On Stage: Skatalites still have the beat

Ska legends hit Philly with new album, show this weekend

By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times

In the 1970s, ska music became very popular in the United Kingdom with the emergence of the 2 Tone scene — a movement that included popular bands such as the Specials, the Beat and The Selecter. That was the second wave of ska.

Ska is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rock steady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American R&B and jazz. It is characterized by a walking bass line accented with rhythms on the off-beat.

In the 1980s, the ska movement in America featured bands such as the Mighty Mighty Bosstones in Boston and ska/punk bands such as No Doubt and Reel Big Fish in Orange County, California. That was the third wave of ska.

It is safe to say that none of these bands could have existed without the Skatalites.

The Skatalites began performing in Jamaica in May 1964. The group was so hot that their first rehearsal became a show. So many people had lined up outside the venue, they decided to just charge admission and let everybody in.

They were the top musicians on the island at the time, having come together after playing in different bands and on various recording sessions. They were the forefathers of ska. That was the first wave of ska.

The Skatalites are still going — even though none of the original members are still alive. They are similar to the big bands of the 1940s — such as the Glenn Miller Band and the Jimmy Dorsey Band — musical acts that have changed members over the years but have continued to perform the music in the original style.

Fortunately, the Skatalites have retained their sound and have continued to perform and record. The band is releasing its 25^th album “Platinum Ska” on September 9. The band’s new album is the first recording to follow The Skatalites’ 50th anniversary celebrations in 2014.

The Skatalites are also touring in support of their new album — a tour that will bring them to the area for a show on September 11 at Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill Street, Philadelphia, http://undergroundarts.org).

The current line-up of the Skatalites includes Doreen Shaffer – vocals, Lester Sterling – alto saxophone, Azemobo “Zem” Audu – tenor saxophone, Andrae Murchison – trombone, Travis Antoine – trumpet, Val Douglas – bass guitar, Natty Frenchy – guitar, Ken Stewart – keyboards and Trevor “Sparrow” Thompson – drums.

“We just got off a five-week tour of Europe,” said Stewart, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from his home in Somerset, Massachusetts. “We’re touring for about a month in the states.”

After that, the band has a tour of the Orient in October followed by a few shows in Mexico. Then, the Skatalites head off on an extensive tour of Europe in November.

The original 1960’s line-up featured Tommy McCook – tenor saxophone, flute; Roland Alphonso – tenor saxophone; Lester Sterling – alto saxophone ;Don Drummond – trombone; Johnny “Dizzy” Moore – trumpet; Lloyd Brevett – upright bass;  Lloyd Knibbs – drums; Jerome “Jah Jerry” Haynes – guitar; and Jackie Mittoo – piano.

“I’ve been with the Skatalites since 1988,” said Stewart. “In 1986, I was asked to audition for a reggae band in New England and I said — why not? A little while later, I was in a roots reggae band in Rhode Island — Wilson Blue and Blue Roots. Lloyd (Knibbs) joined as our drummer in September 1987.

“The Skatalites had come to the states in 1986 and Tommy McCook was trying to get a record deal. Lloyd came to Rhode Island to make money to send to his family back home on Jamaica. Six months later, I became the keyboard player in the Skatalites.”

The Skatalites’ career got underway in Jamaica in the summer of June 1964. The group had its live debut on June 27 at the Hi-Hat club in Rae Town. It didn’t take long for the Skatalites to grab a residency at the Bournemouth Beach Club in Eastern Kingston, where they performed three nights a week, as well as a Sunday residency at the Orange Bowl on Orange Street.

Instrumentals were the group’s main attraction. Songs like “Guns of Navarone,” “Phoenix City,” “Addis Ababa,” “Silver Dollar,” “Corner Stone,” and “Blackberry Brandy” cemented the group’s popularity — and marked the introduction of the new musical style known as ska.

In August 1965, The Skatalites played their last show. They broke up into two supergroups — Rolando Alphonso and the Soul Vendors and Tommy McCook and the Supersonics.

In June 1983, The Skatalites reformed and played the Reggae Sunsplash festival in Montego Bay in July. Between 1985 and 1988, the core members of the Skatalites emigrated and united in the northeast of the United States. They played their first US concert at The Village Gate and began to play one-off shows around the Northeast.

“In 1989, we got invited to be the opening band for Bunny Wailer’s ‘Liberation Tour,’” said Stewart. “We played a lot of big venues — including Radio City Music Hall in New York. We used the publicity from that to do a Skatalites headline tour in 1990 — a cross-country tour with 25 shows.”

Since reforming after an almost 20-year hiatus in 1983, and beginning regular touring as a unit in 1989, they have not stopped thrilling audiences in every corner of the globe. Even after more than 50 years, and various lineup changes as members leave one stage for another, the band continues to perform and record new music in the inimitable Jamaican style.

