Eastern Standard Time / Sun Rises in the East

Sister Mary Ignatius (1921 – 2003), an influential teacher and administrator at the Alpha Boys’ School in Kingston, Jamaica, owned this Treasure Isle single of “Eastern Standard Time,” performed by trombonist and former Alpha Boys’ School student Don Drummond (1932 – 1969). According to an interview taken for the documentary Rebel Music, this single was Sister Ignatius’ favorite of her extensive collection of records.  

The Alpha Boys’ School taught trades such as cabinetry and printing but is famous for influencing a high percentage of Jamaica’s greatest instrumentalists including Don Drummond, Johnny “Dizzy” Moore (1938 – 2008) and Rico Rodriguez (1934 – 2015) among others. 

Drummond was a Ska composer and trombonist. At the Alpha Boys’ school, he quickly excelled at the trombone and received permission to leave school early and perform with the Eric Deans jazz orchestra. After graduating he often returned to the school to teach music. Don Drummond, Tommy McCook, Johnny “Dizzy” Moore and Lester Sterling were four founding members of The Skatalites who rose to fame in the 1960s.