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History of Reggae Music

By The Best of Reggae Editor 2 Comments

History of Reggae Music

History of Reggae

Whenever we hear the word “Reggae” we think of dreadlocks and non-violence. But this music genre, born in the 1960s, goes far beyond all clichés. The most popular Jamaican music continues to evolve and to expand its influence all around the world. The word “Reggae” was used for the first time in the songs “Do The Reggae” written by Toots in 1968, the band leader of The Maytals, and “Regay” by Tommy McCook. According to Toots, the word comes from the English terms “regular people” or “raggedy”.

Expression from the population of Jamaica, and in particularly from the ghettos, Reggae music is by its origin, holding a political and religious message called “Rastafarianism”. Founded by the Jamaican Marcus Garvey, this mystical current gets to its development in the United States by preaching the return of all descendants of slaves scattered throughout the American continent, and by situating the promised land of black Africans in Ethiopia. The movement combines biblical thought and pan-Africanism and proclaims as messiah the Emperor of Ethiopia, Hailé Sélassié I from 1930 to 1974, hence the term Rastafarianism – Ras tafari means “King of Kings” in Amharic (the official in Ethiopia).

Nicknamed Jah (for Jehovah), the sovereign is considered the direct descendant of the line of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, and represents the black branch of the tribes of Israel. He is considered as a sacred character not only for his origin, but also for the meaning of his birth name, like the one chosen by the priests of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, for his sacrament. The choice of the meaning of names is, in fact, very important and primordial in African culture.
The white oppression is embodied by Babylon the Evil, and gives Reggae a dimension of rebellion that resonates with the subversive aspects inherent to rock music.

At the beginning of the 1970s, Reggae music meets a huge wave of interpreters like Peter Tosh (ex-Wailers, Bob Marley’s band), Bunny Wailer,Douglas Mack, Burning Spear, Black Uhuru, Israel Vibrations, The Gladiators, Gregeory Isaacs and also Horace Andy.

However, Bob Marley, son of an English army officer in Jamaica and a gospel singer, stays the main artist and ambassador representing Reggae, and also a great popular symbol of political and cultural liberation all around the world. He made Reggae travel to reach the hearts of all people of the earth by extolling the Rasta philosophy and claiming that “Music is religion, and religion is music. Reggae is a communication, the sweetest communication”.

Today, there are numerous musical styles inspired by Reggae and the Rasta movement is seen as a local variant of the “hippie” trend, which had occurred in the occident during the 1970s. The Rasta message is therefore seen as a love and universal peace manifestation, preached by hippies.

Although it is basically a peace and love message, this one can not only be summarized to both those alone. In fact, the Rasta movement is over all a conscience emancipation movement, and especially for the denunciation of a system drifts. Moreover, Reggae is rebel music, as it is sung by Bob Marley; the Rasta message is over all a rupture and spiritual rebellion message. This spiritual rebellion is often equated to a form of pacific action in the image of movements of Gandhi or Martin Luther King, and it isn’t generally true.

Peter Tosh, often qualified as the Rasta Malcolm X, was always telling that the world wants peace while he wants justice; “Everyone is crying out for peace, I&I is crying out for justice.”

Reggae music and Rastafarianism are being welcomed in all countries of the world to send the Rasta message, and to open its culture to the rest of the world.


Filed Under: Reggae News Tagged With: Black Uhuru, Bunny Wailer, Burning Spear, Douglas Mack, Gregory Issacs, Horace Andy, Israel Vibration, Peter Tosh, The Gladiators, Tommy McCook, Toots & the Maytals, Toots Hibbert

What is Ska Music

By The Best of Reggae Editor Leave a Comment

what is ska musicThe original sound of reggae (pre-reggae), played in Jamaica in the early 1960’s, originated largely by the island’s resort and studio players who came together to form The Skatalites. The early hits from The Wailing Wailers, such as “One Cup Of Coffee,” “Simmer Down,” and the original “One Love” are all great examples of ska featuring vocals. (A large part of original Jamaican ska was instrumental—check anything from The Skatalites! The Skatalites were the instrumental backing band for some of the early Wailers’ tracks.) Ska relies heavily on the saxophone, trumpet, and trombone to carry the melodies, and has a prominent steady upbeat carrying the music forward.

List of notable bands and musicians who performed primarily Ska or Ska-influenced music for a significant portion of their careers.

