Ska

This page is about ska, the musical style. SKA is also a three letter acronym for square kilometer array.

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Ska is a form of Jamaican music which began in the late 1950s. Combining elements of traditional mento and calypso with an American rhythm and blues sound, it was a precursor in Jamaica to rocksteady, and later, reggae.

The sound of the ska was created at Studio One in Kingston, Jamaica.

The music of ska is known for the placement of the accented guitar and piano rhythms on the upbeats. The word "ska" may have onomatopoeic origins in a tradition of poetic or possibly even musical rhythms.

Guitarist Ernest Ranglin said that "the offbeat guitar scratching that he and other musicians played was referred to as 'skat! skat! skat!'"

Ska's popularity has waxed and waned since its original inception, and has had revivals of note in England in the 1980s (known as Two-Tone), and another wave of popularity in the 1990s (referred to as Third Wave Ska).

The Two-Tone era was named after the similarly titled record label, formed by Jerry Dammers, keyboardist of The Specials. Other artists on this label included The Selecter and the commercially successful Madness.

Some of the biggest selling American bands of Third Wave Ska were The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and No Doubt, both of whom fused ska with rock and punk. Some argue that the fusion of the two types of music caused it to lose almost all Jamaican elements.

Ska around the world is seemingly going back to it's roots. More and more bands are playing traditionally influenced or even full blown traditional ska. These bands include The Slackers, Pressure Cooker, The Debonaires, Westbound Train, and The Soul Captives.

Ska Musicians of Note

First Wave (original)

• Alton Ellis
• Desmond Dekker
• Laurel Aitken
• Melodians
• Millie Smalls
• Peter Tosh (later of Bob Marley & the Wailers fame)
• Prince Buster
• The Ethiopians
• The Skatalites
• The Wailers
• Toots & the Maytals

Second Wave (Two-Tone Era)

• Bad Manners
• Madness
• The Beat (aka The English Beat)
• The Selecter
• The Specials
• The Toasters

Third Wave

• Big D and the Kids Table
• Catch 22
• Deskadena
• Dr. Calypso
• Dr. Ring-Ding & the Senior All-Stars
• Fahrenheit 451
• Go Jimmy Go
• Hepcat
• Insidious
• Johnny Socko
• Five Iron Frenzy
• Le Braghe Corte
• Less Than Jake
• Mad Caddies
• Matrioska
• Mephiskaphales
• Mustard Plug
• Persiana Jones
• Reel Big Fish
• Rx Bandits
• Ska-P
• Skankin' Pickle
• Skinnerbox
• Sublime
• Skavoovie and the Epitones
• Statuto
• Stubborn All-Stars
• The Aquabats
• The Busters
• The Forces of Evil
• The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
• The Pietasters
• The Porkers
• The Scofflaws
• The Slackers
• The Suicide Machines
• The Toasters
• The Voodoo Glow Skulls
• Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra
• Vallanzaska
• Voice Of Opposition
• World/Inferno Friendship Society

Lyrics

The Ska Lyric Archive - The most complete reference for ska lyrics

Skaponk - A wide database of ska and punk lyrics

Jamaica Lyrics - Ska Lyrics

Further Reference

• Timothy White, Catch a Fire: The Life of Bob Marley, UK:Corgi Books, 1983

External Links

• "Upside-Down Rhythm: Offbeats, Upbeats, and Afterbeats in Jamaican Ska" by Matt Sakakeeny
• The Origins of Ska, Reggae, and Dub Music
• The Untold Story of Jamaican Popular Music by Lloyd Dewar
• The History of Ska Music by Ian Vanhoof
• Ska.About.Com Semi-Active Ska Community