Gerald Achee (November 15, 1952 - January 12, 2021) known by his stage name Gerry Drums, was a Trinidadian drummer and the leader of the Village Drums of Freedom.
Biography
Gerald Achee was born in St. James, a suburb of Trinidad and Tobago's capital Port of Spain. He was introduced to the traditional Afro-Caribbean music at an early age. Achee started his artistic career as a limbo-dancer. Later he began to play djembe. In 1969 Gerald Achee founded the free improvisation percussion band Village Drums of Freedom.[1] From 1970 until 1980 he travelled with his ensemble and a group of dancers through Europe, South America and US and then finally settled in Brooklyn, NY. His band grew bigger and now consists of more than a hundred drummers all over the world.[2] Every year Village Drums of Freedom plays a leading part in the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. In 2003 Gerald Achee and VDOF released an album Historic Travel: cultural rhythms. In 2009 he recorded an album Three Neighbours with Perry Robinson and Joel Chassan. And in the same year – Night Train For Lovers And Thieves with the Gypsy Groovz Orchestra, which was nominated to the Best Album of 2009 in World music on BBC.[3][4] Gerald Achee was a member of the Rastafari movement.[5]
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