Byron Lee: Bandleader of the Dragonaires and Jamaica's first ska export

When he founded the Dragonaires in 1956, the Jamaican bandleader Byron Lee didn't think much further than celebrating his college football team's victories and playing the occasional wedding and party. Yet the band soon turned professional and backed visiting American stars like Harry Belafonte, Chuck Berry and Fats Domino. In 1959, Byron Lee and the Dragonaires released their debut single, "Dumplins", on the Dragon's Breath label, and were in at the birth of the bluebeat and ska genres which eventually evolved into reggae. Three years later, Byron Lee and the Dragonaires appeared in the first James Bond film, Dr. No, mostly shot on location in Jamaica, and performed "Jump Up" in the movie, while their "Kingston Calypso" and several instrumentals featured on the soundtrack album issued to capitalise on the 007 craze. In April... [read full story]