From TheBestLinks.com
This page is about ska, the musical style. SKA is also a three letter acronym for square kilometer array.
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 its 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)
Second Wave (Two-Tone Era)
Other Forms
Lyrics
The Ska Lyric Archive - The most complete reference for ska lyrics (http://lyric.uuxfer.net)
Skaponk - A wide database of ska and punk lyrics (http://www.skaponk.com)
Jamaica Lyrics - Ska Lyrics (http://www.jamaicalyrics.com.ar/index.php?mod=search)
Further Reference
- Timothy White, Catch a Fire: The Life of Bob Marley, UK:Corgi Books, 1983
External Links
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