Biography
Emerging in 1967, the vocal trio The Jamaicans—Tommy Cowan, Norris Weir, and Martin Williams—claimed victory in the second Jamaican Festival song contest thanks to the playful rocksteady number “Ba Ba Boom,” co-written by Cowan and Weir. The two continued composing material, and the group maintained a modestly successful run from 1967 through 1972, cutting their often novelty-flavored tunes for Duke Reid at his renowned Treasure Isle label while scoring popular releases with “Ba Ba Boom” and the heartfelt “Things You Say You Love.” Among their strongest recordings stood a robust reading of Curtis Mayfield’s “Dedicate My Song to You,” whereas their own “Black Girl” later reached the charts when Boney M. revived it in 1978. Sitting precisely at the transition from ska to rocksteady, the ensemble relied heavily on languid horn arrangements throughout most of its output. Following the group’s dissolution, Cowan built a thriving production career and became a familiar voice as an MC at Sunsplash festivals.
Albums
