Lloyd Coxsone, operator of Brixton-based Sir Coxsone Outernational, was honoured at last Saturday’s (1 July) International Reggae Day (IRD) London event with an IRD2017 award for his long-standing work as a sound system operator, writes Kwaku, founder of BritishBlackMusic.com/ Black Music Congress.
Coxsone, who attended the event with his wife Maria, said he was both glad and humbled by the award, which was presented to him by fellow veterans record producer and manager Mikey Campbell and singer-songwriter Tony Washington, whose song ‘Something’s Gotta Be Done’, was the b-side to Millie’s 1964 UK crossover hit ‘My Boy Lollipop’.
The inaugural event, which took place at University Of Westminster’s Marylebone campus, was organised by BritishBlackMusic.com/Black Music Congress (BBM/BMC). It included a film and discussion on Britain’s sound system history, a presentation on copyright and its role in the development of Jamaican music, a quiz, and highlights from a documentary that claims the London borough of Brent as the centre of Britain’s reggae history.
Brixton reggae fans and historians who wish to counter the claim are welcome attend the Brent Black Music History Quiz at Brent Civic Centre on July 28.
As part of the ongoing British Black Music Month (BBMM) celebrations, the history of Ladbroke Grove and Notting Hill carnival will be examined at the Reggae History Quiz/’Grove Music’ screening and Q&A event at Harrow Mencap on Monday July 10.
IRD has been an annual event since it gained official recognition in Jamaica in 2000. It’s marked across Jamaica and several cities internationally on 1 July.
Apart from the formal event, the conversations and networking continued for over two hours after the event officially ended, clearly demonstrating the need for such an event.
For those that didn’t know, they must now know that we’ll continue International Reggae Day London on July 1 2018. So if you’re interested, get involved now.”
For full details of BBMM events here: www.BBM.eventbrite,com
Email bbmbmc@gmail.com.
