Independent Roots: Jamaica at 45

Map It  Farragut North 

GET READY TO drop legs for freedom: Jamaica celebrates its 45th year of independence on Aug. 6, preceded by three days of cultural activities this weekend, starting on Friday and concluding Sunday. (Go to embassyofjamaica.org for the full schedule.)

The highlight of the weekend, however, is the free "Independence Sunday Market: An All-Day Jamaican Festival," which will feature eight hours of music, plus art and food, all staged outdoors in the gardens of the Organization of the American States.

The slate includes DJs Jerry D and Sprang International spinning classic musical biscuits as well as local reggae groups Zedicus (1 p.m.) and Image Band (2 p.m.). Then the Jamaican ensemble Bare Essentials backs dancehall deejay General Degree (3:15 p.m.) and legendary Studio One songwriter and vocalist Bob Andy (4:15 p.m.) before playing a set of classic Jamrock party jams (7:15 p.m.). Meanwhile, international dancehall superstar Shaggy with grab the stage with his full band (5:40 p.m.).

This is the third year of the festival's existence, all under the auspices of Jamaican Ambassador Gordon Shirley. "The idea of independence, when we celebrate our evolution as a people, as a nation, it's an important thing for us," Shirley said.

It's a sentiment echoed by Bob Andy, a founding member of The Paragons and one of Jamaica's most celebrated tunesmiths. "The psychology of freedom, liberation — and making the music be the soundtrack to the event and to life — was the most amazing thing to me," Andy recalled of Jamaica's first independence day celebration in 1962, when ska and the roots of reggae were brand new and largely known outside of the island. "I was 18 at the time, and I look at it in retrospect think we were fortunate enough that our culture — the musical aspect of it and the dance aspect of it — could accompany us into the new status."

» Gardens of the Organization of American States, 17th Street and Constitution Avenue NW; Sun., 1 p.m., free; 202-452-0660. (Farragut North)

» For more of our interview with Bob Andy, click here.
» For more of our interview with Ambassador Shirley, click here.

Photos courtesy Shaggy (top) and Bob Andy