The Skatalites

Biography

The Skatalites are a ska band from Jamaica. They played initially between 1963 and 1965, and recorded many of their best known songs in the period, including "Guns of Navarone×Guns of Navarone1965 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAGuns of NavaroneBMarcus Garvey". They also played on records by Prince Buster and backed many other Jamaican artists who recorded during that period, including Bob Marley & The Wailers, on their first single "Simmer Down". They reformed in 1983 and have played together ever since.

Before the Skatalites: 1954–1964

The founders of the Skatalites were musicians Doreen Shaffer, Tommy McCook (died 1998), Rolando Alphonso (died 1998), Lester Sterling (died 2023), Lloyd Brevett (died 2012), Lloyd Knibb (died 2011), Don Drummond (died 1969), Jah Jerry Haynes (died 2007), Jackie Mittoo (died 1990), and Johnny Moore (died 2008). These musicians started to play together from 1955, when Kingston's recording studios started to develop. Tommy McCook was the first member of the band to record, though not for commercial release: he played with Don Hitchman's Group in 1953. Archie Lindo asked Hitchman to play a few tunes for his pioneer radio station, "ZQI", on their new equipment. Soon after that, sound system pioneer Stanley Motta began to operate his studio, where he recorded calypso and mento that were released on 78s. Rolando Alphonso was one of the first to record with him, probably in 1954.
Though McCook was the first in the band to record, he did not participate in the recording sessions with the other nine musicians. He left Jamaica in 1954 for a jazz gig at the Zanzibar Club in Nassau, Bahamas. He returned to Jamaica in June 1962, and began playing regular jazz sessions around Kingston.
Record producer Coxsone Dodd searched for jazz players around Kingston and was impressed by McCook's playing. Tommy McCook heard some ska, but initially resisted Dodd's offers to record and to lead a studio group, because he was a committed jazzman. In 1962, Dodd released I Cover The Waterfront (Port-O-Jam) with Roland Alphonso and Don Drummond, who did the solo and brass sections. In 1963, he released Jazz Jamaica From the Workshop (Port-O-Jam/Studio One), on which McCook played for the first time since returning to Jamaica. Don Drummond has two tunes on Jazz Jamaica and McCook has one, "The Answer".

Early years: 1964–1965

In early 1964, a meeting was held with all the would-be Skatalites at The Odeon Theatre. It was owned by The Tawari family who owned many theatres and were offering shows to the band if they formed a band. Lord Tanamo was liked by the Tawaris and they had encouraged him to help unite the musicians that had been playing on all these hits. By this time the various members had played on so many hit songs in so many different studios by so many singers, but few people knew who was playing the instruments because no producers were putting credits on the records. At that time most of the DJs who were spinning records in public, scratched off the titles or the entire label so nobody could spy on them, and know which recording they were even playing. The musicians were tired of working so hard for so little money and so little recognition. This story, and the story of many other groups and bands in Jamaica, is the theme of the film, The Harder They Come.
One of their first albums released was LP Ska Authentic×Ska Authentic1964 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Freedom Sounds2Brown Skin Girl3Full Dread4Wondering Now5Turn Your Lamp6Mother in Law7Bridge View8Heavenly Road9Lee Oswald10Heaven Declare11Sca Ba12Sammy Dead at Studio One in Kingston. Among their many producers were Coxsone Dodd, Duke Reid, Prince Buster, Vincent "King" Edwards, Justin "Phillip" Yap, Leslie Kong, Lindon Pottinger, Sonia Pottinger and Vincent "Randy" Chin. The Skatalites led sessions with top artists and worked with young talents such as Delroy Wilson, Desmond Dekker, The Wailers, and Lee Perry.
The Skatalites played their first public performance in May 1964 at the Hi-Hat Club on Water Lane in Rae Town, Kingston. The venue was owned and operated by Orville "Billy" Farnum. Initially intended as a rehearsal, the session drew such a large crowd that the band decided to charge admission and proceed with a full performance. News of the event spread quickly, and word soon circulated that the musicians behind many of Jamaica's hit records had officially formed a band, now known as The Skatalites. Coxsone Dodd helped initially: "At the formation of the band, I supplied the PA system, microphones and what ever it is. Also the guitar amplifier and other amplifier. I helped with transportation and I supplied storage for equipment and instruments. I was a part of promoting the first gigs and other gigs to get it off the ground, because I figured more or less, if I am recording the Skatalites, its good to get them popular out in the streets, yunno?"
Trombonist Don Drummond had at least 200 tunes to his name by 1965. On 1 January 1965, Drummond was arrested for the murder of his girlfriend, Anita "Marguerita" Mahfood. He was later convicted and remanded to the Bellevue Asylum.
In August 1965, The Skatalites played their last show. They broke up into two supergroups, Rolando Alphonso and the Soul Vendors and Tommy McCook and the Supersonics. In April 1967, The Skatalites' ska adaptation of the theme to the film The Guns of Navarone entered the Top 40 of the UK Singles Chart. Don Drummond died on 6 May 1969, in the Bellevue Asylum.

