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In the beginning...
It was War World II that changed everything. The British Empire was crumbling before the war and was falling apart faster during the post war period. Britain began granting independence to its dominions as dictated by pressure from the colonial people. By 1962, Jamaica was self-governing while still remaining a member of the Commonwealth. The Jamaican culture, and it's music, began to reflect the new found optimism and aspirations of the liberated masses.
Since the early 1940's, Jamaica had adopted and adapted many forms of American musical styles. By the time World War II ended, there were countless bands in Jamaica playing the dances. Groups like Eric Dean's Orchestra, with trombonist Don Drummond and master guitarist Ernest Ranglin drew from American artists such as Count Basie, Erskine Hawkins, Duke Ellington, Glen Miller, and Woody Herman.
In the 1950's, the big bands in America were being superseded by smaller groups with a more bop/rhythm and blues sound.Jamaicans traveling to the states picked up on this style. The sound systems of Count Smith the Blues Blaster, Sir Nick the Champ, and Tom the Great Sebastian began playing this new style.
In 1954, the first big jazz concert was staged at Ward Theatre in Kingston. Traditional mento-folk-calypso bands were active and
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