Beth Lesser

Beth Lesser has been a devoted reggae fan since the 70's. During the 80's, Beth edited and published Reggae Quarterly Magazine the first international reggae publication to focus on Dance Hall style music. Beth and her husband, David, spent the decade thoroughly immersed in Jamaican music, David hosting the top reggae radio show in Toronto and the couple promoting several small shows, releasing a record, working public relations and even flying to Jamaica to bring artists through immigration to perform. In 1989, Ms Lesser was asked to write what became the first book to examine the digital revolution in Jamaican music, King Jammys, published by Black Star in Finland. An expanded edition was later published by ECW Press, Toronto, Canada, in 2002. A few years later, Soul Jazz, requested that Ms Lesser write a book about the 80's that could showcase her photographs from the period. Dance Hall: The Rise of Dance Hall Culture came out in 2008.

In between books, Ms Lesser wrote articles for several reggae magazines including Small Axe, UK, and Natty Dread, France. Her photos have appeared in magazines and newspapers around the world such as Mojo (UK), Natty Dread Magazine (France), Focus (Germany), Small Axe (UK), Wire (US), Riddim (Germany), Reggae Festival Guide (US), Reggae Vibes (France), Wax Poetics (US), NME (UK), as well as on CD's/ Albums released by companies like Blood and Fire, Greensleeves, Heartbeat, RAS, Pressure Sounds. Trojan, Soul Jazz, VP, 17 North Parade, as well as many Jamaican Labels. Ms Lesser's photos are also being used in the upcoming documentary films Return of the Rub-A-Dub Style, Tom Chasteen, 2010 and Holding Onto Jah, Roger Hall, 2009. Several are included in the permanent collection, Exhibit Z, housed in the Jamaican Reggae Museum.

Beth and David were married in a dance hall session in the yard of Jamaican singer Sugar Minott in 1986. Beth is currently managing foundation deejay, Jah Stitch.

Beth can be reached at bethkingston@gmail.com