The Skatalites

The Skatalites were formed in June 1964, drawing from the ranks of session musicians then recording in the studios of Kingston, Jamaica. The personnel included Don Drummond (b. 1943, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies, d. 6 May 1969, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies; trombone), Roland Alphonso (b. 12 January 1931, Havana, Cuba, d. 20 November 1998, Los Angeles, California, USA; tenor saxophone), Tommy McCook (b. 1927, Jamaica, West Indies, d. 5 May 1998, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; tenor saxophone), Johnny "Dizzy' Moore (trumpet), Lester Sterling (alto saxophone), Jah Jerry (b. Jerome Hines, 8 November 1921, West Indies, d. 13 August 2007, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies; guitar), Jackie Mittoo (b. Donat Ray Mittoo, 3 March 1948, Brown's Town, St. Ann, Jamaica, West Indies, d. 16 December 1990, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; piano), Lloyd Brevett (bass) and Lloyd Knibbs (drums). The band name was a Tommy McCook pun on the Soviet space satellite of 1963. The Skatalites" music, reputedly named after the characteristic "ska" sound made by the guitar when playing the "after beat", was a powerful synthesis, combining elements of R&B and swing jazz in arrangements and solos, underpinned by the uniquely Jamaican-stressed "after beat", as opposed to the "down beat" of R&B.

Many of the musicians had learned music at Alpha Boys' School in Kingston, subsequently honing their talent in the Jamaican swing bands of the 40s and early 50s, and in numerous "hotel bands" playing for the tourist trade. Most of the musicians thereby developed recognizable individual styles. Their repertoire was drawn from many sources, including adaptations of Latin tunes, movie themes and updated mento, a Jamaican folk song form. Perhaps their most famous and identifiable tune was "Guns Of Navarone", recorded in 1965 and a big club hit in the UK in the mid-60s. They recorded hundreds of superb instrumentals for various producers, either under the group name or as a band led by the particular musician who had arranged the session. Under the Skatalites name they made important music for Coxsone Dodd and Duke Reid, as well as for Philip and Justin Yap's Top Deck record label. They stayed together for just over two years until August 1965, when a combination of financial, organizational and personal problems caused the break-up of the band after their last gig, a police dance at the Runaway Bay Hotel.

Of the main protagonists, Jackie Mittoo and Roland Alphonso were persuaded by Coxsone Dodd to form the Soul Brothers band, who made instrumentals and supplied backing tracks at Studio One until 1967. McCook worked principally for Duke Reid, where he formed the studio band known as the Supersonics, and was musical co-director for Reid's Treasure Isle label with alto saxophonist Herman Marques. The tragically wayward Don Drummond suffered from severe depression and died on 6 May 1969 in Belle Vue Asylum, Kingston. The Skatalites had backed virtually every singer of note in the studios, at the same time laying the musical foundation for subsequent developments in Jamaican music. They released a reunion album in 1975 - not playing ska, but high-quality instrumental reggae. In 1984 the band played the Jamaican and London "Sunsplash" concerts to rapturous acclaim. The re-formed group also toured Japan with vocalists Prince Buster and Lord Tanamo in 1989, recording live and in the studio.


The Skatalites Discography

The Skatalites albums.

Ska Boo-Da-Ba - 1965 (Top Deck/Doctor Bird)
Ska Authentic - 1967 (Studio One)
The Skatalites - 1975 (Treasure Isle)
Return Of The Big Guns - 1984 (Island)
Live At Reggae Sunsplash - 1986 (Synergy)
Stretching Out - 1987/1998 (ROIR)
Celebration Time - 1988 (Studio One)
The Legendary Skatalites In Dub - 2002 (Motion)
From Paris With Love - 2003 (World Village)
Live At Lokerse Feesten - 2006 (Charly)
On The Right Track - 2007 (Aim)