“The new album was recorded over a year’s time because of our heavy touring schedule,” said Stewart. “We made the album in New York City at a couple different studios. Then, ‘Platinum Ska’ was mixed in Bamako, Mali and includes guest appearances by legendary Malian musicians Assaba Dramé and Madou Sidiki Diabaté.

“Our live show has music from all of the band’s stages — ska, reggae and rock steady. It shows how the music has evolved.”

Video link for the Skatalites — https://youtu.be/wtESlTKBa4s.

The show at Underground Arts, which also features RK$TDY and The Pandemics, will start at 9 p.m. Tickets are $18 in advance and $20 day of show.

Other upcoming shows at the venue are Throwing Shade on September 8, The Anniversary on September 9, Violent Soho on September 10 and Julien Baker on September 13.

Another band with a history that dates back more than a half-century will be performing in the area this weekend. On September 10, Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown will have a concert at the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808, www.st94.com).

Savoy Brown is an English blues rock band formed in Battersea in the southwest part of London in 1965. The band was formed by guitarist Kim Simmonds and harmonica player John O’Leary.

Since then, the band’s line-up has featured more than 60 talented musicians with Simmonds as the only constant. The current line-up, which features Pat DeSalvo on bass, Garnet Grimm on drums and Simmonds on guitars, keyboards, harmonica and vocals, has been together since 2009.

Originally called the Savoy Brown Blues Band, this group can rightly take credit for cutting the farewell anthem of the 1960s British blues boom, in the form of a modern blues aptly titled “Train to Nowhere.”

 Historically as well as musically, this song remains a sad reminder that by the time of its 1969 release as a single, most original blues were no longer commercially viable in Britain, as more and more blues clubs closed their doors for good.

Within four years of the band’s formation, however, it had become a top tier live act in America. At home in Britain, it was a different story. The band never really broke out of the club scene until much later in its career.

Savoy Brown has released more than 40 albums — the most recent of which is “The Devil to Pay,” reached number four on the US Billboard Top Blues Albums chart.

“Our latest album was released last year,” said Simmonds, during a phone interview Wednesday morning from his home in upstate New York. “We’ve been working that album for awhile. It’s behind us now. We’re actually playing new material.

“Albums capture a moment in time — where you’re at during that time. We’re at the stage where I demo the albums at home and then send the demos to the other two guys. Taking it from a demo to a band project is a different process. At sound checks is where we really rehearse as a band. Sometimes, it only takes five minutes to figure out a song.

“It’s pretty good that way because you’re already in an environment for a show. You’re in a real head space. When a song is ready, we play it for audiences and see their reactions. It’s the way I’ve done it many times in the past. It’s very important that the vibe you play is fresh and interesting. Previewing it live is a great way to judge the vibe.”

Simmonds, who has released 14 Savoy Brown albums in the last 18 years, has never been content to rest on his laurels.

“With the new material, I’m going in a slightly different direction,” said Simmonds. “It’s a more rock direction. With this one, I’ve been trying to get really interesting songs. But, it takes awhile to do it.

“Our last few albums have been primarily traditional blues albums. The market is demanding a bit more of a rock approach. That’s why there is no annual record this year. The next album will be a mix of blues and rock.

“I love playing blues rock and doing it right — melding the two styles and getting the right mix. It’s a primitive feeling with a more melodic pop sense. When you get it right, it’s a beautiful feeling.”

Video link for Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown — https://youtu.be/DdhH-SQgcfU.

The show at Sellersville, which has Mojo Stu as the opening act, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $29.50 and $45.

On September 9 at the Sellersville Theater, The Alarm’s front man Mike Peters will present “The Alarm – Spirit Of ’86.”

Formed in Wales in 1981 by lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Mike Peters, The Alarm came to be known for uplifting songs, idealistic values and a powerhouse live show.  With major hits such as “The Stand,” Sixty-Eight Guns,” “Strength” and more, The Alarm were staples on the radio worldwide in the 1980s.

Video link for Mike Peters — https://youtu.be/N79YuvbHzIU.

The concert in Sellersville will start at 8 p.m. with tickets priced at $21.50 and $29.50.

Other upcoming shows at the venue are Cody Canada & The Departed and Mike McClure on September 13 and Marcia Ball on September 14.

This weekend’s music schedule kicks off on September 8 with a pair of top-flight female acts — Haley Bonar and Nalani & Sarina.

Nalani & Sarina, twin sisters from New Jersey who rock out with heavy funk influence, will be performing tonight in Wilmington with a special free show at 5 p.m. at the

Cool Springs Farmers Market (West 10th and North Van Buren streets, Wilmington, Delaware, http://www.nccde.org/1213/Cool-Spring-Park, 302-395-5624).

