Ska History
SKA (skä) n. a form of dance music, popular in Jamaica in the 1960s, characterized by the use of saxophones and brass, a heavily accented offbeat, and the influence of New Orleans rhythm and blues, jazz, and calypso.
The term "ska" has two possible origins. In Jamiaca, the term "Skavoovie, Man" was a common greeting, and thus, "ska" came about as a derivation of the popular saying. The other possible origin, is perhaps as a characterization of the standard ska guitar lick, played on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th upbeats.
In 1979, ska music experienced a revival in Britain. With bands such as The Specials and The Selecter released on the ska exclusive 2 Tone label, the themes of racial harmony and good, danceable music spread rapidly around the world.
2 Tone receded, and ska was quiet for a few years, until its third and current incarnation, the third wave. However, the current trend of ska today is multifaceted in its own rite. We have an entire spectrum of ska, ranging from Hepcat, whose musical style mimics the "old school" style of the first wave, to Operation Ivy, who blended hard core and ska to form the skacore genre, to the Cherry Poppin' Daddies, who capitalize on the growing swing and ska scenes by blending them both together.
Ska has been creeping into mainstream culture bit by bit throughout its whole life. Everyone knows who Bob Marley is, most people remember Madness' song "Our House", and even Annette Funicello (egads!) did a cover of the Prince Buster tune, "Ska, Ska, Ska". Today, bands such as the Mighty, Mighty Bosstones, No Doubt, and Dancehall Crashers all are knee deep in pop culture, but I highly recommend checking out the smaller, purer, and (in my humble opinion) better, ska bands...