Music is home for me, it’s my sanctuary, my passion and my peace.
Truly magical, its magnetic energy is a healing force, flowing like the elements of nature. Our heartbeat pulsates rhythmically, just like musical rhythms that stay on time on the beat. Every instrument has its power, entwined with the player, it generates its vibrations.
Over time, there are things we easily forget, but once we know a song by heart, it seems to stay with us no matter how much time goes by. “We learn song lyrics, years pass by, we hear the song again, and sing along.” Musical words are an extension of poetry, fiction and real-life experiences. There are many lyrics about the trials and tribulations of life, but what seems to resonate with many people, are love songs.
Who am I? the only child of my father, who raised me single handedly from the age of two. I also have siblings on my birth mother’s side. I’m so proud of my father, a Jamaican/Cuban, who was such a wonderful dad and human-being. Back in the day, my Jamaican grandparents travelled to Cuba to work in the largest Caribbean island. Around that time, there was a large influx of Jamaicans who were travelling across the sea to their neighbouring island to work. Cuba was flourishing with its sugar industry at the time. My father and his siblings spent a considerable amount of time there, years, and eventually returned to their parents home country Jamaica.
When my Dad reached adulthood, he found his way to England on a ship, after the second world war. Later down the line, he met my mother, an English woman, and some years later I came along. I’m Jamaican, Cuban & British, and I don’t forget my West African ancestry.
As a small child, I received my first song on a vinyl, a gift from my father. The song was Ben by Michael Jackson. Within our home, the sound of music floated through the air every single day. My father loved music, and had so many albums. I believe it was his comfort, and “SOOTHED HIS SOUL.”
A single father with no partner, or family in the country must have been extremely difficult back then, he raised his daughter single-handily, he was a wonderful father. As I grew older, he explained his passion for music. While in Jamaica, he was keen to learn the saxophone, but times were hard and his mum couldn’t afford to buy the instrument. He loved to dance, and as he reached adulthood, he and his girlfriend of the time won a dance competition and received prize money. “MUSIC WAS IN MY FATHER’S SOUL.” I would hear my dad sing a lot in our home, his tone of voice always made me smile, he had a beautiful baritone voice.
Voices of Nat King Cole, Sam Cooke, Billy Holiday, and Stevie Wonder came through to my eardrums. My house echoed the sound of so many artists that dad loved to listen to, he loved Motown artists and Jazz music. As a young teenager, I heard Diana Ross & the Supremes, and I became totally mesmerised. Alone in my room, my hairbrush became my microphone, I imitated the songs I liked, pretending I was on stage. Two years previously dad bought me my first guitar, but I never really learned to play back then, but it was my first musical symbol.
Up in my teenage years, my friends at the time introduced me to country music. Patsy Cline touched my heart, she was an interesting storyteller. I discovered that country music singers were notable storytellers. Rock music also gained my attention. British and American music was so nice in those times.
Soon, Bob Marley’s music came to my ears, and I was hooked by his wisdom and words of reality. He was the first Jamaican artist I’d heard, and so coming from a Jamaican heritage, I was extremely proud of his music. One day, while getting ready for school, an alert came on the radio, “Bob Marley, the Jamaican reggae artist has died.” Tears burst through my eyes. I was saddened, I can still visually remember that time. Later on, many other reggae artists came to my attention, as well as Hip-Hop. Tupac Shakur will always be my favourite Hip-hop artist of all time. R&B had lovely dovey songs, and dancehall was infectious by how it made you feel like dancing. Admiral Tibet, was the first dancehall artist I liked due to his conscious Lyrics.
At the age of 16, I wanted to become a singer but was exceptionally shy. I only performed alone in my room, “MUSIC SOOTHED MY SOUL.” As some years passed by I found a local music centre, and was keen to record a lover’s Rock song. Back then there wasn’t really many female sound engineers, but in this centre there was. I asked the lady if she could create a lover’s rock track, she agreed, but once finished, there was no reggae sound to it. It made me think, “If a woman can create a track, why don’t you learn to produce yourself, then you can build music for yourself.”
In 1994, I studied Sound Engineering for one year and received a City & Guilds certificate. It was a one-year course where I learned how to use audio hardware equipment, consoles and mixing desks for recording, mixing, and mastering. The course was free, as long as I volunteered to work 3 days in a music setting. I found a music & rehearsal studio where I worked 3 days per week.
My work was setting up various rehearsal rooms with drum kits, amplifiers and microphones. I would then be on reception, signing in musicians into the rehearsal rooms. Some really good musicians came to rehearse, I remember one Welsh rock band who regularly came, they wasn’t famous at that time, their name was “Manic Street Preachers,” it was the early years of their career. While positioned there, I had my first meeting with a drum kit. A Nigerian guy who regularly came, taught me the basic skills of how to use a drum kit.
As time moved along, I registered in college for a one-year Music Production course where I gained knowledge of creating music through music software programs. When it finished I jumped straight on to another one year course, which was live music. I couldn’t sign-up for instrument playing, as I couldn’t play at that time, but they let me on the course to sing. They put together a few groups, and I was a singer in one of the groups, it became a way for me to gain some confidence as I was still so immensely shy. While there, I also received guitar and drum kit lessons. As the course came to an end, I went straight into a two-year University course to study Music Workshop Skills. The course aimed to teach people how to run music classes with diverse learning levels.
The first time I heard Flamenco music, I was amazed by the sound. The sound of the Gypsy Kings and their flamenco style inspired me to want to play guitar. I tried for a time but didn’t keep it up. Guitars have been in my home, for most of my life. It goes something like this. (I would practice for months, and then put down for years. I repeated this over and over. But today, I’m back on track, I have five guitars and hopefully will keep connecting with my lovelies.
After studying music for four years, back to back, I became a music tutor in education for a while. Eventually, I set up my own business, and working with music took a back seat.
Over the last twenty-five years, African music landed in my soul. The first artist that resonated with me was West African Malian artist Habib Koité, his music “SOOTHED MY SOUL.” From there, other African artists came to my attention. Malian artists like Salif Keita, and Oumou Sangaré. I was also mesmerised by the beautifully toned voice of Central African Congolese singer Fally Ipupa, back then I would see him play guitar, those were his early days. Oliver Mtukudzi was an artist with enchanting music from Southern Africa Zimbabwe. The lovely Senegal, a West African country that has so many wonderful singers, Baaba Maal, Thione Seck, Omar Pene, Youssou N’dour, and band Orchestra Baobob, they are just a few to mention. Also not forgetting the Nigerian artists I liked back then, artists like P-Square, Timaya, and 9-ice. As rap music first started in the United States, I liked that as a Nigerian rapper, 9-ice raps in his Yoruba.
Music roots lay heavily in Africa.
For years I’ve wanted to create a space to write about music. Music is wonderful and enchanting, it’s not even about being famous, music is music. I am writing about artists & musicians, some may be famous, or rising artists. Also professional musicians who may not be famous but are great musicians. That’s why I created this website Muzatik. Most of the website is about them, but my personal blog is for me to air my thoughts and feelings on “music, travel, and life.”
“Music is in my soul”
Havana White@