Wha Gwan 042022
Tabby Diamond (1955 - 2022)
Man ride by on bicycle (or drive by in car). Clappers! Tabby Diamond and Owen Beckford (probably Tabby's brother in law) dead. Three others injured.
The beloved Tabby Diamond (Donald Orlando shaw) was killed in a ride-by shooting (the gunman, reportedly, was riding a bicycle) during a treat with a group of friends close to his home on McKinley Crescent in the western-Kingston community of Waterhouse.
Nine night celebration for the legacy of Tabby Diamond, to be held at McKinley Crescent was promptly shuttered by the JCF (Jamaica Constabulary Force), for security reasons. It is alleged that Tabby Diamond's son, who is in custody for murder, may have sparked the retaliatory killing of his father. Evanie Henry, Tabby's spouse, flatly dismisses this theory as rubbish. Shes states that the shooting has nothing to with her son JahMarley (Marley Rass) and is likely a political motivated violent act.
Three days later, Bunny (real name Fitzroy Simpson) died at a hospital in Kingston at age 70. He had been ailing since suffering a stroke in 2015 and complications of diabetes.
Tabby, Bunny and Lloyd “Judge Diamond” Ferguson formed The Mighty Diamonds in Trench Town in 1969. Their greatest commercial success was the 1982 marijuana anthem, ‘Pass the Kouchie. The song was condemned by Jamaica’s then Prime Minister Edward Seaga because it endorsed the illegal use of ganja and was banned from the island’s airwaves. The cover by Musical Youth was a number one hit. However, the Musical Youth version is a lighter, faster riddim, than the soulful roots rendition by Tabby Diamond.
The least favorite album, Ice on Fire is a collaboration with Allen Toussaint. Toussaint's lack of interest in the project may be a contributing factor in the poor reception of this album.
DJ Lister is devastated and broken hearted. His close friend, murdered, a senseless violent act. DJ Lister had fond memories of the breakout performance by Mighty Diamonds at My Father's Place.
Although Lister is not in this photograph, he was the man pon spot, the arranger for the photograph [You know Lister. Him eena everyt'ing]. Lister and Kenny Weintraub used this event to start Roots Night at My Father's Place.