January’s guest, Adam Reeves, has made his first venture into comics creation as the writer of a comic book series about one of Jamaica’s greatest and most influential musicians, DON DRUMMOND. Illustrated by Constantinos Pissourios, Trombone Man: Ska’s Fallen Genius recounts the life of Don Drummond, trombonist with 1960s ska giants, the Skatalites.
A lifelong ska and reggae devotee, Adam Reeves writes: ‘It is a tale of the exploitation and marginalisation of a genius and his descent into mental illness – but also a story of his redemption through music and one man's determination to make his music be heard.’ He intends the comics series – and graphic novel when complete – to be essential reading for anyone with a passion for Jamaican music and an interest in the birth of ska and reggae. ‘It is about the origins of a sound that has changed music forever. Every modern bass-heavy music, from hip-hop to house, from drum 'n' bass to techno, from garage to grime – it all has its origins in reggae and Jamaican soundsystem culture. And the story begins with the Skatalites and the birth of ska. For anyone interested in the genesis of bass culture and dance music, this is a crucial foundation stone.’Read more about Trombone Man on Kickstarter.
