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| Fikisha Cumbo |
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About The Author
Born and raised in Houston, Texas and completed undergraduate studies at Texas Southern University in biology and chemistry, Fikisha accepted a research assistant position in lipid biochemistry at the University of Southern California where she co-authored five publications for journals such as Science and Neuropathology. Interested in the adventures of New York City, she accepted a lecturer in biology position at Brooklyn College.
Other acclaims: Winner of a Houston Public Library essay contest; published articles on musicians in international magazines; newspaper columnist on music for over two years; cover photography on albums by Steve Turre and Peter Tosh; photography exhibitions in New York and Los Angeles. Presently living in New York City, she hosts and producers an art and culture television show, writes books and enjoys the culture and vitality of the city.
Passionate about music, she was introduced to reggae in the summer of 1975 and immediately fell in love with this music in which she couldn’t tell “where the beat drop.” During this period of her independent study at Goddard College for a master’s degree on “The Sociology of Musicians of the African Diaspora,” she met Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. Initially utilizing the formal sociological interview format she soon realized that it limited the artists’ full expression. Friendship with people prominent in the lives of Tosh and Marley, enabled her to interact on a regular basis with these two legends.
She is currently working on “The Musicians of the African Diaspora”, a book which includes 60 interviews with such musicians as Eubie Blake, Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Run DMC, Melba Liston, Taj Mahal, Maurice White, Pop Staples, Salif Keita, Lucky Dube, Jimmy Cliff, Buddy Guy, Dr. Billy Taylor, Dr. .Donald Byrd , Robert Cray, Randy Weston, Billy Higgins, Roberta Flack, Billy Harper, Bobbi Humphrey, Gene McDaniels, Max Roach, Roy Ayers, Dr. Leonard Goines, Mario Bauza, Geri Allen, Abbey Lincoln, Pharoah Sanders, Dionne Warwick, Stanley Jordon, Betty Carter, Will Downing,Ben Harper, Rhonda Ross, Richie Havens, Arrow, Cassandra Wilson, Judy Mowatt, Burning Spear,Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jon Hendrics, and T.S. Monk Many have appeared on her tv show.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword by Roberta Flack
Preface 1 Introduction 3
Chapters
1 NATTY DREADLOCK BOB MARLEY 9
A biography of The Honorable Robert Nesta Marley, who is also known as Bob Marley and Tuff Gong. He is the foremost personality influencing the afro-centric hairstyle of dreadlocks as well as new additions to our word vocabulary and the world’s music library. He lived out his biography as an African nationalist whose music often mirrored his life.
2 ROOTS MAN PETER TOSH 31
This is a brief biography of Peter McIntosh. As a young child, his mother admonished him about putting his hands on everything. He would “rub him belly against it and say, ‘My name is Tosh so that means I must touch everything.’ ” He lived out his biography as a revolutionary African nationalist whose lyrics often reflected his own life.
3 POSITIVE VIBRATIONS 46
This is my first time hearing The Wailers live at The Schaffer Music Festival in Central Park in 1975 and meeting Bob Marley in a small, hot and crowded trailer after the concert. It also introduces Ozzie Brown who is the key person for my future foray into the world of Marley and Tosh.
4 SO MUCH T’INGS TO SAY 51
This is my first interview with Bob Marley as well as my first encounter with Jamaican patois speech patterns, which adds a bit of humor. It was taped June 20, 1975 at the Barbizon Plaza Hotel in mid-town Manhattan, New York City.
5 BOB’S ‘YARD’ 74
A visit to Bob Marley’s home at 56 Hope Road with Herbie Miller brings photographs I’d taken at the Manhattan Center concert and during our interview.
6 MASH IT UP 79
Captures The Wailers’ rehearsals in Jamaica at Marley’s backyard studio at his Hope Road “Island House” October 1st, 2nd and 3rd of 1975 when Peter Tosh, Bunny Livingston, The I-Threes, dreadlocked men, women and children created a mystical, magical, almost dream-like experience.
7 VISION 86
Vision is the term used in Jamaica instead of ‘dream.’ Stevie Wonder, The Wailers and Third World perform in a “Dream Concert,” October 4,1975 in the Kingston National Stadium. This chapter takes you there from beginning to tumultuous encore with Bob, Peter, Bunny and The Wailers joining Stevie onstage.
