The Skatalites

Bio

The Skatalites are a Jamaican ska band formed in May 1964 in Kingston. They are widely credited with shaping the ska sound that became the foundation for reggae and rocksteady, and their instrumental recordings from the mid-1960s remain cornerstones of Jamaican popular music. The group’s original lineup included many of the island’s leading session musicians, such as trombonist Don Drummond, saxophonists Tommy McCook and Roland Alphonso, trumpeter Johnny “Dizzy” Moore, and guitarist Ernest Ranglin. Their work at Studio One and Treasure Isle helped define the early ska era before the band disbanded in 1965. Reunited in the late 1970s and again in the 1980s, The Skatalites have continued to tour and record, influencing successive generations of ska and reggae artists worldwide.