The talented twosome will also be performing on September 10 at 4:30 p.m. at Harley’s Haven Benefit Concert (2400 Sumneytown Road, Harleysville). The event is a benefit to support this charity to fund a team of veterinarians to help animals on the coast of Nicaragua without care.

Video link for Nalani & Sarina — https://youtu.be/brxtDnPxes4.

Haley Bonar is a singer, a songwriter, a guitarist, a keyboard player and — most importantly — a storyteller. The talented Canadian-born musician tells her stories through poems and short stories but mainly through her songs.

On August 5, Bonar released her latest album “Impossible Dream.” She is now on tour supporting the new disc and will visit the area on September 8 for a show at the World Café Live (3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1400, www.worldcafelive.com).

 “Impossible Dream” is out now via GNDwire (US) / Spit Comet (Canada / Memphis Industries (UK and EU). The album has received rave reviews from influential publications such as Pitchfork, NPR, MOJO, Q, and Uncut. In addition to CD and digital release, the album is also available as a limited-edition teal vinyl release.

“I started writing the songs for ‘Impossible Dream’ right after my previous album ‘Last War’ came out in 2014,” said Bonar, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from a tour stop in Columbus, Ohio.

“My songwriting depends on the songs. Some are written quickly — as quick as 20 minutes. Others are a work-in-progress for years. I have ideas for melodies or lyrics that I get and then keep in my pocket.

“The melody usually comes first. I usually have some idea of what I want to write about. From there, I get the melody and ten I write the lyrics.”

On her website, Bonar offered the following description of “Impossible Dream” — “Everybody wants a story — something to sell. I’m here to tell you that there isn’t one with this album, at least in the traditional sense, but 10. Perhaps each of them contains more stories, sitting inside each other like nesting dolls.

“I could sit here and tell you that some of the songs are about growing up in the Black Hills. Some of the songs are about my parents. Some of the songs are about sexuality. Some of the songs are about loss of youth, teenage parenthood, the lines of social disorder for women, or the terror of jealousy and suspicion.

“But what I write is borne of my own set of memories and ideas, and once they are released into the world, they do not belong to me anymore. The interpretation is all yours, therefore these stories are yours.

“What I can tell you is this — My name is Haley Bonar (rhymes with “honor”). I’m 33 years old, a Taurus, and I live in Saint Paul, Minnesota with my daughter Clementine. ‘Impossible Dream’ is my seventh full length studio album. I also sing in a band called Gramma’s Boyfriend.”

In Wednesday’s interview, Bonar said, “I’m a storyteller. I’m a writer before anything else. I’ve written short stories and poems. Songwriting is more similar to poetry than it is to short stories.

“I definitely have to be in the mood to write. Luckily, I pretty much want to write every day. But, if I’m not feeling it, I don’t push it. With the new album, some of the songs have multiple stories. When I’m writing a song, I see the visuals. More than that, I feel them. I have a movie in my brain.’

“Impossible Dream” was recorded on analog tape in at Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, Minnesota and mixed by Chris Coady (Beach House, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TVOTR) and Robbie Lackritz (Feist) at Haut Bruun.

“It was all recorded on two-inch tape,” said Bonar. “I had to pay extra to do it but it was what I wanted. I love recording things live as a band. And, I like the challenge of doing it in one or two takes.”

Video link for Haley Bonar — https://youtu.be/VS2VcTFqckM.

The show at the World Café Live on September 8, which has Shawn Fogel as the opening act, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12.

Other shows over the next week at the World Café Live are Atlas Gray and Alfred James Band on September 9, Eric Lindell on September 9, Antigone Rising on September 10, C.W. Stoneking and Todd Fausnacht & The Nephews on September 11, Lucky Chops and Dirk Quinn Band on September 13, Tim Easton and Porter Block on September 13, Thirdstory on September 14 and The Saint Johns and Birdtalker on September 14.

Not all the bands playing the area this weekend have been touring for years — or decades. Ruin, a thrash/groove band from Maine, is currently on its first tour outside the New England area.

On September 11, the hard-rocking quartet — Richard Carey (guitar/vocals), Kevin Whitman (guitar), Todd Bidwell (bass), Craig Carey (drums) — will bring its “Rite of Passage 2016 Tour” to Kung Fu Necktie (1248 North Front Street, Philadelphia, 215-291-4919, kungfunecktie.com).

“Rite of Passage,” which is the band’s third album, was released last October.

“We’re getting out of the local scene and getting into the big cities,” said Rich Carey, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from his home in Portland, Maine. “We’ve done one-off shows around New England but this is the first real tour for us. We’ve been stuck up here for awhile. With our third album, we got management and a publicist. We came to a point where we had to decide whether this was for real or just a hobby.

“We’ve been a band for 11 years. I grew up playing music with my brother. We grew up in the Portland metal scene. We brought a guitarist Ken Vought into the band and played as a three-piece with no bass guitar for awhile. Then, Kevin Whitman joined us on the bass.

