Cecil "Sonny" Bradshaw CD (28 March 1926 – 10 October 2009), known as the "… Read Full Bio ↴Cecil "Sonny" Bradshaw CD (28 March 1926 – 10 October 2009), known as the "dean of Jamaican music", and the "musician's musician", was a Jamaican bandleader, trumpeter, broadcaster, and promoter who was a major figure in Jamaican music for more than sixty years.
Bradshaw was born in Kingston, the only child of Edgar and Gladys Bradshaw, until the birth of his sister Marion twenty years later. He attended Central Branch Conservatorium and then Kingston Technical High School, and was a regular reader of Popular Mechanics magazine, which led to him building his own radio, allowing him to listen to music from Cuba and the United States. His first job after leaving school was at Montague's Musique on Tower Street, and he taught himself to read music and play the trumpet. His first professional work as a musician came in the late 1940s in Eric Deans' orchestra. He left in 1950 to form the Sonny Bradshaw Seven (he claimed seven was his lucky number), which became renowned for recreating the sound of a 14-piece orchestra with only seven musicians, and later also led the Jamaican Big Band (aka the All Stars Band), which included some of Jamaica's top musicians including Joe Harriott, Dizzy Reece, Ernest Ranglin, "Little G" McNair, Dwight Pinkney, and Monty Alexander. The band also backed the visiting Sarah Vaughan in 1956, the first time a Jamaican band had backed a visiting artist. Other artists that Bradshaw's band backed included Johnny Mathis, Lou Rawls, Johnnie Ray, Brook Benton, and Sam Cooke. Bradshaw was best known as a trumpeter, but played a variety of instruments including piano, flügelhorn, clarinet, trombone, and saxophone.
His career also saw him work as a journalist, teacher (his pupils included saxophonist Dean Fraser and drummer Desi Jones), and broadcaster, with his Teenage Dance Party radio show on the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) (for which he was director of musical programmes, and leader of the JBC Orchestra) playing a key role in giving greater exposure to Jamaican music in the 1960s and 1970s.
For over 14 years he served as the president of the Jamaican Federation of Musicians, during which time he battled to improve the working conditions of live band musicians, whilst also encouraging greater professionalism from the musicians themselves. Along with his wife, singer Myrna Hague, he founded the Ocho Rios Jazz Festival in 1991. He also founded the Tastee Talent Contest in 1979 (later known as the Tastee Talent Trail), which played a major part in launching the careers of artists including Yellowman, Beenie Man, Mr. Vegas, T.O.K., Papa San, Mad Cobra, and Brian and Tony Gold.
Bradshaw was known as the "dean of Jamaican music", and the "musician's musician". He was awarded the Order of Distinction, Commander class by the Jamaican government for his contribution to Jamaican music in 2004. He was also honoured by the Miramar City Commission at a ceremony to mark the opening of the Miramar Cultural Arts Center in Florida in 2008, for his contribution to music in Jamaica and internationally.
Bradshaw regularly visited the United Kingdom, where he would attend the annual service of thanksgiving on the anniversary of Jamaica's independence at St Martin-in-the-Fields. He suffered a stroke while in London in August 2009, and remained in hospital until his death on 10 October, aged 83. Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding paid tribute by calling Bradshaw "a pioneer whose contribution to Jamaica's music industry could not be quantified". Jamaica's High Commissioner to London, Burchell Whiteman, stated "It is almost impossible to imagine modern Jamaican music without the presence of Sonny Bradshaw. He was a true musical pioneer who dedicated more than six decades of his life to ensuring that Jamaican music and especially jazz was always kept in the forefront and was accessible to all."
Discography
Jamaica Independence Souvenir Album (1962), Top – The Sonny Bradshaw Quartet
Jamaica Roots, (1974) – Sonny Bradshaw 7
On Tour With Reggay! (19??), Dynamic – Sonny Bradshaw 7
Reggae Version (19??), Dynamic – Sonny Bradshaw 7
Do It Reggae (1996), Jamaican Gold
Live (1999), Jamaica Roots – Sonny Bradshaw and the Jamaica Big Band
Bradshaw was born in Kingston, the only child of Edgar and Gladys Bradshaw, until the birth of his sister Marion twenty years later. He attended Central Branch Conservatorium and then Kingston Technical High School, and was a regular reader of Popular Mechanics magazine, which led to him building his own radio, allowing him to listen to music from Cuba and the United States. His first job after leaving school was at Montague's Musique on Tower Street, and he taught himself to read music and play the trumpet. His first professional work as a musician came in the late 1940s in Eric Deans' orchestra. He left in 1950 to form the Sonny Bradshaw Seven (he claimed seven was his lucky number), which became renowned for recreating the sound of a 14-piece orchestra with only seven musicians, and later also led the Jamaican Big Band (aka the All Stars Band), which included some of Jamaica's top musicians including Joe Harriott, Dizzy Reece, Ernest Ranglin, "Little G" McNair, Dwight Pinkney, and Monty Alexander. The band also backed the visiting Sarah Vaughan in 1956, the first time a Jamaican band had backed a visiting artist. Other artists that Bradshaw's band backed included Johnny Mathis, Lou Rawls, Johnnie Ray, Brook Benton, and Sam Cooke. Bradshaw was best known as a trumpeter, but played a variety of instruments including piano, flügelhorn, clarinet, trombone, and saxophone.
His career also saw him work as a journalist, teacher (his pupils included saxophonist Dean Fraser and drummer Desi Jones), and broadcaster, with his Teenage Dance Party radio show on the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) (for which he was director of musical programmes, and leader of the JBC Orchestra) playing a key role in giving greater exposure to Jamaican music in the 1960s and 1970s.