Early reunions: 1974–1988

The Skatalites' first reunion happened in the studio, during 1974 sessions for bass player Lloyd Brevett's solo album. After laying down hand percussion tracks at Lee Perry's studio, Brevett was joined by McCook, Alphonso, Sterling, Knibb and Mittoo. Ernest Ranglin played guitar, with Oswald Brooks on trumpet. The album was eventually released as African Roots×African Roots1978 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1African Roots4:16A2Stream In The Meadow5:30A3Rock Bottom5:33A4Candle Light3:06B1Fugitive2:46B2Jumbo Malt3:14B3Seven Seal3:17B4Herb Challis3:11, a collection of mostly Brevett compositions, and has been variously released both as a Lloyd Brevett and as a Skatalites album, with most editions crediting "Lloyd Brevett and The Skatalites".
In 1979, The Skatalites again joined in the studio, this time to record an album for Chris Blackwell. The album, tentatively entitled The Big Guns, was not released at the time, due to a disagreement between McCook and Blackwell, and remains unreleased.
In June 1983, The Skatalites reformed and played the Reggae Sunsplash festival in Montego Bay in July, after festival director Ronnie Burke persuaded them to appear at the fifth anniversary of the festival, despite Moore and McCook having not spoken since the band split. Their show was very successful, and the band played more concerts in Jamaica, while taking offers to tour abroad. The line-up at this time reflected the original line-up of the band, with the exception of Drummond, and joined by guests Arnold Breckenridge and Bubbles Cameron. Recordings from 27 June and 17 July 1983 were released on the live album Stretching Out×Stretching Out1987 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 22 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Freedom Sounds6:212Bridge View3:103Latin Goes Ska6:134Tear Up4:025Guns of Navarone4:546Man in the Street4:317Come Dung4:008Big Trombone4:119Ska Ba10:4110Road Block5:4111Eastern Standard Time4:2612Confucius5:04Disc 21Lee Harvey Oswald4:042Black Sunday12:313Mood For Ska3:124Fidel Castro (#1)7:525El Pussy Cat5:406Four Corners3:137Exodus4:488Old Fowl5:039Fidel Castro (#2)8:3910Welcome Back Home5:25, although the band later claimed on their website that they received no payment for this recording and discouraged fans from buying it.
During their 1983 rehearsals for Sunsplash, the band recorded eleven tracks at the newly opened Music Mountain studio, led this time by Jackie Mittoo and under the guidance of producer/promoter Tony Owens. After five days of recording, the sessions were abandoned after the members apparently fell out with one another. Nine completed tracks were eventually released in 2007 on Motion Records as Rolling Steady: The 1983 Music Mountain Sessions. The album included their tribute to Don Drummond, "Big Trombone", with Lord Tanamo on vocals.
In April 1984, the same lineup, but without Mittoo, recorded The Return of The Big Guns, released on Mango Records in the UK, with several tracks based on charts written by Drummond and arranged by McCook. On 7 July 1984, The Skatalites played to thousands at Selhurst Park during the London Sunsplash. The Skatalites played seven tunes and also backed Prince Buster on three before closing with a reprise of their theme song, "Freedom Sounds". This performance was later released as a live album called Live at Sunsplash but is very rare.
Between 1985 and 1988, the core members of the Skatalites emigrated and united in the northeast of the United States. They played their first US concert at The Village Gate and began to play spotted dates in Northeast US.