8 STEPPIN’ RAZOR 95
A call from Tommy Cowan’s recording studio in Kingston, October 7,1975 invites me to interview the Steppin’ Rebel, Peter Tosh.
9 WELETA TSION - DAUGHTER OF ZION 118
Weleta Tsion in Amharic (Ethiopian) language means “Daughter of Zion.” The I-Threes, Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt and Marcia Griffiths, talk with Ozzie and me in a New York City hotel when they are on the Bob Marley & The Wailers tour.
10 FRIENDS ‘N’ T’INGS --TOSH’S BIRTHDAY 133
A few friends gather at Tosh’s hotel room for his 32nd birthday. He talks about his new EQUAL RIGHTS album, society, the future of reggae and why The Wailers broke up.
11 MYSIC MAN’S WICKED RIDDIMS 145
This captures an intense and powerful Tosh in concert. Peter moves and controls the stage with his African martial arts dance steps, always lighting a big ganga “spliff” during his performance.
12 THE BUSH DOCTOR FROM ‘YARD’ 150
In March of 1977, Ozzie Brown arranges a telephone interview with Tosh who is in Jamaica. We call from Columbia Records. Tosh tells how the Rastas in Jamaica want him to run for political office but he wants no part of “politricks.” He is called the Bush Doctor because he consistently advocates for the legalization of
marijuana.
13 COOL RUNNINS -PETER BACK’A YARD 155
This relives a weeklong adventure up and down the roads of Jamaica with Tosh, capturing his persona and lifestyle.
14 JAMMIN’ 181
Since many Marley fans never experienced Bob in concert, Jammin’ captures him LIVE IN ACTION at the Beacon Theatre,The Apollo Theatre in Harlem and at Madison Square Garden.
THE ROOTS GALLERY 195
15 NO WOMAN NO CRY---STRANGE DAYS/ RUNNING AWAY 211
This talks about the last times I see Bob in concert at Madison Square Garden. The second night I am so far away from the stage that he seems to be fading away. I can not stand being this far away so I leave to go backstage, but I am stopped bymy friend “Wai”(Wire) Lindo who is distraught and asks me to leave with him. Days later I hear that Bob has advanced cancer. This chapter is my involvement, along with Roberta Flack’s chiropractor, Dr. Linda Lee, in getting him to Dr. Joseph Issels’ clinic in Germany.
16 DON’T FEEL NO WAY-THE LAST MEETING WITH TOSH 219
I go to see Tosh in his apartment in 1983, to show him all the photographs I’ve taken of him during my travels with him in Jamaica and to do another interview. This is our first time kissing and making plans to see each other again.
17 LET YOUR WORKS BE SEEN - -- THE I-MEN AND SOCIETY 236
Five people who knew Peter and Bob personally talk about them intimately as well as their impact on society on the CACE International Television Show in a tribute called, “Legends of Reggae-Bob Marley & Peter Tosh.”
18 ROCK N’ ROLL HALL OF FAME 250
At a party for Bob Marley on the eve of his induction into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March of 1994, I talk with his mother, Mrs. Cedella Booker, Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt and Neville Garrick.
19 MAMA ONE SON 258
Alvira Morris Coke talks about her only child, Peter Hubert McIntosh.
20 ONE LOVE -- MEMORIES OF PETER 265
My platonic love affair with Peter Tosh involves experiences that range from springing him out of jail, to the funny, to the ridiculous.
21 NATURAL MYSTIC– MEMORIES OF BOB 271
The introspective Marley is captured in little anecdotes, encounters, actions and reactions with the author from 1975 to 1979.
22 SO DEM SEH 277
This is a chapter of tributes, comments and anecdotes from friends, artists and associates of Tosh and Marley.
APPENDIX
RASTAFARI IS 288
This is a brief history, ideology and perspective of Rastafarian culture. It speaks on Emperor Haile Selassie and the progenitors of Rasta in Jamaica.
MARCUS GARVEY’S WORDS COME TO PASS 302
This looks at Marcus Garvey’s influence on the African Diaspora and direct influence on Rastafari.
3 Glossary 308
4 Bibliography 310
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