In loving memory of Levi Duffus (The Jet Set Soundman from St Thomas, Jamaica)

Levi Duffus born 5th July 1937 in York Hill within the parish of St Thomas, Jamaica he fell in love with music and dancing at a young age. He often travelled to the USA to earn extra money cutting tree cane and at night working as a chef in a restaurant. During his spare time in the USA, he would spend his money on purchasing Doo Wop records, (his favourite band was The Platters), before bringing them back to his home in Morant Bay, Jamaica hanging out with his sound friends buying and selling tunes in and outside of Randy’s Records. Levi was a professional dancer, dancing in and around Jamaica dance events winning competitions. He was also almost semi -professional boxer whilst in USA but although they asked him to stay he refused to stay in the USA due to commitments in Jamaica. Having a great love for the ‘Kumina drum’ Levi had a personal friendship with the Blake Brothers, members of Merritone Music Band & Sound System who were considered the oldest continuous Jamaican Sound System bands. Levi moved to the United Kingdom during/around the Windrush period, settled in the small town of Walsall, near Birmingham where he formed his own sound system 'The Jet Set' with a strong focus on bringing black and white people together for the love of 'Reggae & Calypso Music' with his best friends Carl (front-man) and Keith. His son Mark Duffus was his box boy (Crate Boy, carrying speakers and spinning tracks during his breaks). He later passed his music collection and knowledge unto his son before he passed away on 19-April-2020.

Information told by Levi Duffus himself when he was alive, provided & sourced by his son Mark Duffus (Blak Prophetz)
www.blakprophetz.com  / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blak_Prophetz

Further Reading

• Ken Khouri - https://www.discogs.com/artist/505242

• Merritone - https://www.discogs.com/label/247896-Merritone?page=1 

• Merritone Website - https://merritonemusic.com/