In an extraordinary celebration of reggae’s foundational rhythms, six legendary bassists gathered at Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts on February 4 for ‘Back 2 Bass-es’ – a unique educational event that transformed into a historic musical pilgrimage. Organized by the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA), the event featured Errol ‘Flabba Holt’ Carter, Daniel ‘Axeman’ Thompson, Donald ‘Danny Bassie’ Dennis, Boris Gardiner, Jackie Jackson, and Lloyd Parks performing together for the first time.
The amphitheater buzzed with energy as students and seasoned reggae enthusiasts witnessed living legends recreate iconic bass lines that shaped Jamaican music. Between performances, the musicians shared personal anecdotes about working with producers Clement Dodd, Duke Reid, and Joe Gibbs, offering rare insights into reggae’s golden era.
The musical journey spanned decades, from rocksteady classics to contemporary roots reggae. Flabba Holt mesmerized with Gregory Isaacs’ ‘Night Nurse’ and Dennis Brown’s ‘Don’t Want To Be No General.’ Thompson ignited the crowd with Echo Minott’s ‘Lazy Body’ and Junior Reid’s ‘Original Foreign Mind.’ Dennis showcased his versatility on Luciano’s ‘It’s Me Again Jah’ and Capleton’s ‘Jah Jah City.’
Jackson delivered stunning performances on Alton Ellis’s ‘Girl I’ve Got A Date’ and Toots and The Maytals’ ’54-46,’ accompanied by his daughter Courtni Jackson on vocals. Gardiner excelled on Pat Kelly’s ‘You Don’t Care’ and Max Romeo’s ‘War Ina Babylon,’ while Parks had the audience moving to Ken Boothe’s ‘Everything I Own’ and Beres Hammond’s ‘Groovy Little Thing.’
The event included a poignant tribute to recently departed drum legend Sly Dunbar, with Parks honoring his contribution to Gregory Isaacs’ ‘Number One’ from 46 years ago. The Gen Z Band, led by saxophonist Dean Fraser, provided stellar accompaniment alongside vocalists Dehdeh Blacks, Janeel Mills, and Bijean Gayle.
Veteran musicians expressed overwhelming support for the initiative, with Flabba Holt declaring, ‘I love this! Something like this should have happened long time. I’d love to carry this to Europe.’ Dennis emphasized the importance of recognizing behind-the-scenes musicians: ‘People know the songs, but they don’t know the musicians. This helps put faces to the music.’