THE SKATALITES

SKA, ROCK STEADY, REGGAE: IT ALL BEGAN WITH SKATALITES, JAMAICA'S GREATEST BAND... In early 60's, when Beatles made their first albums, a similar revolution started in Jamaica. Skatalites were a band of highly skilled musicians, who backed most of the top stars of the day, including not yet discovered Bob Marley. The line-up lasted only one year, but in the 80's Skatalites reformed. Today their old masters timeless grace can be matched only by Buena Vista Social Club. In 90's they were twice nominated for Grammy, their "Hi-Bop Ska" was elected as the best reggae album by the National American Independent Record Distribution. After 40 years they still deliver steaming hot licks without losing an inch of their youth. Since Bob Marley passed away, Skatalites are the last survivors of classical era of Jamaican music.

Ska was the first truly Jamaican music that spread all around the world. It came to prominence during the early and mid-'60s right around the time the island was granted its independence. Based on R+B, Jazz, Mento, Calypso and African rhythms, ska ensembles blended electric instrumentation and horns most popular in jazz (saxophone, trumpet, trombone).
Important ska vocalists included Derrick Morgan, Laurel Aitken, Prince Buster (himself a sound system owner), Desmond Dekker, Toots & the Maytals, and the very young Bob Marley and the Wailers. The Skatalites, featuring a number of virtuosic soloists and led by the mercurial trombonist Don Drummond, were far and away the top instrumental group, and also served as the house backing band for Coxsone Dodd's prolific Studio One.
The Skatalites were officially formed in spring 1964, inspired by the early space shots. Drummer Lloyd Knibb suggested the name Satellites, to which sax player Tommy McCook replied, "Now, we play ska - the Skatalites." Skatalites were also the first band to suffer from "supergroup syndrome": there were too many strong individuals in the setup and the band held their farewell show by the end of the summer in 1965. During their 14 months existence they recorded for various producers and labels and worked as backing band for the best artists of their time: Tthe Maytals, Lord Creator, Wailers featuring still unknown Bob Marley.
In 1964, Don Drummond's "Man In The Street" entered the Top 10 in the UK. Trombonist Drummond was not only the Skatalites busiest composer, but the most prolific in all of Ska, with at least 200 tunes to his name by 1965. While he was superb musician, he was seriously troubled my mental instability. On January 1st 1965 he was jailed for the murder of his girlfriend, and later convicted and remanded to the Bellevue Asylum. But his music survives Skatalites' break-up. In 1967, his Ska-adaption of the theme to the film "The Guns Of Navarone" enters the UK Top 10.
In the 80's, Ska makes a comeback in England, this time with the 2-tone movement and bands like Specials and The Madness. In 1983, The Skatalites reform for a reunion performance at the Sunsplash festival in Montego Bay in July. Their show was a smashing success and the band played more concerts in Jamaica while weighing offers to tour abroad. Next year, the Skatalites record their reunion album, The Return of The Big Guns, the core members of the Skatalites emigrate and eventually coalesce in the northeast of the United States. They play their first US concert at The Village Gate. In 1997, the Skatalites release Ball of Fire with special guest Ernest Ranglin on guitar. In 2002 they make 9 months tour of USA, Europe, Mexico, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Russia and Japan. In June 2003, they start another 4 months tour, Respect Festival is one of its first dates.
Looking back, the band now influenced three major Ska movements, the Jamaican sound in the sixties to the British Two-Tone movement of the early eighties and now, they are Godfathers to the American Ska movement called the Third Wave.

Discography:
From Paris with Love, Melodie 2002

Personnel:
Lloyd Brevet - bass
Lloyd Knibb - drums
Doreen Shaffer - vocals
Lester Sterling - alto sax
Cedric Brooks - tenor sax
Will Clark - trombone
Devon James - guitar
Dizzy Moore - trumpet
Ken Stewart - keyboards

Ticket office:
Ticketpro
Palác Akropolis (Kubelíkova 27, Praha 3)
Radost CD-Video (Bělehradská 120, Praha2)
Ticketstream

Web:
www.skatalites.com

Music:
Golden Love
Adorable You
Reggae In The Wind

Downloads:

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