1986–present

The Skatalites began emigrating to the US since the 1970s Eventually enough members had arrived that enabled them to book a few shows beginning with shows in 1986 in New York City. It took a few years before they actually started touring the US in 1989 as support act for their old friend Bunny Wailer's Liberation Tour from coast to coast including Radio City Music Hall, Irvine Meadows, The Music Hall in Boston and many other prestigious venues. In early 1990 the band emerged on the market officially on the first headline tour from NYC to California and back. They were always working on new music but the first official record deal in US was with Shanachie and they released Skavoovee, Grammy nominated Hi-Bop Ska, and Grammy nominated Greetings from Skamania. The next release was Ball of Fire in 1997 on Island Records. A "Best of The Skatalites×Best of the Skatalites1974 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Air Raid Shelter2Below Zero3Road Block4Black Sunday5Don't Slam The Door6Rascal Boy7Spread Satin8Fidel Castro9Jr. Jive10Always On Sunday11Phoenix City12Scrambalena13Beard Man Ska14Mill Man" type release was done by Heartbeat Records the same year, entitled Foundation Ska. In 2000 they recorded an album with all newly composed material by each member entitled Bashaka×Bashaka2000 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Ska Latte4:012Sky Rocket4:323Skaravan5:374Tanya5:185Roland Ride Along3:476Reach for the Sky2:427Mike Lane Shuffle4:268Wild Honey3:179A Song for Don D.5:4010What a Day3:4911I Never Knew3:3812Magic Muffin4:1913Hail Tommy McCook4:2014Oh Baby3:0215Rastamma4:32. In 2001 they recorded From Paris With Love. In 2004 The Skatalites were featured on the album True Love by Toots and the Maytals, which won the Grammy Award in 2004 for Best Reggae Album, and showcased many notable musicians including Willie Nelson, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Trey Anastasio, Gwen Stefani / No Doubt, Ben Harper, Bonnie Raitt, Manu Chao, The Roots, Ryan Adams, Keith Richards, Toots Hibbert, Paul Douglas, Jackie Jackson, and Ken Boothe. Later that year, original member Lloyd Brevett left the band. In April that year, the Skatalites started a new world tour with their new bass player Val Douglas, whose A-Team band was the primary backing band for Reggae Sunsplash Tours through the 1980s and 1990s. In October 2005, The Skatalites released The Skatalites in Orbit, Vol.1 recorded live in Buenos Aires, recorded during concerts on 23 and 24 September 2005. In March 2006, The Skatalites played at La Bal De La Rose for Caroline, Princess of Hanover, along with Jimmy Cliff, The Wailers and Alpha Blondy. This show started the 2006 Global Orbit Tour reaching Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina. In April 2006, Skatalites recorded 11 new tunes and one cover in Byron Bay, Australia, at the 301 Studios, released the following year as the album On The Right Track×On the Right Track7 May 2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1New York Minute3:262Outback Ska3:233Shock Trail3:184Right Track2:475Doreen Special3:276Divine Conception4:197Bye Bye3:248Little Irene3:339June Rose3:4110One Armed Bandit3:4411Marguerita's Lament4:1012Uluru Rock4:3613Outback Dub5:31 by AIM International, Australia. In September 2007, The Skatalites contributed the track "Be My Guest", with Ben Harper on vocals, to the Fats Domino tribute CD Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino featuring numerous artists. This CD raised funds for all the musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina.
On 12 May 2011, founding member and drummer Lloyd Knibb died at the age of 80. Bass player and fellow founding member Lloyd Brevett died after suffering a stroke on 3 May 2012, aged 80.
On 8 February 2012, the band announced a new single and album as well as a US tour starting in Texas and heading to New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Oregon, California, Washington, and then Canada. These dates follow four dates they announced in January for the North East. The album All Roads featured the last recordings of founding member Lloyd Knibb.
On 26 August 2016, the band released the album Platinum Ska, and toured through the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

Current members

Doreen Shaffer – vocals
Val Douglas – bass
Yanik Williams – drums
Ken Stewart – keyboards
Aurelien Metsch aka Natty Frenchy – guitar
Anant Pradhan – saxophone
Vin "Don Drummond Junior" Gordon – trombone
James Smith – trumpet
Larry McDonald – percussion and vocals

