Living in the Bronx when this hit came out, true music and is on my current playlist of New York City music I grew up on. Retired military but will never retire "Funkin for Jamaica" thank you Mr. Tom Browne and your band.
I'm a generation younger, but I really feel you can't be cooler than the people who were making this music. Tom Browne seems like a smart, classy dude who made an indelible mark in the music industry. Dudes like this are cut from a different cloth, huge respect.
Talk about talented; Tom Browne is the man! God truly blessed him with amazing abilities, and Mr. Browne exercised those gifted to the fullest! A pilot, musician, and a physics major! 🛩🎺🎵👑
I'm a 55yr old white guy ... I bought Funking for Jamaica on the LP version as it was all we could get in 1980 in Canada via import - and I still have it ... and every time I hear it its like the first time, the classics truly never get old and Toni's voice is truly angelic. I have never wavered in my musical tastes thanks to Tom, love the GAP Band, George Clinton, SOS Band, and everyone else (you know I know who you are thinking about) - Thanks Tom for evereything.
For some reason I just always knew it was Jamaica NY, I knew they were high lol but the song is a classic so many things going on a rap, awesome female vocal, horns and of course, bass.
No one mentioned his smoove cut ‘Herbal Scent’....one of his classics! And yes, ‘Thighs High’ was a stone groove too. Hell, I loved his entire ‘Browne Sugar’ album!!!!
Great documentary. As a 22 year old Brazilian fan of Browne, I didn't know that he is a pilot. But, funny how things in the musical industry turns out. One of the prime funk artists in the late 70s-early 80s, eventually just as disco burned out, also the almighty funk, leaving many talented musicians behind. What a shame!
Cool that Toni just came in, they all got high, and she just felt it on the vocals! Tom is quite a cool cat! Love how he got the old neighborhood funkin!
RESPECT!!! 💕 BLESSINGS 💕 REST IN THE LORD MY SISTER! 💕 THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE NEWS OF SUCH AN INCREDIBLE LOST OF SUCH A BEAUTIFUL SOULFUL DYNAMIC VOICE!!! 💕🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 A WONDERFUL TRUTH BEHIND THE MAKING OF THE MUSIC!!! 💕 SUCH A HISTORICAL LEGACY AND POWERFUL DOCUMENTARY!!! 💕 TOM BROWNE BIG UP!!! 💕 A BEAUTIFUL USE OF TALENT!!! 💕🤗🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
Bless you sir...and thank you for being a big part of that FUNK FUSION era. That music is the best ever recorded...and the soundtrack of my life...my life...my life...my life. Be well.
Hello, For me the best funky groove track ever. Everything is magic in this song, from the bass of Marcus Miller which resonates like the growl of a satisfied lion, perfectly enveloped by the piano of Dave Gruisin to the trumpet of Tom Browne which opens the song in such a singular way, as if to tell us: "Be careful, the savanna begins here ...". And of course the inimitable voice of Toni Smith that makes Jamaica resonate from inner. So thank you very much for this master piece :)
Lived in NY and loved this song when it came out. It was such a great time for the rise of so much musical talent! SO happy to know the story behind the song and also to get a glimpse into Tom Browne's life! Wow! Such respect for this man! And... he became a pilot?! Wow! SerialBrain2 brought me here too....
I've been waiting my whole life for this video. Tom Brown I love you! I sang this over and over. I got to talk to James Brown but really Tom Brown has my favorite.
I had a opportunity to be apart of Nards Legacy. I worked with alot if producers, but no one like him? He was my Friend and Brother that open his heart up to let me in. The Man was a Genious. I remember being invited to Texas to work with him through a friend. The story I have will be in my project, but I will say this. This Brother had me Blown away? I sent an old project to him Pryor to going down to meet with him. This was in 2002. When he got to my friends house Bobby Adams. May he RIP Bernard had forgot to bring my material, so I had my wife fed ex another package. We had two weeks before going in the studio and we did more socializing then working on the up coming Project. This really concerned me and the situation got heated? I am like Dude it's getting close to going in the studio and you only listen to the two tracks I had sent down here once? Nard said Goldie don't worry about it. I got it. I am looking at him and said stop wasting my damn time. Not knowing all along he did have me and I didn't know it? Lol It came down to the day going to the Studio when he listen to both songs. Here is what happen. This Brother listen to a part of the verse , Chorus and Bridge? He did this with both songs. I saying this is some bs! But let me tell you. When he got in that studio it was off and cracking! I worked with some Great Producers, but Bernard was cut from a different cloth? Nard knocked both sounds out from top to bottom less then 2hrs complete. We became the best of friends from that day on? I Never question him again. True story. RIP My Good Friend. Goldie Love
GOD......Your good! I also miss the music of yesterday. Music today is so lousy when you compare the two. Thank you for sharing. PS Serial Brain 2 sent me. Q
A great song, from a great album by the way. Several tracks on that album are simply fantastic. I was a kid at the time it came out - and so were they!
As with all music and anything in life, we make it what we choose depending on our perspective. Jamaica to me is the feeling of abundant joy. Jamaica LoVe!!
Part of our growing up too! Wine Bars & Night Clubs were across The U.K. were playing it - Young ladies wearing Rah Rah skirts were throwing their handbags on the floor and were dancing around to this great recording ! - We did not know who Tom Browne was back then either ? - But we all knew that intro ? Thanks Tom Browne
Man I dig this right here word! I was about 7 or 8 when this song came out and it got plenty of spins in my household on that hi-fi wooden 8 track album holder with the speakers built in stereo we had. Those were the days back when they really played the music and instruments. This song will be forever a classic and it's still funky to this day. #SALUTETomBrown
--I AM STILL LISTENING. GRP WAS SUCH A MUSICAL BLESSING! YOU, DAVE VAL, BERNARD W, ANGELA BO, BOBBY BROO(WHY DID YOU NOT DO WHAT HE DID AND COME TO CHICAGO?), NOEL POI WITH MARCUS AND CENTENEO. STILL LISTEN TO ALL YOU ALL MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE!
in one breath,he did good by not having a crazy career,in the second breath,he coulda rocked the planet with this group,shit,the gap band hooked it up a bit,the amazing thing is the old group members are still on the block,the magic that could have been re created,I guess we will never know kids,,luv yall,later,,,,,,
