One of the pillars of the foundatio of Jamaica's contemporary popular music is Count Ossie, as he is affectionally called. Born Oscar Williams in the paarish of St. Thomas in March of 1926, he displayed his love for the drum from a tender age. He later emerged on the Jamaican musical landscape during the early days of the Rastafari Culture.

During those days, when the Ratsafari Faith was still in its infancy, the brethren would assemble at "Grounations" (campsite recording sessions) and Nyahbinghi Services across the island, very often against the backdrop of one of the island's teeming ghettos. At these "Grounations"the brethren and sistren would be chanting and giving praises unto JAH with songs, some of which were borrowed from the established churches and reworded to reflect a greater Afrocentricity.

With Africa the central focus of the Rastaman's philosophy, it was not by accident that the drum became a key instrument in his musical and religious expressions. The drum represents the heartbeat of a people.

The Rastafari world-view has always facilitated and promoted this heartbeat and so drumming was an integral part of their reasoning sessions. Count Ossie was one of the first exponents of that distinctive style of drumming used by the Rastafari community. Rasta music is the offspring of a traditional music form with African retention called Burru music. Count Ossie, while experimenting with various rhythms, came under the influence of a master Buru drummer called "Brother Job".

It was this relationshipwhich blossomed into the creation of the unique style of the Rasta drumming. Fortunately Count Ossie's contribution was not restricted to "grounations" and "Binghis". In the early '50s the Count himself set up a Rasta camp in the Rennock Lodge Community in East Kingston, Jamaica.

Ossie's camp, in time, became the base for a great many of Jamaica's noted instrumentalists of that period, among whom were the immortal Don Drummond, Rico Rodriquez, Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso, Ernie Ranglin, Johnny "Dizzy" Moore, "Big Bra" Gaynair, and other illustrious musicians. By the mid '50s, Count Ossie and his drummers were billed as "mid-night attractions" for many dance sessions all over the island.

In time, the demand for this special brand of music grew, the Count and his band of drummers later becoming reknowned "Mystic Revelation of Rastafari (MRR)" provided a unique accompaniment for numerous artists at the birth of the modern Jamaican recording ministry.

Among those pioneers were Winston & Roy of "Babylon Gone" and "So Long", the Folkes Brothers of "Oh Carolina", Bunny & Scully And The Mellow Cats who did "Another Moses" and "Rock-A-My-Soul". Today, one of the most prominent rhythms in the dance hall genre is "The Kettie Drum" rhythm which is a take-off from the Rastafari Nyahbinghi music established by Count Ossie.

So it was this experience which laid the foundation for the drum and bass in reggae which represents the music. Now twenty (20) years since the maestro depated this life on National Heroe's Day - October 18, 1976 - in a tragic motor accident following a charcteristic performance at the National Stadium, it is appropriate that his first producer, Harry Mudie, should release this album in his memory, "Remembering Count Ossie: A Rast Reggae Legend".

The veteran producer, Mudie, whose Scaramouche Gardens Club was located at Jamaica's former capital, Spanish Town, was once the favorite playground for the legendary drummer. Here Mudie documented the works of the maestro from the '50s and '60s. The recordings on this album capture Count Ossie at his best in this formative period. His rhythmic sense was unequalled and his ability to transcend harmonic limitations and create seemingly endless melodic structures pointed to new direction for local musicians.

The effect he had on local musicians can be judged by the tracks on this album, many of which have been unobtained until now. Oswald "Count Ossie" Williams is an important part of Jamaica's rcih, musical heritage; and by compiling some of his finest pre-releases and unreleased works such as, "Babylon Gone", "So Long", "Sodom And Gomorrah", "One Bright Morning" featuring the vocal styling of Winston & Roy, "Gun Fever", "Hello Sharon", and "Leaving This Land" by Winston, through digital transfer and mastering, Harry Mudie committed to posterity the contribution of the man whom it is said "taught culture with his fingers".

History will forever smile on the vision of the veteran producer who has provided this and future generations with a musical map tracing the roots and foundation of contemporary Jamaican music. Though his historical work, the name of Rastafari drummer, Count Ossie, will echo through the corridors of tome For-Iver.
-- Basil Walters

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