RECORD PRODUCER/SOUND SYSTEM OPERATOR, JACK SCORPIO, FINDS NEW PURPOSE ON KINGSTON’S THE BRIDGE 99 FM!

By Sade Gardner/Staff Reporter—

Sound system veteran Maurice ‘Jack Scorpio’ Johnson has found new musical purpose on radio.—

With the disruption of the live event scene since the COVID-19 pandemic, sound system veteran Maurice ‘Jack Scorpio’ Johnson has found new musical purpose on radio.

The Black Scorpio founder hosts ‘Drewsland Rock’ on The Bridge 99 FM on Saturdays, which not only sees him playing music, but educating listeners about the history surrounding the music.

“As a foundation and original man, I saw where radio wanted somebody to highlight some of the late artistes who do so much great work and songs, but the younger generation nuh really know some of these guys,” Johnson told The Gleaner. “On my program, I try to highlight some of these artistes; like I recently did Ernie Smith and Max Romeo, and even people in the dancehall fraternity, like Michael Palmer, Tristan Palmer, and Junior Reid. When I play them, I talk about them, as my thing is more educational. It’s not just playing some music.”

The show takes its name from his own story of starting his sound system in Drewsland, St Andrew, in 1968, then hosting a talent show in the community that showcased artistes like Pliers, Echo Minott, Mega Banton, Sassa Frass and General Trees.

“A whole heap a things happen down at Drewsland, because so many artistes and people come to my place over the years. A lot of people don’t know about these things, so I get the opportunity now where I can talk about it, so I can play a song with Bunny Rugs and tell them about some things and history.”

Some things, however, remain the same, like Johnson’s commitment to only playing music that carries a positive message.

“I tell the youths I will play their song as long as the song is radio-friendly and ready to play,” he said. “I will never tell a man I won’t play his song; as long as the song is saying something positive, that’s me, it doesn’t matter who it is. Like the other day, I played Alkaline, and I had never played Alkaline before, but it was a positive song. Kartel is one of the baddest artistes, and him have good songs weh you can play because mi record and produce for Kartel before. Even Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Buju Banton, all a dem man deh, but dem know seh my thing is strictly radio-friendly and mi nuh beep out.”

The music aficionado is not new to radio. He hosted a show on Linkage Radio in New York some time ago. He said while the pandemic was not a catalyst for him joining The Bridge 99 FM, the opportunity came at a good time.

“I knew Bobby Clarke (The Bridge 99 FM chairman), and he just asked me, and I told him no problem. I never even know seh mi woulda get so popular in it. Mi just tek it, and it kinda occupy mi time because, to be honest, maybe mi woulda haffi deh pon the road and a go ‘round and a work. But nothing was going on, so it came at the right time and mi just take the opportunity. What I love is that it don’t stick you up; so if, or when, the country opens up back, I could still go out there and play.”