McDonald gets his due
Published:Tuesday | June 21, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Percussionist Larry McDonald, who has played with some of the seminal performers in Jamaican music, is among seven persons to be honoured at the July 30 Tribute to the Greats show.
The New York-based McDonald has worked with greats like The Wailers, Carlos Malcolm and the Afro Jamaicans and Lenny Hibbert. He has also recorded and toured with American punk-reggae band Bad Brains and Gil Scott-Heron, the inspirational African-American poet who died recently.
McDonald's debut album, Drumquestra, was released two years ago.
"He really is an unsung hero. Larry is an outstanding percussionist," said Kingsley 'King Omar' Goodison, founder and chief organizer of Tribute to the Greats.
The other recipients of awards this year will be Neville 'Sparrow' Martin, longtime bandmaster at the Alpha Boys' School, guitarist Dwight Pinkney, Millicent Todd of Stranger and Patsy fame, music historian Herbie Miller, dance promoter Charles Simpson and sound system operator Haldane 'Jimmy Metro' James.
Held annually since its inaugural staging in 1998, Tribute to the Greats has honoured many stalwarts of Jamaican popular music. Next month's ceremony takes place at Curphey Place in St Andrew.