“Every Thursday Studio One friends gathered under the Lignum Vitae tree in the front yard of the studio to talk, sing, and have a Red Stripe. Bob Marley as a young man sat under the same huge tree.”
The Photographer, Ron Vester, has titled the exhibition ‘Studio One Love’
Not because they only recorded for Studio One, they recorded when and wherever they could, but because they were a group of friends who hung out Thursdays and enjoyed playing ska and reggae.
London born Ron arrived to live in Jamaica in 1992, although he had been a frequent visitor from the 70s. Prior to his arrival in Jamaica Ron had been living in Toronto Canada, directing and editing television commercials. Once in Jamaica many clients gathered to make use of his photography skills, including the Jamaica Tourist Board, the Jamaica National Heritage Foundation, newspapers and many more. Ron was awarded ‘best human interest photo’ for the Gleaner’s ‘Ocho Rios Exposed’. He was videographer on the Jamaican movie ‘My Daughter’s Killers’ and worked second unit at several Reggae concerts. He was introduced to Studio One singer Chandley Duffus who invited him to visit Studio One and founder Coxsone Dodd.
“I remember arriving at the Studio and a pleasant looking man with a slight limp walked over and said “Hello, I am Clement Seymour Dodd, welcome to Studio One”. After many visits I started taking photos and making friends with the Studio One family, and became the official photographer, doing album and CD covers, the official events and the famous Studio One parties. A few years later Chandley sadly died, nervous as I was, I said my tribute at his service, at Coxsones’ request. Sir Coxsone gave the eulogy.
May 2004 Clement Seymour Dodd died in the studio. I left the island a month later.”
Mr. Vester’s photographs are available from urbanimage.tv. Please telephone 0044 (0)207 3133326 or email requests@urbanimage.tv on the website http://www.urbanimage.tv/
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