New singers to manage transition

While Errol Lee manages the Bare Essentials, he knows that there is a part of the band's natural evolution that is beyond his control.

As the only original member left in a unit that celebrates 40 years this November, Lee says, "I recognise that you have to have youth out front. It keeps me slim, jumping up and down, but I can't do it forever."

So he leaves most of the singing to Richie Robinson and O'neil Scott, trusting that "the Bare Essentials will continue long after I am gone". He points out that especially in the diaspora, there is a demand for Jamaican bands that can play a wide variety of dance music, but only Byron Lee's Dragonaires, Fabulous Five Incorporated and the Bare Essentials meet that demand. "People want a band that can play all genres of music and make it as exciting as possible. It is a specialised area," he said.

calls to join

He has ended up in this niche of the dance band after being in the Jaywalkers at Knox College, then finally conceding to repeated calls to join rehearsals with other past students when he had started working. When he eventually made his way to the 'Jammin Days' rehearsals at the Kingston Young Men's Christian Association, Lee says, "I heard a talented bunch of people".

That included Lorna Bennett on lead vocals and her sister Kay doing harmony.

"They wanted a male lead and that was my role," Lee said.

As they got paid dates, the band members agreed to invest in equipment collectively before individual members got their share of the proceeds. And when the members started leaving, going abroad to study or work, they were paid for their equipment investment until Lee ended up as the sole original Bare Essentials member.

experience

His resulting natural seniority is part of Lee's managerial role and his experience serves Lee well. "It is all about making sure that you have a contract. You don't run the risk of someone saying you did not agree," he said.

"Experience teaches you things can change in-between the time an excited promoter calls you and show day."

And he emphasises that "When the show is over, you are on your own. We have had situations where the vehicle that is supposed to take us back to the airport does not show."

To minimise risk, Lee says, "all our contracts state that the final payment is due on the day of the show". And that is before the Bare Essentials go onstage. Still, there are exceptions for persons with whom the band has a long-standing relationship.

And, even with being careful, there are unavoidable cases of being handed bad cheques. "I have a few I intend to frame," Lee said.

However, Lee says, "The reason why the band has survived is because the things that have gone wrong have been really few."