From Ska To Rocksteady

In the years following the World War II anyone in Jamaica wishing to hear the hippest sounds of the day simply had to attend one of the island’s Sound System dances, held at any venue large enough to contain a fee-paying audience. Largely run by Kingston-based entrepreneurs, the Systems soon became as important as the music they played, building up huge loyal followings that ensured operators such as Arthur ‘Duke’ Reid and Clement 'Coxson' Dodd became revered figures throughout the island. Up until the late fifties, the style that dominated dances was Rhythm & Blues and with the rivalry between the Systems reaching fever pitch by the close of the decade, the onus was on playing ‘exclusives’ – records so obscure operators could almost lay claim on them as their own. Unfortunately, the task of finding such discs became increasingly difficult, with the raw New Orleans style favoured by Jamaican audiences rapidly being superseded by more sophisticated sounds back in their country of origin. Meanwhile, small time entrepreneurs began importing records direct from the USA, so allowing anyone to purchase records previously only available to the likes of Dodd and Reid. So it was that to maintain an edge of their rivals, Sound System operators began producing their own exclusives, recording such local talent as Wilfred Jackie Edwards, Owen Gray and the Cuban-born Laurel Aitken, with musicianship provided by the likes of Don Drummond & Ron Wilson (trombone), Tommy McCook & Roland Alphonso (tenor sax), Lester Sterling (baritone sax), Baba Brooks & Johnny Moore (trumpet), Ernest Ranglin & Jah Jerry (guitar) and Lloyd Knibbs (drums). Initially there was little to distinguish the Jamaican brand of old-style R&B from its American counterpart, but over the months that followed, local recordings began to take on a sound of their own, with the off-beat, supplied by the piano or guitar, more precise and prominent in the arrangements. This developed to such a degree that by the early sixties, the music had become something completely new. The origin of the name eventually chosen to describe this exciting new sound is open to dispute, although one man frequently accredited with its invention is the aforementioned Ernest Ranglin, who while attempting to describe the necessary rhythm to other band members, used the word 'Ska'. The name stuck and the band in question became the Skatalites. While the authenticity of this account is open to debate, it sounds as good a reason as any. Throughout the early sixties, Ska continued to develop, with the rhythm section growing tighter and the offbeat more accentuated, but around the middle of 1966 the music took an entirely new turn. Whether it was due to a hot summer or simply boredom with the rhythm is unclear, but whatever the reason, the tempo of the music decreased, almost halving by the end of the year. It was soon after that that this slower style was given a name, following the release of Alton Ellis & the Flames' 'Rock Steady'. The new style allowed a freedom of expression previously denied Jamaican artists, with vocal groups particularly benefiting from its introduction. Consequently, harmony trios such as the Melodians and the Uniques emerged to challenge the likes of the Maytals and the Wailers that had managed to survive during the Ska years. Rock Steady remained in favour over the next year or so, although minor developments, such as the introduction of more complex bass patterns, an increased use of organ and the diminishing reliance on a brass section, ensured the music was never in danger of stagnating. By mid-1968, the tempo of the music picked up once more, with the percussion and rhythm sections also becoming more prominent in the mix. It was around this time the Maytals released 'Do The Reggay', the song widely accredited as giving a name to the new, jumpier form of music that would dominate Jamaican music for the next decade and beyond. Laurence Cane-Honeysett