Former members

Lester Sterling – alto saxophone (founding member; 1964-2014; died 2023)
Tommy McCook – tenor saxophone, flute (founding member; died 1998)
Roland Alphonso – tenor saxophone (founding member; died 1998)
Don Drummond – trombone (founding member; died 1969)
Johnny "Dizzy" Moore – trumpet (founding member; died 2008)
Lloyd Brevett – upright bass (founding member; died 2012)
Lloyd Knibb – drums (founding member; died 2011)
Jerome "Jah Jerry" Haynes – guitar (founding member; died 2007)
Jackie Mittoo – piano (founding member; died 1990)
Greg Glassman – trumpet
Mark Berney – trumpet
Nathan Breedlove – trumpet (1990–98)
Cedric "Im" Brooks – tenor saxophone (2000–03, 2008–10; died 2013)
Karl "Cannonball" Bryan – saxophone (2003–08)
Calvin "Bubbles" Cameron – trombone (1983–84,89,04)
Welford "Will" Clark – trombone (1994–2003)
Buford O'Sullivan – trombone
Devon James – guitar (1987–2009)
Bill Smith – keyboards (1993–98)
Cary Brown – keyboards (1990–93)
Ken Stewart – keyboards (1988–90,1998-2009,2013-present; also serves as the band's manager)
Clark Gayton – trombone (1989–94)
Cary Brown – keyboards (1990–95)
Luis Bonilla – trombone
Arnold "Willie" Brackenridge – trumpet (1983–84)
Kevin Batchelor – trumpet (2002–2012)
Azemobo "Zem" Audu – tenor saxophone (2010-2020)
Andre Murchison – trombone (2006-2019)
Travis Antoine – trumpet (2012-2018)
James Smith – trumpet (2018–present)

Additional personnel

Although not official band members, these musicians worked with the Skatalites extensively during the 1964-65 period in the recording studio, or in the case of the vocalists, at live shows. Lord Tanamo, Doreen Shaffer, Baba Brooks, and Ernest Ranglin have all worked with the reunited Skatalites at different times, both live and in the studio.

Jackie Opel – vocals
Doreen Shaffer – vocals
Tony DaCosta – vocals
Tony Gregory – vocals
Lord Tanamo – vocals
Dennis "Ska" Campbell – tenor saxophone
Oswald "Baba" Brooks – trumpet
Frank Anderson – trumpet
Ernest Ranglin – lead guitar
Lyn Taitt – rhythm guitar
Winston Grennan – Drums

Studio albums

Ska Authentic (Studio One, 1964)
Ska Boo-Da-Ba (Top Deck/Doctor Bird, 1966)
Ska Authentic Vol. 2 (Studio One, 1967)
Celebration Time (Studio One, 1968)
The Skatalite! (Treasure Isle, 1969)
The Legendary Skatalites/African Roots also known as Rebirth, produced by Lloyd Brevett (Jam Sounds, 1975/United Artists, 1976)
Rolling Steady: The 1983 Music Mountain Sessions (Motion, recorded 1983, released 2007)
Return of the Big Guns (Island, 1984)
Ska Voovee (Shanachie, 1993)
Hi-Bop Ska (Shanachie, 1994)
Greetings from Skamania (Shanachie, 1996)
Ball of Fire (Island, 1998)
Bashaka with Ken Boothe (Marston Recording Corporation, 2000)
From Paris with Love (World Village, 2002/Wrasse, 2009)
On the Right Track (AIM, 2007)
Walk With Me (2012)
Platinum Ska (Island Empire, 2016)

Live albums

Live at Sunsplash (Synergy, 1984)
Stretching Out (ROIR, 1986) Recorded 1983
Ska Splash (Moon Ska Europe / Pressure Drop, 1999) Recorded on the "Ska Splash×Ska Splash1999 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 27 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Freedom Sounds8:052Man in the Street7:263Eastern Standard Time5:414Four Corners6:595Bridge View6:216Can't You See3:277Simmer Down5:168Sugar Sugar6:079Come Down3:5210In the Mood for Ska3:0111Freedom1:3712Guns of Navarone9:0813Phoenix City6:32Disc 21Al Capone4:432Mad About You4:513Jesse James4:014Caledonia3:285Sally Brown6:036Skinhead Train3:417Skinhead4:338Head Charge4:509Nothing in Life4:0110Rudi4:3011Sign of the Times5:3212HOR's Empire4:5813Rockford Rock5:0814Riddim8:27" European tour of 1996
Roots Party (FullFill, 2003)
Live at Lokerse Feesten 1997 & 2002 CD/DVD (Charly, 2006)
In Orbit Vol. 1 – Live from Argentina (Phantom Sound & Vision, 2006)
Skatalites in Orbit, Vol. 1 & 2 (Sony, 2010)
Ska-talites – History of Ska, Rocksteady & Reggae (United Sound Records, 2015)
Live at the Belly Up (Belly Up Live, 2020)

Collaboration albums

1963 – The Long Hot Summer with Laurel Aitken (1963)
In the Mood for Ska with Lord Tanamo (Trojan 1967)
With Sly & Robbie & Taxi Gang (Vista, 1984)
Ska Titans: Laurel Aitken & The Skatalites (1999)
Ska Splash with Laurel Aitken and House of Rhythm (Moonska, 2002)
Long Hot Summer 1963 Volume 2 with Laurel Aitken (Grover, 2006)

