 Clement Seymour “Sir
Coxsone” Dodd
(1932-2004)
Legendary producer, sound system pioneer and musical entrepreneur celebrates 50th
Anniversary in the Jamaican Music Industry; celebration also observed as the 50th
Anniversary of Jamaican Music.
The name Clement Seymour “Sir Coxsonne” Dodd is synonymous with the
development of Reggae music. Mr. Dodd has been the recipient of countless accolades,
awards and acknowledgments (including the Jamaica Order of Distinction, the third highest
honor issued by the Jamaican government) for his immense contributions to the
island’s music industry as sound system operator, record producer and founder of
Studio One, Jamaica’s first and only self sufficient record label. Mr. Dodd’s
tireless endeavors, which span six decades, have set an imposing standard of artistic
excellence and played a pivotal role in molding Reggae into a globally embraced musical
force.
Clement Dodd’s immeasurable contributions towards Jamaican music’s evolution
will be honored in a series of events spanning a two year period commemorating his 50th
anniversary both in the sound system arena and as a producer; these momentous celebrations
will also be observed as the 50th anniversary of the Jamaican music industry.
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2002 has been
designated as “The Year of the Sound System” to coincide with the 50th
anniversary of Mr. Dodd publicly entertaining patrons for the first time with his sound
system or “set” which he named Downbeat. Mr. Dodd and other pioneering sound men
of his generation (whose sound systems consisted of a turntable, two speakers and an
amplifier) created the prototype for today’s sound system industry, it’s heated
competitions (referred to as clashes) and gave birth to the Jamaican art of deejaying
(chatting lyrics over a recorded rhythm track) which provided the springboard from which
American rap emerged.
To commemorate Mr. Dodd’s historic anniversaries, a series of
activities has been planned spanning the two-year period from January 2002 to December
2004, beginning with a church service in Kingston, Jamaica on Sunday January 27, 2002, the
day after his 70th birthday. A documentary detailing Mr. Dodd’s life and musical
achievements featuring comments from several singers and musicians who got their start at
Studio One will be released in April 2002; the documentary, The Studio One Story, will
premier at Kingston’s Carib Theater and a press conference will coincide with the
release date. A May 2002 symposium at the Jamaica campus of the University of the West
Indies will examine several aspects of Clement Dodd’s life and music including his
far-reaching influence upon Jamaican and Caribbean culture, the durability of Studio One
music both in popular taste and as an recording empire and the label’s ability to
withstand massive copyright and licensing infringement. Other anniversary events include
the Fall 2002 release of a boxed 4 CD set tentatively titled “Birth of a Sound”
detailing the development of Mr. Dodd’s music from the American Rhythm and Blues
45’s that influenced his earliest productions to recordings specifically done for
sound system dances of the 50s and 60s through his initial hit recordings which led to the
birth of Ska.
“I am thankful that I am around to celebrate my 50th anniversary,” says Mr.
Dodd, “and that people give me the inspiration to keep going on. God has been good to
me; I have a beautiful family, good friends, they are all supportive and very happy for
me. Because of the feedback from the fans, I feel that the effort I put out over the years
was well received and well accepted. I am open to keep on producing good music over my
lifetime and with the ideas I am putting together, I know they will be successful
too.”
Unlike many creators of highly valuable musical catalogues, Mr. Dodd has retained
control of his entire body of work, bestowing to Jamaica’s cultural legacy a well
preserved asset, which should be studied, protected and celebrated particularly during the
50th anniversary of Jamaican music.
- Patricia Meschino |