WHY IS THE SKA & ROCKSTEADY ERA SO EASYLY OVERLOOKED?

[Jaydubbinn]

How come a lot people seem to overlook the ska days?let alone the Skatalites, these were the foundation days of reggae music, and this band started it all. There is a thread of Bob Marley records, but no one mentions the early days of Bobs carreer.If you didnt know he started recording in 1961. If someone wants to start to listen to Bob school them from the start.A lot of the ska and rocksteady was and still being re recorder, mixed, and a lot of the riddims come from that era. The Skataltes need to recieve way more recognition than they recieve.They backed almost every artist in jamaica in the early 60s including Bob. Even though now theres only a few members left, to see them is an experience. If it wasnt for them you wouldnt be reading this right now! Does anyone agree?

[Knotty Dread]

http://www.roots-archives.com/forum/rea ... 3#msg-2823

[Snow Leopard]

Rocksteady rhythms are indeed arguably the source of everything that followed. Great creativity packed into a few years, & those guys could really play. And when you consider the recording conditions back then ... respect!

[Roots_Komega]

I had the chance to see The Skatalites perform last year and I made myself the same question. Why they seems so postergate by reggae fans?Those Ska days were really hot and LLoyd Knibbs must be the gratest drummer ever.Maybe its the poor sound quality of most of the tunes(sixties recording techniques were very bad in Jmaica),some people finds ska beat a little fast for they roots ears, the few years of creativity of the genre, the spreading of Reggae worldwide through the seventies kept it on the shadow of mass phenomena or we can atribbute it just to bad memory.
Whatever the reason may be, both musical styles are crucial not only for Reggae lovers, but Rythm & Blues and Jazz fans too.Personally I like Rocksteady more than Ska and there are some really good stuff being reissued(my last Rocsteady purchase was "Safe Travel" with Phil Pratt & friends by Pressure Sounds label,great cd!!)
Keep on Moving

[Jaydubbinn]

I saw them nearly five years ago, and I spoke with Johnny Moore about how they dont get the credit they deserve, he told me that after i asked him why they dont headline any reggae festivals. Personaly I think they open for some sorry artis, that should be opening for them, the godfathers of jamaican music. there is still alot of modern bands that still play traditional ska that sound amazing just like the sixties. Even at oldschool reggae fest's. Ken boothe or Alton Ellis will open for Luciano. Whos more oldschool? its not about what genre is better is about knowing your roots, there is a lot of really good ska & rocksteady music out there!

[cazevedo]

My earliest exposure to ska was in the late 1970s with British ska bands (2-Tone) with the likes of The Specials, Madness, The Selector, The Beat, Bad Manners, etc. I wasn't yet turned on to early 1960s Jamaican ska and didn't realize that much of these songs were covers of old Jamaican ska classics (Prince Buster, for instance). I don't listen to British ska anymore because, to me, nothing compares to the Jamaican sound.

I've run an internet radio station for the last 6-years playing early from 60s ska to rocksteady, reggae and dub. I recieve a lot of CDs from artists requesting "airplay". The one Ska band that has really stood out in my mind and whose songs I've included in my playlist because they really possessed a true feel for that early Jamaican ska/jazz sound is and band called Jazzbo:

http://www.jazzbo.de
http://www.liquidatormusic.com

Please give them a listen - I was very impressed.

[Jaydubbinn]

They sound relly good, their sound is identical to 60s ska. Do they only tour in europe? Ill be listening. peace

[cazevedo]

It looks like they only tour Europe. Where are you living? I'm in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. I doubt I'll see Jazzbo here.