About Me
Jonah Francis a.k.a (Bongoman Jonah Dan) Was Born In England Doncaster South Yorshire. Musician / Producer / Chanter / Song Writer. ------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------- Jonah Is The Most Recorded Bongo Player On Record In The UK and Europe With Rippling Speeds Of The Hand. One Of His Main Influences Is Bellair From Dominica, Legendary Jamaican Percussionist Noel Skully Simms Who Is His Mentor, Including Ras Michael From The Sons Of Negus and Bro George Blair.Other percussionist He Has Respect For Is, Bro Jah Roots, Sister Ama Sade Shepnike, From The UK. ------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------- One Of Jonah's Well Known Track Is The Modern Heavy Weight Classic "Meditation Rock" a Massive Favourite With The Sound Systems In The UK. ------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------- Jonah Was No Stranger To Music As His Father And Uncles Played Professional Live Music In Dominica and In England. Jonah Was Used To Hearing All The Old Time Soul Greats Being Played By The Band, Otis Redding, Wilson Picket, Sam and Dave, Ruffus Thomas, James Brown, And To This Day Jonah Absolutely Looooves Grand Mama Of Soul Areatha Franklin OOOOOH!!!!-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------Outside of this on sundays, The Beatles, Lulu, Cilla black and even jim reeves, Who is still Being Played To This Day in The Carribean.-------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------In The 60s Jonah At That Tender Age Remembers Those House Parties were Rhythm and Blues, Ballads, Ska and Rock Steady Was Booming On Those Grundig or Phillips Record Player The Whole Party Was Alight With Swinging Hips, Swishing Arms, and Some Rude Sexual Movements Taking Place.------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------------------At The Age of 9 Years Old He Left With His Mother To Live In The Carribean Island of Dominica, While In Dominica, Play Time Consisted of Under Water Fishing, Hunting Birds, Picking Mangoes, Carrying Bananas, Living Between The Village And The Bush. At School Steeldrums Was Played During Break Periods, It Was At This Tender Age That Jonah Saw a One Legged Burru Bongo Player Called Bellair, Who Lived Next Door, Playing His Drums, Which Led Him To His Fascination With The Instrument. ------------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------------After Several Years Jonah Returned To England In 1974. In The Mid 70's Reggae Music, Sound System, Bob Marley and Rastafari Was Predominant In This Period, And So He Heard All The Old Time Roots Reggae Classics, From Various Studios, Producers, Players and Mixers From Jamaica.---------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------- Jonah Dan Founded His Own Sound System With His Brother Called Black Scorpion 1977. ------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------- Jah Shaka Was Jonah Dan's Chosen Spiritual Sound. Through The Constant Trips To See Jah Shaka, It Was Inevitable That Jonah Dan Was Baptised As Rastafari In Jah Shaka's Session.Rastafari Became His Way Of Life, Binghi Drums Were Played, Ganja Herbs Were Smoked, Prayers And Blessings Were Given Freely. There Is Even a Video Clip From The 70's With Jah Shaka Playing In Club Norick, a Few Was Skanking Steppers Stlye, Jonah Dan Was One Of Them.------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------During The Late 70's In Doncaster Jonah Formed a Band With His Cousins And a Few Friends Called "ROOTS FOUNDATION" This Is Where He First Wrote a Number Of Songs, Some Of These Being sung and Recorded In More Recent Times. The Second Band Was "STREET SERVICE" Formed In The Late 80's.------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------- The ABA CHRISTOS TAFARI INNER SANCTUARY STUDIO Was Founded With Sister Dinah Reuben and Later Joined By ZebLion Of Jah Negus Tafari Sound In 1991.Jonah Has Worked With Most Uk Roots / Dub Producers and Artists. To Quote a Few: Sister Rasheda, Russ Disciple, Roots Hitek, Nomadic Roots, Barry Isaac, Prince Malachi, Bush Chemist, Mannaseh, Danny Vibes, Alpha and Omega, Jah Warrior And Countless Jamaican Artist. ------------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------------"SHADES OF BLACK" Founded In 1994 Is a Collective Consisting Of Jonah Dan, Paul Fox and x-member Julian Ryan.------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------In 2002 Jonah Was Aproached By Christine of Alpha + Omega For Their Long Awaited Tour, An Album "Spirit of The Ancients" Was Released In 2003" ------------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------------IMPROVISATOR DUB / a Local Band From Bordeaux France, Linked Up With Jonah Dan - Danny Vibes And - Russ Disciple In 2001, The Result of This Is The "SUPER VOCAL AND DUB" Album and a 12 Inch Maxi
