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Planning a sound system dance, exhibition or festival?
Looking to bring people together to discover and explore Jamaican sound system history Roots & Culture?
ZION NOIZ offers talks and gatherings to explore this history, discover the people who shaped it, and better understand the connections between music, dance, and Jamaican society.
These sessions draw on several years of research, as well as my experience in teaching and public speaking. They combine historical storytelling with clear analysis, aiming to share well-researched knowledge in accessible language. No prior knowledge of the subject is needed.
The topic and format are developed with you, depending on your event and the audience. Sessions generally last between 45 and 90 minutes and can be followed by a discussion with the audience. Archival materials and visual aids can also accompany the presentation.
If you'd like to discuss an idea or organise a session, feel free to get in touch.
EXAMPLES OF POSSIBLE TOPICS
SOUND SYSTEM: WHEN MUSIC BECOMES A WAY TO EXIST
Why did sound system culture emerge in the ghettos of Kingston?
Research Library
These talks draw on several years of reading and research. Here are some of the key reference works that inform them.
Kingston, Jamaica: Urban Development and Social Change 1692–1962
Colin G. Clarke — University of California Press, 1975
A key reference on Kingston's urban history, covering demographics, urban development, migration, segregation, and the emergence of working-class neighbourhoods.
Voir Trench Town et mourir
Hélène Lee — Flammarion, 2004
A study of Trench Town and the political, social, and urban environment in which an entire generation of musicians grew up.
Bass Culture: When Reggae Was King
Lloyd Bradley — Penguin, 2001
A major reference on the birth of the Jamaican music industry, the development of sound systems, and the emergence of reggae.
The Rough Guide to Reggae
Steve Barrow & Peter Dalton — Rough Guides, 2004 (3rd edition)
A comprehensive and richly illustrated history of Jamaican music, focusing more on artists, musical styles, and recordings than on sociological aspects.
Vibrations jamaïcaines
Jérémie Kroubo Dagnini — Camion Blanc, 2011
Arguably one of the most comprehensive French-language overviews of the evolution of Jamaican popular music, from its roots to modern reggae.
Solid Foundation: An Oral History of Reggae
David Katz — Bloomsbury, 2003
An extensive collection of interviews tracing the history of Jamaican music through the people who helped shape it.
The Matador: Lloyd Daley – Sonic Pioneer of Jamaican Music
Rich Lowe — 2020
An important study of Lloyd “The Matador” Daley, a pioneer of technical innovation in sound system culture.
Two Kings – King Edwards “The Giant” Sound System
Rich Lowe — 2023
A key reference on the Edwards brothers and Jamaican sound system culture during the 1950s and 1960s.
A History of the Jamaican Recording Industry (trilogy) and Reggae Going International: The Bunny “Striker” Lee Story
Noel Hawks & Jah Floyd — Jamaican Recordings, 2012–2022
A collection of richly illustrated books bringing together archives, interviews, and historical documents covering different periods of Jamaican music history, alongside a biography of Bunny Lee, a major figure in reggae production.
Reggae et politique dans les années 70
Thibault Ehrengardt — Dread Éditions, 2016
A study of the relationships between music, political power, and Jamaican society.