Gerald Achee
Gerald Achee (born November 15, 1952), also known by his stage name Gerry Drums, is a Trinidadian drummer and the leader of the Village Drums of Freedom.
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Background information | |
Born | St. James, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago | November 15, 1952
Origin | Brooklyn, New York |
Genres | World music, Calypso, Free jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instruments | drums |
Years active | 1969–present |
Associated acts | Village Drums of Freedom |
Biography
Gerald Achee was born in St. James, a suburb of Trinidad's capital Port of Spain. He was introduced to the traditional Afro-Caribbean music at an early age. Achee started his artistic career as a limbo-dancer. Later he began to play djembe. In 1969 Gerald Achee founded the free improvisation percussion band Village Drums of Freedom.[1] From 1970 until 1980 he travelled with his ensemble and a group of dancers through Europe, South America and US and then finally settled in Brooklyn, NY. His band grew bigger and now consists of more than a hundred drummers all over the world.[2] Every year Village Drums of Freedom plays a leading part in the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. In 2003 Gerald Achee and VDOF released an album Historic Travel: cultural rhythms. In 2009 he recorded an album Three Neighbours with Perry Robinson and Joel Chassan. And in the same year – Night Train For Lovers And Thieves with the Gypsy Groovz Orchestra, which was nominated to the Best Album of 2009 in World music on BBC.[3][4] Gerald Achee is a member of the Rastafari movement.[5]
Style
Gerald Achee is a Calypso musician. In his music Achee develops traditions of Count Ossie, Andre Tanker and Babatunde Olatunji. His works with clarinetist Perry Robinson and other jazz musicians characterises him as a free jazz, avant-garde drummer.
Discography
- 2003: Historic Travel: cultural rhythms (Village Drums of Freedom)
- 2009: Three Neighbours (Gerald Achee, Perry Robinson and Joel Chassan)
- 2009: Night Train For Lovers And Thieves (Gerald Achee and Gypsy Groovz Orchestra)
See also
References
- "Village Drums again | The Trinidad Guardian". Test.guardian.co.tt. May 29, 2012. Archived from the original on April 16, 2015. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
- Jon Pareles (August 3, 1990). "New York's Carnival, All Grown Up". Nytimes.com. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
- BBC Music's Best Albums of 2009 Bbc.co.uk
- Jon Lusk (December 8, 2009) Gypsy Groovz Orchestra Goes TuttiMundi Night Train for Lovers and Thieves Review Bbc.co.uk
- "The Trinidad Guardian -Online Edition Ver 2.0". Legacy.guardian.co.tt. February 22, 2005. Retrieved June 3, 2012.