Tuff Gong International – Kingston, Jamaica. Founded in 1965 by Mr Bob Marley himself.
Tuff Gong’s Kingston headquarters is a place Jamaican and international music artists can and do use as a complete one-stop shop for the recording and distribution of their music – CD’s and Vinyl. The Tuff Gong compound has a recording studio, mastering room, stamper room, pressing plant and rehearsal space.
Tuff Gong also has a record store. I went there today to find current Jamaican music to buy.
After fruitless and disappointing searches at a few other record stores in Kingston this week, and knowing those same record stores go to Tuff Gong to buy, I thought my chances there would be good.
What I found at the Tuff Gong compound was this:
My mind boggling and my heart pumping fast at the thought of the incredible artistry that has graced the Tuff Gong compound, and how much music has been created there that I have loved my whole life.
Awesome, awesome, awesome antique and retro machines, furniture, instruments and other bits & bobs – my favourite part of the visit.
-
- vinyl in the making
Lots of unique memorabilia.
Really friendly, helpful people and a whole lot of interesting characters – a visiting Jamaican bassist living in New York, involved with Tuff Gong from the start, with a lot to say about the disappointing lack of contemporary roots reggae to be found in Jamaica; and yes, even one of the Marley family.
A very sweet and knowledgeable guide named Ricky who innocently thought he needed to explain to me it was James Brown in a photo.
Character seeping from every wall, floor and roof space, and from each object within.
The coolest vintage recording studio ever. No photos allowed inside – but trust me on this.
What I found at the Tuff Gong Record Shop was this:
A whole lot of Bob Marley, Damian Marley, Julian Marley, Kymani Marley, Cedella Marley, Ziggy Marley, Stephen Marley and Rita Marley CDs. Of course, and great – I found and bought 2 Cds I didn’t have.
A whole lot of CDs by different North American music artists (Tuff Gong is the Caribbean distributor for 3 major labels there).
And, disappointingly…
JUST ONE CD from a current Jamaican artist.
The 8 Year Affair (2013)
I had wanted to find so much more Jamaican music in the Tuff Gong Record Store. That old school bass player I met there understood, and shared my disappointment.
