need.
Beep beep crunch fizzzz