The originators of Ska started performing in 1950s

  • Aubrey Adams
  • Laurel Aitken
  • Roland Alphonso
  • Theophilus Beckford
  • Val Bennett
  • Baba Brooks
  • The Blues Busters
  • Prince Buster
  • Clue J & His Blues Blasters
  • Stranger Cole
  • Desmond Dekker
  • Don Drummond
  • Jackie Edwards
  • Alton Ellis
  • The Ethiopians
  • Owen Gray
  • Derrick Harriott
  • Justin Hinds
  • Jah Jerry Haynes
  • Judge Dread
  • Lloyd Knibb
  • Byron Lee & the Dragonaires
  • Count Machuki
  • Carlos Malcolm
  • Tommy McCook
  • The Melodians
  • Johnny “Dizzy” Moore
  • Derrick Morgan
  • Eric “Monty” Morris
  • Jackie Opel
  • The Paragons
  • Lee “Scratch” Perry
  • The Pioneers
  • Ernest Ranglin
  • Rico Rodriguez
  • The Skatalites
  • Millie Small
  • Symarip
  • Lynn Taitt
  • Lord Tanamo
  • Toots & the Maytals
  • The Wailers
  • Delroy Wilson

Starting in late 1970s – 2 Tone Ska Revival

The 2 Tone sound was developed by young musicians in Coventry, West Midlands, England who grew up hearing 1960s Jamaican music.They combined influences from ska, reggae and rocksteady with elements of Punk Rock and New Wave music. Bands considered part of the genre include:

  • Andy Cox
  • Pauline Black
  • Rhoda Dakar
  • Bad Manners
  • Mike Barson
  • The Beat (known as The English Beat)
  • Mark Bedford
  • Buster Bloodvessel
  • The Bodysnatchers
  • John Bradbury
  • Jerry Dammers
  • Chris Foreman
  • Lynval Golding
  • Terry Hall
  • Madness
  • Everett Morton
  • Horace Panter
  • Roddy Radiation
  • Ranking Roger
  • The Selecter
  • Chas Smash
  • The Specials ( known as The Special AKA)
  • Neville Staple
  • Suggs
  • Lee Thompson
  • Dave Wakeling
  • Daniel Woodgate

1980s /1990s  Ska Punk / Ska-core (skacore)

Ska Punk is a fusion music genre that combines Ska and Punk Rock. It achieved its highest level of commercial success in the United States in the late 1990s.[Ska-core (sometimes spelled skacore) is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk.

The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the fusion of contrasting genres. The more punk-influenced style often features faster tempos, guitar distortion, onbeat punk rock-style interludes (usually the chorus), and punk-style vocals. The more ska-influenced style of ska punk features a more developed instrumentation and a cleaner vocal and musical sound. The common instrumentation includes electric guitar, bass guitar, drums, brass instruments (such as trombones or trumpets), saxophones, and sometimes an organ.
Below is a list of famous Ska Punk and Ska-core Bands and Musicians

  • 7 Seconds of Love
  • Against All Authority
  • Allniters
  • The Allstonians
  • Animal Chin
  • The Aquabats
  • Area-7
  • The Arrogant Sons of Bitches
  • Athena
  • B. Lee Band
  • BAMF!
  • Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution
  • Blag
  • Blue Meanies
  • Big D and the Kids Table
  • Bim Skala Bim
  • Bomb The Music Industry!
  • Buck-O-Nine
  • The Busters
  • Capdown
  • Catch 22
  • Chase Long Beach
  • The Chinkees
  • Choking Victim
  • Chris Murray
  • Citizen Fish
  • Common Rider
  • Dance Hall Crashers
  • Deal’s Gone Bad
  • Desorden Publico
  • Distemper
  • The Donkey Show
  • Edna’s Goldfish
  • The Expendables
  • Farse
  • Fishbone
  • Five Iron Frenzy
  • The Flatliners
  • The Forces Of Evil
  • The Gadjits
  • General Rudie
  • Go Jimmy Go
  • Goldfinger
  • Gollbetty
  • Hepcat
  • High School Football Heroes
  • The Hippos
  • Hub City Stompers
  • I Voted for Kodos
  • The Impossibles
  • The Insyderz
  • Jeffries Fan Club
  • The Johnstones
  • Johnny Socko
  • Kid British
  • King Apparatus
  • The King Blues
  • King Prawn
  • The Know How
  • Kemuri
  • Lightyear
  • Less Than Jake
  • Let’s Go Bowling
  • Link 80
  • Locomondo
  • Long Shot Party
  • Los Kung-Fu Monkeys
  • Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
  • Los Hooligans
  • Mad Caddies
  • Mark Foggo’s Skasters
  • Mealticket
  • Mephiskapheles
  • The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
  • Missing Andy
  • Monkey
  • Mouthwash
  • Mr. Review
  • Mu330
  • Mustard Plug
  • No-Cash
  • No Doubt
  • No Torso
  • Nuckle Brothers
  • The O.C. Supertones
  • Operation Ivy
  • OreSkaBand
  • Pannonia Allstars Ska Orchestra
  • Panteón Rococó
  • Pepper
  • The Pietasters
  • Pilfers
  • The Planet Smashers
  • The Porkers
  • Potshot
  • Rancid
  • Random Hand
  • RedSka
  • Reel Big Fish
  • The Rough Kutz
  • Ruder Than You
  • The Rudiments
  • The Rudimentals
  • Rx Bandits
  • Save Ferris
  • The Scholars
  • The Scofflaws
  • Ska-P
  • Skankin’ Pickle
  • Skavoovie and the Epitones
  • Skinnerbox
  • The Skunks
  • The Slackers
  • Slapstick
  • Slow Gherkin
  • Spunge
  • Sonic Boom Six
  • Sounds Like Chicken
  • Spring Heeled Jack
  • Starpool
  • Sto zví?at
  • Streetlight Manifesto
  • Stubborn All-Stars
  • Subb
  • Sublime
  • Sublime with Rome
  • Suburban Legends
  • Suburban Rhythm
  • The Suicide Machines
  • Superhiks
  • The Supervillains
  • The Taj Motel Trio
  • Tip The Van
  • The Toasters
  • Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra
  • The Unlimiters
  • The Upgrades
  • The Uptones
  • The Urge
  • Tijuana No!
  • Voodoo Glow Skulls
  • Westbound Train
  • Zdob Si Zdub

