Country: Jamaica
Count Ossie, born Oswald Williams on 26 March 1926, was a pioneering Jamaican Rastafarian drummer and bandleader. In the early 1950s, he established a Rasta community near Wareika Hill in Kingston, which became a hub for musicians learning about the Rastafari movement. In the late 1950s, he formed the Count Ossie Group, introducing the “nyabinghi” style of hand drumming, which has roots in both Jamaican Kumina traditions and the Bantu musical heritage of Eastern Congo. Despite early resistance from the anti-Rasta music establishment, Count Ossie gained recognition after successful performances with dancers like Margarita Mahfood and shows at the Ward and Carib theaters. Count Ossie and his group made their first recordings in 1959 with Prince Buster, backing the Folkes Brothers on Oh Carolina, which is regarded as one of the earliest ska records due to its inclusion of Rasta hand drumming. He later worked with prominent producers such as Harry Mudie and Coxsone Dodd, producing singles like African Shuffle, Chubby, and Rock a Man Soul. Ossie also formed The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari, contributing percussion to recordings for other Jamaican artists and releasing several notable singles, including a cover of Miriam Makeba's Pata Pata. His innovative fusion of Rasta drumming with ska and reggae rhythms helped shape the emerging Jamaican music scene. At the end of his life, Count Ossie released two landmark albums: Grounation (1973), a three-LP set featuring extended compositions including a new version of Oh Carolina, and Tales of Mozambique (1975), continuing his exploration of Rasta drumming and roots reggae. Tragically, he died in a road accident on 18 October 1976 at the age of 50. His influence persisted through The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari, who continued performing and recording into the 1990s, and through the many Rastafarian drumming groups inspired by his work, including Ras…
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