Double bass player Cluett Johnson’s most lasting contribution to the history of music happened by accident. From 1959, Jamaican-born Johnson led the first band to make records in Jamaica; the Blues Blasters’ line-up included Ernest Ranglin, Rico Rodriguez, Roland Alphonso, Theophilus Beckford and drummer Arkland ‘Drumbago’ Parks.
Their early recordings, such as ‘Shuffling Jug’ (1959), were in a calypso or R&B vein and were promoted on producer Coxsone Dodd’s Downbeat sound system, which played in and around Kingston. Having thus created a demand, Dodd would release their records on his Worldisc label. Rehearsing in the studio, Johnson reportedly instructed Ranglin to ‘Play it like ska, ska’, thus unwittingly coining the name of his island’s predominant music of the 1962-66 period.
11 Comments (since 28 Feb 2014)
music_xplosion
Double bass player Cluett Johnson’s most lasting contribution to the history of music happened by accident. From 1959, Jamaican-born Johnson led the first band to make records in Jamaica; the Blues Blasters’ line-up included Ernest Ranglin, Rico Rodriguez, Roland Alphonso, Theophilus Beckford and drummer Arkland ‘Drumbago’ Parks.
music_xplosion
Their early recordings, such as ‘Shuffling Jug’ (1959), were in a calypso or R&B vein and were promoted on producer Coxsone Dodd’s Downbeat sound system, which played in and around Kingston. Having thus created a demand, Dodd would release their records on his Worldisc label. Rehearsing in the studio, Johnson reportedly instructed Ranglin to ‘Play it like ska, ska’, thus unwittingly coining the name of his island’s predominant music of the 1962-66 period.
music_xplosion
By that time, the Blues Blasters had evolved into the Skatalites and Johnson had slipped from view. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/clue-j-his-blues-blasters-mn0000128241/biography
simon80
Great jam and even better description, thx!!
gingercls
What great names these fellas had!.......... And they made great music
Matan
First time i've heard of the "ska, ska" explanation.
kdd
Really like the early Jamaican music you have been playing lately.
music_xplosion
My pleasure @simon80! I'm glad you enjoyed it :)
music_xplosion
Indeed : ) I'm glad you liked it @gingercls :)
music_xplosion
@Matan There are other stories about the origin of the term ska http://italmeds.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=139:simmer-down&catid=87&showall=&limitstart=
music_xplosion
Thanks for the feedback @kddaniel. I'm glad you enjoyed them. I have a few more coming up :)