Anthologies and reissues

Scattered Lights (Alligator, 1984)
Hog in a Cocoa Skatalites & Friends (Culture Press/Orange Street, 1993)
Foundation Ska (Heartbeat/Pgd, 1997)
Skatalites and Friends at Randy's (VP Records, 1998)
Ska Boo-Da-Ba: Top Sounds from Top Deck, Volume 3 (Westside UK, 1998)
Ska-Ta-Shot: Top Sounds from Top Deck, Volume 4 (Westside UK, 1998)
Ska-Tola: Top Sounds from Top Deck, Volume 5 (Westside UK, 1998)
Heroes of Reggae in Dub: The Skatalites Meet King Tubby (Guava Jelly, 1999)
Nucleus of Ska (Music Club, 2001)
The Legendary Skatalites in Dub (Motion, 2001)
Herb Dub, Collie Dub (Motion, 2002)
Lucky Seven (Proper Pairs, 2002)
Musical Communion (Culture Press, 2003)
Guns of Navarone – Best of Skatalites (Sanctuary Records, 2003)
Phoenix City: A History of the World's Greatest Ska Band (Sanctuary Records, 2004)
In the Mood for Ska – The Moonska Years (Recall Records UK, 2004)
Independent Ska (Atom Music, 2006)
Anthology (Primo, 2007)
The Skatalites Play Ska (Kingston Sounds, 2007)
Kingston 11 (King Edwards, 2008)
Occupation Ska! Very Best of Skatalites (101 Distribution, 2009)
The Skatalites Box Set (Pinnacle/Attack Records, 2009)
Rollin' On (King Edwards, 2010)

Compilations

R.O.R.X. – The Tenth Annual Reggae On The Rocks – August 10, 1996 (1996), performing "Guns Of Navarone×Guns of Navarone1965 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAGuns of NavaroneBMarcus Garvey" (live).
The Rough Guide to Reggae (World Music Network, 1997); a vintage recording of "Chinatown" credited to Don Drummond & The Skatalites.
Ska Island (Island Records, 1997), performing their own "Magic Star", as well as "Can't You See" with Doreen Shaffer, and "King of Kings" with Prince Buster.
Give 'Em the Boot (Hellcat Records, 1997), performing "Latin Goes Ska×Latin Goes Ska1964 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracksA1Latin Goes SkaA2Open the DoorA3Jordan RiverA4Really NowA5Sun RisesA6Yard BroomB1Street CornerB2King SamuelB3You Are MineB4You Can Depend on MeB5Night FoodB6Foul Play"
True Love (V2 Records, 2004), performing "Never Grow Old" with Toots and the Maytals, Terry Hall and U-Roy
Another World Is Possible (Uncivilized World Records, 2005), performing "Freedom Sounds" (live)
Music From Glastonbury The Film (The Glastonbury Phonographic Society, 2006), performing "Phoenix City×Phoenix CityAlbum · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 54 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Let George Do It3:422Yard Broom3:123Back Beat2:304Strolling In2:225Sailing On3:116Apanga2:577One More Time2:508J.F.K.'s Memory3:019Musical Communion2:5810Spider2:2911(Straighten Up and) Fly Right2:5412Spitfire3:1413Dreadnaught3:2214Boat Ride3:0315Eastern Standard Time3:1116Feeling Fine2:5217Musical Storeroom2:1918Green Island3:5819Twelve Minutes to Go3:0420Garden on Love2:5921Sandy Gulley2:4522Corner Stone2:2723Cool Smoke3:0224Silver Dollar2:5225Good News2:5226Street Corner2:5827Melody Jamboree1:14Disc 21(Music Is My) Occupation3:022Cotton Tree3:123Doctor Decker2:494Around the World2:555Latin Goes Ska3:036Don de Lion2:087Alipang3:048Thoroughfare2:529Guns of Navarone2:2910Dragon Weapon2:3411Mesopotania2:5512Burning Torch3:0113Stampede2:5714Man in the Street3:1315Duck Soup2:3216Independence Ska2:3517Guns Fever2:5318Girl's Town Ska2:5119Nuclear Weapon2:5520University Goes Ska2:4521Vitamin A2:5322Teenage Ska2:4023Lucky Seven2:5124James Bond2:5925Special Event2:4526Alley Cat Ska2:4127Phoenix City3:02" (live at the 2003 Glastonbury Festival)
Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino (Vanguard Records, 2007), performing Domino's "Be My Guest", with Ben Harper