Many Reggae fans might not have heard Val Douglas’ name before, but all of you have listened to him. His mighty bass can be heard on some of the biggest Reggae tunes ever. Val Douglas is quite far up on the long list of unsung heroes of Jamaican music. This needs to change, we think, so we met for an interview with the musical backbone of the current Skatalites-lineup.
When the Skatalites everlasting world tour stopped by in Cologne recently, we were invited backstage for an extensive interview with the longest serving members of the band, Doreen Shaffer, Val Douglas and Lester Sterling.
It might come as a surprise after all Ruts DC went through: But in 2013, they are still a touring band. Four dates in Germany are about to going down (see the list further down); for a list of all the current dates we recommend you go to theruts.co.uk/
When the Skatalites everlasting world tour stopped by in Cologne recently, we were invited backstage for an extensive interview with the longest serving members of the band, Doreen Shaffer, Val Douglas and Lester Sterling.
With Jazz Jamaica he preceded the current wave of Big band ska projects by some fifteen years. Now Gary Crosby has taken this a step further and created an even bigger version of the band to recreate Bob Marley’s Catch A Fire album as Jazz Jamaica Allstars, a 31-piece orchestra which is augmented by different choirs at their live concerts.
Their live performances on borrowed instruments during a UK tour in 1988 are still legendary. Now Bim Skala Bim from Boston in the USA come back in a big way. With two new albums during the summer of 2013. REGGAE STEADY SKA got the details in the interview with singer Dan Vitali.
The man is full of surprises. A hard-working musician since the early 1960s, Dennis Alcapone still dreams about going to far away places in the interview you are about to read. To all the promoters especially in Mexico, Canada and Africa: “Don’t miss out on the world’s first singjay.”
Part 3 of our interview series about the Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra is an interview with Darren Fordham.
In the wake of the Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra’s album release “The Benevolence Of Sister Mary Ignatius”, we were happy to catch Lee Thompson (of Madness) for an interview.
Together with other pioneers like Potato 5, the Trojans or the (original) Hotknives, Maroon Town were part of a wave of exciting new Ska bands who rejuvenated the global Ska scene as what became to be known as “Third Wave Ska”.
The Goldmaster Allstars from London have just received the prize for Best British Reggae band at the British Reggae Industry Awards, against strong competition by the likes of Steel Pulse and UB 40.
At Easter 2013, London will host the third London International Ska Festival since its reactivation in 2011. Before we give you the low-down …
If there is one post 2-Tone band every serious Ska fan truly adores it must surely be Hepcat.
Her father was the drummer of the Sex Pistols, her mother sang in Culture Club and Boy George is her godfather. Meet Hollie Cook…
The Lions from LA are a supergroup. You want proof? Their 12 (!) members…
Having played on top of Buckingham Palace and at the closing of the Olympics…
European Ska and Reggae fans are in for a real treat: THE SKATALITES have just announced a full tour of …
The celebrations of 50 years of Jamaican independence continue this October with a spectacular series of concerts by a heavily …
It has just been revealed that the title will be “Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da”. Try and …