with special guest Lady Hatchet Quartet
2025 marks over 60 years of the original and unparalleled ska with The Skatalites! The original
members played on hundreds of recording sessions before forming the band in 1964. Backing
most of the vocalists in Jamaica at that time, including Bob Marley, Toots and The Maytals,
Jimmy Cliff, Alton Ellis, Ken Boothe and many more The Skatalites secured their place in history
early on. After disbanding in 1965 the individual members continued playing in various groups
as the music evolved from ska to rocksteady to reggae.
In the late 70’s a resurgence of interest in the music began in the U.K. which caused the
creation of many bands such as The Specials, The English Beat, Madness, The Selecter and Bad
Manners. This became known as the “Two-Tone era” and these British musicians fused rock
music with the ska and reggae. In The early 80’s the music started to spread to the U.S.A and
other parts of the world. Bands began to emerge all over the globe playing different flavors of
ska and reggae fused with whatever else they wanted to throw in, including hard core, jazz
and even punk.
In 1983 The Skatalites reunited to play Reggae Sunsplash in Montego Bay and subsequently in
London at The Crystal Palace for the U.K version of the Sunsplash event. A few years later they
began emigrating to the U.S.A and in 1986 the first US shows began at The Village Gate in NYC.
The band supported Bunny Wailer on The Liberation Tour in 1989 and followed it up in 1990
embarking on their first-ever headline tour of The U.S.A. The Skatalites have not stopped
touring the world ever since and continue to be available for festivals, casinos, and intimate
venue settings. Their uniquely infectious brand of real, authentic Jamaican ska excites
audiences of all ages across the globe year after year.
“We hope you will enjoy listening to our music as much as we enjoy performing it for you.”