For over 14 years he served as the president of the Jamaican Federation of Musicians, during which time he battled to improve the working conditions of live band musicians, whilst also encouraging greater professionalism from the musicians themselves. Along with his wife, singer Myrna Hague, he founded the Ocho Rios Jazz Festival in 1991. He also founded the Tastee Talent Contest in 1979 (later known as the Tastee Talent Trail), which played a major part in launching the careers of artists including Yellowman, Beenie Man, Mr. Vegas, T.O.K., Papa San, Mad Cobra, and Brian and Tony Gold.
Bradshaw was known as the "dean of Jamaican music", and the "musician's musician". He was awarded the Order of Distinction, Commander class by the Jamaican government for his contribution to Jamaican music in 2004. He was also honoured by the Miramar City Commission at a ceremony to mark the opening of the Miramar Cultural Arts Center in Florida in 2008, for his contribution to music in Jamaica and internationally.
Bradshaw regularly visited the United Kingdom, where he would attend the annual service of thanksgiving on the anniversary of Jamaica's independence at St Martin-in-the-Fields. He suffered a stroke while in London in August 2009, and remained in hospital until his death on 10 October, aged 83. Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding paid tribute by calling Bradshaw "a pioneer whose contribution to Jamaica's music industry could not be quantified". Jamaica's High Commissioner to London, Burchell Whiteman, stated "It is almost impossible to imagine modern Jamaican music without the presence of Sonny Bradshaw. He was a true musical pioneer who dedicated more than six decades of his life to ensuring that Jamaican music and especially jazz was always kept in the forefront and was accessible to all."
Discography
Jamaica Independence Souvenir Album (1962), Top – The Sonny Bradshaw Quartet
Jamaica Roots, (1974) – Sonny Bradshaw 7
On Tour With Reggay! (19??), Dynamic – Sonny Bradshaw 7
Reggae Version (19??), Dynamic – Sonny Bradshaw 7
Do It Reggae (1996), Jamaican Gold
Live (1999), Jamaica Roots – Sonny Bradshaw and the Jamaica Big Band
Peace And Love
Sonny Bradshaw Seven Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Peace And Love' by these artists:
Barry Brown & Ranking Toyan How good, how pleasant it is for us To live in…
Beach Tiger Looking down from a house on the hill Staring up at…
Bebi Philip aah wèèhhhhh ancore le chouchou des nanas, bebi phillip ireg…
BEBI PHILIPPE Aah wèèhhhhh Encore le chouchou des nanas, bebi phillip irré…
Black Uhuru Oh as I sit under this weeping willow tree Pain and…
Blessid Union Of Souls May every star you wish upon And every hope you're hangin'…
Canserbero They're callin' me a terrorist Like they don'…
Cat Power Peace and love is a famous generation I'm a lover but…
Charlie Charles Sfera Ebbasta Ghali Mamma, devi stare calma Se fumo qualche canna E sono ancora …
Culture Some ah dem a say dat dem a bad man Some…
D.A.V.E. The Drummer & Pattrix ハダカノココロで 恋する ドキドキ ごまかさないで 好きって 単純明快 バレバレなほうが love and peace …
Dinastifam Ya fueron años donde yo lo decidí Se lo que es…
Ezoy Oh peace, you know that I live in peace You know…
Flourgon We got to make a change We got to make a…
Fountains of Wayne Peace and love Peace and love That's all I'm thinking of bab…
Fried E.M. 西の都で恋路につまづく うぶなOLに必要なものは LOVE! LOVE! 東の街に忘れた言葉 きっとほんとは意味まで知ら…
Gideon & Power Peace and love is a famous generation I'm a lover but…
I-Roy Peace Love Peace and love I wish there was peace without bor…
J.L.R Love, peace and prosperity God grant us the longevity I live…
Jaya the Cat Out on the streets tonight driving with the top down Runnin…
Joggo Peace and love! Unu noh see all dem signs from above,…
Joseph Hill & Culture My woman she works hard To keep me on my feet And…
Juliana Hatfield You sang me into my dreams So I forgave you everything You…
Kanye West & DJ A-Trak Lo- Lord The air is foul with the smell of hypocrisy As…
Londrelle I got to find peace of mind I got to find…
Mandrill Lo- Lord The air is foul with the smell of hypocrisy As…
Marvin Winans Ooh, oh yeah, oh my, oh my Talking 'bout peace and…
Mishka You'll never find a sweeter combination As peace and love Y…
N. Young Peace and love Flying so high Peace and love Too young to di…
Neil Young [W. Pearl Jam] Peace and love Flying so high Peace and love Too young to…
Passpar-2 Lay down Lay down Lay your sweet lovely on the ground Lay yo…
Peace and Love Peace and love Cerebellum I'm In my zone I'm fragile like a…
Quasi Peace and love, aint no game Peace and love, aint…
Red Hot Chili Peppers Stick with me darling, I will be your man Your company…
Reginald Cyntje So, there was this DJ He was like, kicking off I don't…
Shaumark & Robinson Lyrics : Love Respect & Justice 4 cll aka (World…
Tall Black Guy May there be peace and love And perfection throughout all cr…
Telepath boys "Peace and love" What the fuck? Just a slogan, empty words P…
U-Roy Lay down Lay down Lay your sweet lovely on the ground Lay yo…
YooONE I believe 눈은 잠시 감고 Oh 천천히 숨을 다시 뱉어 손 머리…
Z Anto Peace and love between us Nakypenda kukutenda sitoweza Wewe …
Zach Callison Estelle Deedee Magno Hall Michaela Dietz & Shelby Rabara Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do Do-mi-so-do Isn't it pretty? That's …
ZOE Peace and love Y una carga de metralla De rodillas al sol Es…
Адаптация Я всё вспомнил – и вмиг забыл Он поверил и приторчал Только…
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