The Skatalites

Formed in Kingston in 1964, The Skatalites brought together several instrumentalists already active as studio musicians for the leading Jamaican producers, among them Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso, Don Drummond, Jackie Mittoo, Lloyd Brevett and Lloyd Knibb. Their sound blends emerging ska, jazz, rhythm and blues, calypso and, later, rocksteady and reggae, with a central emphasis on brass, flexible bass lines and syncopated rhythms. The existence of the original group was brief, up to 1965, but its imprint extends through numerous sessions recorded in 1960s Jamaica, including alongside singers and groups linked to Studio One and Treasure Isle. Reconstituted in the 1980s, The Skatalites hit the road again and developed a second period marked by international tours and new recordings, among which Return of the Big Guns in 1984, Ska Voovee in 1993, Hi-Bop Ska in 1994, Greetings from Skamania in 1996, Ball of Fire in 1998, Bashaka in 2001, From Paris with Love in 2002, On the Right Track in 2007, Walk With Me in 2012 and Platinum Ska in 2016. Over the decades, The Skatalites function as a moving ensemble, between historical heritage and live continuity, with a renewed lineup around Jamaican and international musicians.