“We were a four-piece for six years. Then, eight years into the band, our guitarist departed and our bass player, who joined in 2007, took over the guitar role. Todd Bidwell came in to play bass and we were back to being a four-piece.”

Ruin has released three full-length albums independently — “Hands of Enmity” in 2007, “Human Moral Deception” in 2009, and “Rite of Passage” in 2015.

“When we made the first album, we had just started playing as a band,” said Carey. “Then, ‘Human Moral Deception’ was the next step forward.

“We recorded ‘Rite OF Passage’ in 2014. We did it on our own financially and cut it at Lions Mane Studio. Even though it’s been out for awhile, it’s still new to everybody else not from Massachusetts or Maine where we’ve been playing..

“It was produced by Kevim Billingslea. We did all separate tracks. We did the drum track first. We mapped out the tempos and then built on that. We did a lot of pre-production before we went in the studio so we were ready.

“We’re a thrash-groove band. We have a naturally heavy sound — a lot of screaming and not a lot of clean guitar.  We have some heavy influences such as Pantera and Slayer. We even do a cover of Metallica’s ‘Holier Than Thou.’”

Video link for Ruin — https://youtu.be/Ju6SmOEc5e4.

The show at Kung Fu Necktie, which has Thrashole, No Remorse For The Fallen and Dark Waters End as the opening acts, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $7.

The venue, which has two floors of music room and frequently early and late shows, will host a variety of acts over the next week.

The schedule features Resilient, BLACK TITAN, Space Pizza, Nose Goblins on September 8; RFA, Tigers + Thieves, Little Strike, Settled Arrows on September 8; Gang Green, Antagonizers ATL, Thunder And Glory, Dive in The Box on September 9; The Dungeon Comedy Night, Short Rib, Aretha’s Hat, Tee Nutt, John Deary, Kyle Harris on September 9; The Atomic Bitchwax, Dirty Streets, JJL on September 9; Underwoman and the Believers, Elder Statesmen, Madam Data on September 10; 4PLAY on September 10; Science Club, Two Houses, Potential Gospel, Clenn Planetts on September 11; Cheetah Chrome, Crank Country Daredevils, Jukebox Zeros, Seeing Snakes on September 12,; Secret Nudist Friends, The Glazzies, Wyldflowers, Kelsey Cork on September 12; Jack Oblivian and The Sheiks, Residuels, Groovy Movies on September 13; and Jeff Riddle and the Bella Vista Social Club, Mo Troper, Evergreen, Teeth on September 13.

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http://www.kennettflash.org)  will present Better Than Bacon on September 8, Davey Dickens & The Troubadoors on September 9, Let It Rain – A Tribute to Eric Clapton and Blues Reincarnation Project on September 10, and Tim Easton, Kalai King, Porter Block on September 14.

The Steel City Coffee House (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-4043, www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com) will host the Meadow Brothers on September 9 and Spiritgrass Live on September 14.

Chaplin’s (66 North Main Street, Spring City, 610-792-4110, http://chaplinslive.com) will host Noah Kolb, Deadfellow and Mike Matteson on September 9 and Mary Bruning and Jason Vavra on September 10.

The Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389, www.ardmoremusic.com) will present Assembly of Dust with special guest The Fractals on September 9. 

Doc Watson’s Public House (150 North Pottstown Pike, Exton, 610-524-2424, docwatsonspublichouse.com) will host The Fraction on September 9 and Missing Link on September 10.

Valley Forge Casino (1160 First Avenue, King Of Prussia, 610-354-8118, www.vfcasino.com) will have High Five Swan Dive on September 9 and Gypsy Wisdom on September 10.

Burlap & Bean Coffeehouse (204 South Newtown Street Road, Newtown Square, 484-427-4547, www.burlapandbean.com) will present Garnet Rogers with Katherine Rondeau on September 9 and Brad Almond and Found Wandering on September 10.

The Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650, www.keswicktheatre.com) presents Sinbad on September 11 and Glen Hansard on September 12.

Rainbow’s Comedy Playhouse (3065 Lincoln Highway East, Paradise, 800-292-4301, http://www.rainbowcomedy.com) is presenting “Is There Life After 50?” now through October 29.

Video link for ‘Is There Life After 50?” — https://youtu.be/NDPqk3FrYgI?list=UUXwt-UjYRy3zJ2S0SozUXPA.

Matinee performances are every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and selected Saturdays with an 11:30 a.m. lunch and a 1 p.m. curtain. Evening performances are every Friday, Saturday and selected Thursdays with dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the show following at 8 p.m. There will also be “Twilight Performances” on selected Sundays with dinner at 2:30 p.m. and the show at 4 p.m. Ticket prices range from $30-$55.