The Skatalites were the traditional ska band that started it ALL. They still exist today, and are very popular, but here is some history of their LEGENDARY group:

The line up of the original members were :

Roland Alphonso tenor sax, Lester Stirling alto sax, Tommy McCook tenor sax and flute, Don Drummond on trombone, Johnny "Dizzy" Moore on trumpet, Lloyd Knibs on drums, Lloyd Brevett on bass and on piano and organ Jackie Mittoo with Jah Jerry Haynes on guitar.

At times, other musicians played on the studio sessions, Ernest Ranglin on guitar, keyboards Lloyd Richards, Audey Adams. Trumpet Baba Brooks and Raymond Harper. Dennis "ska" Cambell played tenor sax on many sessions and set the pace and flavour on many tracks.

The Skatalites featured vocalists on some recordings and when they played live. This included Tony Gregory, Doreen Shaeffer and Lord Tanamo. Jackie Opel performed very well on stage and made some fine recordings with them.

They started recording in June 1964 and only recorded for about fourteen months until the late summer of 1965. They were primarily a session band working in the studio during the day. They recorded for both Clement Dodd and Duke Reid, who both had sound systems; Sir Coxsone's Downbeat and Duke Reid the Trojan. Ska was played at all the dancehalls and house parties. The Skatalites played at clubs such as the Hi-Hat and the Bournemouth Club in Kingston, Jamaica.

At the same time the West Indian community in England were playing Ska records which were either imported from Jamaica or purchased from local record shops, on U.K. labels, such as ISLAND Melodisc, Black Swan, Ska Beat and Blue Beat records. Sound Systems were playing the new Ska music at some of the London clubs. In particular, the Flamingo Club, Whiskey -A-Go-Go in Wardour Street and the Scene Club. Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames was one of the first bands to play Blue Beat and Ska live at the Flamingo Club. Out in the suburbs the Bromley Court Hotel was one of many to play this music on mid week sessions as were the all night clubs, the Penthouse club in Bromley and the El Partido club in Lewisham, which had a very strong following from the local West Indian community, and attracted interest from the white youngsters hearing the beat music, blast from large speakers attached to powerful sound systems, usually home made. Ska was mixed with Blue Beat and Tamla Motown dance music, also Rhythm and Blues had turned into Soul, in the midnight hour, the young teenagers danced the night away...............

It is remarkable that during such a short period the Skatalites recorded so many tunes, when you consider that during the evenings most of the musicians played with other bands. When the band split in 1965 they became the Soul Vendors, which also included Jackie Mittoo on organ.Tommy McCook formed the Supersonics. Don Drummond made some very fine recordings including Man in the Street, Don Cosmic, Coolie Boy, Dragon Weapon and University Goes Ska. Roland Alphonso made many records under his own name such as Pheonix City, El Pussy Cat and James Bond. The sax player Tommy McCook also made many records under his own name including Yard Broom, Out of Space and Thunderball.

Rico Rodriquez played trombone on many sessions with the Skatalites, he went on to play for other record producers including Duke Reid, Vincent Chin and Prince Buster. He came to London in the late sixties and recorded for local producers in Brixton, issued on the Blue Cat label. At the start of the Reggae explosion he released several albums. He can be found on the CD Rico and the Rudies Blow your Horn & Brixton Cat Trojan 361. He still playes fine trombone and is currently playing with the Jools Holland Rhythm and Blues Orchestra. The orchestra can be seen at times on the Jools Holland television music show on BBC 2 or see them on tour, they are a brilliant live act and perform some great Ska tunes "I'm in a dancing mood..."

Here is some recent stuff that's been going on with The Skatalites:

In January 1996 the Skatalites are nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Reggae Album for their 1995 release, Hi Bop Ska. In January 1997 the Skatalites are nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Reggae Album for their 1996 release, Greetings From Skamania.

In late 97, The Skatalites sign a record deal with a very popular Jazz/Reggae record label known as Island Records. And in early 1998, Ball of Fire is released. It contains remakes of some of their older songs, with some new material too. It continues to get rave reviews and is popular among true ska fans everywhere.