Cedric Brooks

Cedric Roy “Im” Brooks (1943–2013) was a highly influential Jamaican saxophonist and flautist whose career spanned ska, reggae, jazz, and Rastafarian music. Trained at the Alpha Boys School, he developed strong foundations in music theory before mastering the tenor saxophone and flute. He rose to prominence in the 1960s, achieving early commercial success through instrumental recordings for Studio One, both as part of the duo Im & David and as a sought-after session musician. In the 1970s, Brooks became a central figure in spiritually driven Rastafarian music. His collaboration with Count Ossie led to the formation of The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari and the landmark album Grounation, a defining work in roots reggae and Afro-Jamaican fusion. After leaving the group, Brooks formed Divine Light (later The Light of Saba), producing historically important albums that traced the evolution of Jamaican music from mento to reggae while blending jazz, African rhythms, and spiritual themes. His 1977 solo album Im Flash Forward is widely regarded as one of the greatest Jamaican instrumental albums. During the 1980s and 1990s, Brooks focused mainly on session work and occasional releases, contributing to large-scale orchestral reggae and ska projects in the United States. Following the death of Rolando Alphonso in 1999, he joined The Skatalites, reaffirming his legacy within Jamaica’s most iconic ska group. Brooks passed away in 2013 in New York after suffering cardiac arrest, leaving behind a profound musical legacy that helped shape the sound and spiritual depth of Jamaican instrumental music.