Origin Brooklyn, New York Name Gerald Achee Years active 1969–present | Instruments drums Occupation(s) Musician | |
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Born November 15, 1952 (age 71)
St.James, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago ( 1952-11-15 ) Genres World music, Calypso music, Free jazz | ||
Associated acts Village Drums of Freedom | ||
Village drums of freedom havaloo solo djembe master drummer gerald achee
Gerald Achee (born November 15, 1952), also known by his stage name Gerry Drums, is a Trinidadian drummer and the leader of the Village Drums of Freedom.
Contents
- Village drums of freedom havaloo solo djembe master drummer gerald achee
- Biography
- Style
- Discography
- References
Biography
Gerald Achee was born in the village of St. James, near Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. He was introduced to the traditional Afro-Caribbean music at an early age. Achee started his artistic career as a limbo-dancer. Later he began to play djembe. In 1969 Gerald Achee founded the free improvisation percussion band Village Drums of Freedom. From 1970 until 1980 he travelled with his ensemble and a group of dancers through Europe, South America and US and then finally settled in Brooklyn, NY. His band grew bigger and now consists of more than a hundred drummers all over the world. Every year Village Drums of Freedom plays a leading part in the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. In 2003 Gerald Achee and VDOF released an album Historic Travel: cultural rhythms. In 2009 he recorded an album Three Neighbours with Perry Robinson and Joel Chassan. And in the same year – Night Train For Lovers And Thieves with the Gypsy Groovz Orchestra, which was nominated to the Best Album of 2009 in World music on BBC. Gerald Achee is a member of the Rastafari movement.
Style
Gerald Achee is a Calypso musician. In his music Achee develops traditions of Count Ossie, Andre Tanker and Babatunde Olatunji. His works with clarinetist Perry Robinson and other jazz musicians characterises him as a free jazz, avant-garde drummer.