There is no higher standard in reggae than the music you get from the Marley family.
But contrary to some beliefs it’s not just all in a name. There are many players who come together to make the magic happen and one such player is Wilburn “Squidley” Cole, drummer and producer extraordinaire.
Squidley is the son of Stranjah Cole, famous Jamaican ska artiste and one of the oldest living performers to date.
Music is in his DNA, being the nephew of the late Tabby Diamond of Mighty Diamonds fame. It was Tabby who took him into the musical space where he has been expressing himself rhythmically since he was 13 years old.
Now with fourteen Grammy album credits to his name he keeps tempo for Stephen Marley and most recently played on the Bob Marley 81st birthday celebration at Emancipation Park as part of the month-long activities for Reggae Month.
He sees Reggae Month as a very important celebration and pays homage to all the greats who have brought Jamaican music to this stage. “We are celebrating all the people that made it happen. People like my father, Toots Hibbert and many others worked long and hard to establish this music so that now all of the world have to stand up and take notice.”
Squidley’s first professional recording was Barrington Levy’s Black Roses and he has racked up a lot of credits since. He played and co-produced the smash Bob Marley/Lauryn Hill remake of Turn Your Lights Down Low and played on the late British singer Amy Winehouse’s first album “Frank”
He has had an interesting journey throughout his career. He satrted touring at age 15 with the late Jimmy Cliff and traveled to far flung places like Burkina Faso.
But it was at Channel One that he really cut his teeth wtaching drummers like Carlton Barrett of Wailers fame, Lloyd Knibbs of the Skatallites and the late Sly Dunbar. He has high praises for other great Jamaican dummers like Leroy “Horsemouth” Wallace of the movie Rockers fame, Style Scott, Santa Davis and Joe Jackson.
“My influences came from all these great players but Sly Dunbar was an exception. He was one of the fanciest drummers in reggae. The way he held his sticks was a beauty to behold and you just felt that he could extract any sound he wanted from a drum kit. He was a very kind man who never let you feel less than anybody else. The world misses him.
And what is life like working with the super talented Stephen Marley?
“I have done extensive work with the whole Marley family. From Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers to Julian Marley. But Stephen is just a special man. He makes everybody feel appreciated and I watch the way he is with his fans. He always has a smile and makes them feel valued. He has great charisma.”
Squidley is still deep in production work and is finalising an album for American Steve Martinez.
“I am constantly working and I have a standard to uphold. The generation is changing and people have to step up and fill the gaps created by those who have left the game whether they passed on or otherwise,” he said.