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Ska was created in downtown Kingston, Jamaica, when American airwaves switched from jazz to rock & roll. The majority of Jamaicans listening from their radios, hundreds of miles away, could not adjust to this new rhythm and beat, so they took it upon themselves to create a rhythm that their people could call their own. By mixing Caribbean styles such as mento with jazz, ska music was born.
As much as the Jamaicans tried to promote their national music, the 60s proved to be too hard to penetrate. With bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones ruling the airwaves, Jamaica’s national music was rarely heard.
By 1966 things were changing. Tired of the energetic dancing styles of the ska, the Jamaicans slowed their rhythm down. Rocksteady, and later, reggae was born. Finally, Jamaica was to receive recognition for their musical innovation and artists like Desmond Dekker, Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley, and Toots and the Maytals became international stars.
In the late 70s and early 80s, ska saw a revival in England, in the form of two-tone. Often referred to as the second wave of ska, it was a mix of punk and the original Jamaican sound, pushing bands such as Madness, The Beat, and The Specials to the forefront of the music scene. At last, ska was getting recognition and their beloved style had finally conquered the airwaves, with many two-tone bands covering the original Jamaican songs.
By the late 80s the two-tone boom came to an end and ska once again went under- ground. Twenty years on, fans remain ever faithful. There is a resurgence and a longing from the public to once again hear this sound. It is no longer a trend, but instead a sound like rock & roll, hip hop and jazz, that will never die. It is here to stay. SKA.
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