The Skatalites were formed in late 1963 and they broke up in 1965. Yet during that short time together they were incredibly prolific and managed to literally change the face of Jamaican music.
They recorded many albums under the Skatalites name, as well as backing every active Jamaican vocalist during this early period. They taught the young fledgling, Bob Marley, some of the tricks of the trade and played as the house band for producer Coxsone Dodd’s famed Studio One, where virtually all the reggae founding fathers cut their chops.
A distinct tempo change was integral to the evolution form ska to reggae. It began with the “rock steady sound,” basically a slower rendition of ska that appeared on the Jamaican music scene in the summer of 1964. The following summer another slowdown in the beat by the Skatalites ultimately led to what we today call roots reggae.
After the Skatalites officially broke up in 1965, for more than 20 years everyone went their own way, pursuing solo projects until the official Skatalites reunion at the Sunsplash 83 reggae festival in Jamaica.
The Skatalites celebrated their 30th anniversary with the release of Hi-Bob Ska and a 75- date tour that took them across North America, Europe and then into Japan.
The band has now influenced three major ska movements: the Jamaican sound in the sixties; the British Two-Tone movement of the early-eighties (which produced such bands as The Specials, The Beat, and Madness); and now they are Godfathers to the American Ska movement called the Third Wave.
In 1995, the Skatalites was Grammy nominated in the best reggae album category. Hi-Bob Ska was voted the best reggae album for 95 by the National American Independent Record Distributors.
The band also made their historic visit to Africa, to headline the Kabareunion Festival, and gained their new title, The Dream Team of Ska.
In 1996 the Skatalites released Skamania, which was also nominated for a Grammy, and were also inducted into the Reggae Hall of Fame.
In late 1997, the band released Ball of Fire for Island Jamaica Jazz, followed by a year of extensive touring throughout the world.
The year 2000 has seen the band returning to the studio to record a brand new collection of authentic ska-pulsating tracks on their new album "BASHAKA" produced by Ralston Stamma Haughton, and, of course, bringing it live to their fans all over the world.
And so, through the 60s, via the 70s, into the 80s, past the 90s, and spearheading into the new millennium......THE BEAT JUST GOES ON AND ON....
The SKATALITES ARE:
LLOYD KNIBB ON DRUMS
LLOYD BREVETT ON BASS
LESTER STERLING ON ALTO SAX
CEDRIC BROOKS ON TENOR SAX
MARK BERNEY ON TRUMPET
WILL “SKABONE” CLARK ON TROMBONE
DEVON “RIDDIM” JAMES ON GUITAR
KEN STEWART ON KEYBOARDS
DOREEN SCHAFER ON VOCALS CONTINUE