 


Filed Under: Reggae News Tagged With: 7 Seconds of Love, Against All Authority, Allniters, Alton Ellis, Andy Cox, Animal Chin, Area-7, Athena, Aubrey Adams, B. Lee Band, Baba Brooks, Bad Manners, BAMF!, Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution, Big D and the Kids Table, Bim Skala Bim, Blag, Blue Meanies, Bomb The Music Industry!, Buck-O-Nine, Buster Bloodvessel, Byron Lee & the Dragonaires, Capdown, Carlos Malcolm, Catch 22, Chas Smash, Chase Long Beach, Choking Victim, Chris Foreman, Chris Murray, Citizen Fish, Clue J & His Blues Blasters, Common Rider, Count Machuki, Dance Hall Crashers, Daniel Woodgate, Dave Wakeling, Deal's Gone Bad, Delroy Wilson, Derrick Harriott, Derrick Morgan, Desmond Dekker, Desorden Publico, Distemper, Don Drummond, Edna's Goldfish, Eric "Monty" Morris, Ernest Ranglin, Everett Morton, Farse Band - The Best of Reggae - Reggae Artist, Fishbone, Five Iron Frenzy, General Rudie, Go Jimmy Go, Goldfinger, Gollbetty, Hepcat, High School Football Heroes, Horace Panter, Hub City Stompers, I Voted for Kodos, Jackie Edwards, Jackie Opel, Jah Jerry Haynes, Jeffries Fan Club, Jerry Dammers, John Bradbury, Johnny "Dizzy" Moore, Johnny Socko - The Best of Reggae - Reggae Music Artisit, Judge Dread, Justin Hinds, Kemuri, Kid British, King Apparatus, King Prawn, Laurel Aitken, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Lee Thompson, Less Than Jake, Let's Go Bowling, Lightyear, Link 80, Lloyd Knibb, Locomondo, Long Shot Party, Lord Tanamo, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Los Hooligans, Los Kung-Fu Monkeys, Lynn Taitt, Lynval Golding, Mad Caddies, Madness, Mark Bedford, Mark Foggo's Skasters, Mealticket, Mephiskapheles, Mike Barson, Millie Small, Missing Andy, Monkey, Mouthwash, Mr. Review, Mu330, Mustard Plug, Neville Staple, No Doubt, No Torso, No-Cash, Nuckle Brothers, Operation Ivy, OreSkaBand, Owen Gray, Pannonia Allstars Ska Orchestra, Panteón Rococó, Pauline Black, Pepper, Pilfers, Potshot, Prince Buster, Rancid, Random Hand, Ranking Roger, RedSka, Reel Big Fish, Rhoda Dakar, Rico Rodriguez, Roddy Radiation, Roland Alphonso, Ruder Than You, Rx Bandits, Save Ferris, Ska-P, Skankin' Pickle, Skavoovie and the Epitones, Skinnerbox, Slapstick, Slow Gherkin, Sonic Boom Six, Sounds Like Chicken, Spring Heeled Jack, Spunge, Starpool, Sto zví?at, Stranger Cole, Streetlight Manifesto, Stubborn All-Stars, Subb, Sublime, Sublime with Rome, Suburban Legends, Suburban Rhythm, Suggs, Superhiks, Symarip, Terry Hall, The Allstonians, The Aquabats, The Arrogant Sons of Bitches, The Beat, The Blues Busters, The Bodysnatchers, The Busters, The Chinkees, The Donkey Show, The English Beat, The Ethiopians, The Expendables, The Flatliners, The Forces Of Evil, The Gadjits, The Hippos, The Impossibles, The Insyderz, The Johnstones, The King Blues, The Know How, The Melodians, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The O.C. Supertones, The Paragons, The Pietasters, The Pioneers, The Planet Smashers, The Porkers, The Rough Kutz, The Rudimentals, The Rudiments, The Scholars, The Scofflaws, The Selecter, The Skatalites, The Skunks, The Slackers, The Special AKA, The Specials, The Suicide Machines, The Supervillains, The Taj Motel Trio, The Toasters, The Unlimiters, The Upgrades, The Uptones, The Urge, The Wailers, Theophilus Beckford, Tijuana No!, Tip The Van, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, Tommy McCook, Toots & the Maytals, Val Bennett, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Westbound Train, Zdob Si Zdub

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