WAKE THE TOWN & TELL THE PEOPLE!
In the summer of 1998 a bunch of ska-freaks, nostalgic hippies & local Dutch rude boys gathered to revive an almost forgotten part of Jamaican musical history. Ska-D-Lite was born. It might be a coincidence, but a true skarevival followed and ska-be-thanked the attention for this soulful, attractive and swinging music was renewed.
Ska? Isn't that the fast neurotic music performed by band like Madness, The Selecter, and The Specials? Yes and No! Yes, these British bands played a speeded up version of "the original thing". No, according to Ska-D-Lite the smoothest ska is the one with the slow, hypnotising and jazzy grooves, as created in Jamaica in the late fifties. By then a group of musicians invented a new, hot style from mento, rhythm and blues and a bit of jazz. Ska was the forerunner of rocksteady and reggae and it was the dance music of the sixties in Jamaica. Anyone who bothers to listen to this old but still vivid and steamy music will understand why the Jamaicans freaked out.
Ska-D-Lite revives old hits from the Skatalites- the skaband of all skabands- but also play their own songs and other classics in a comfortable ska coat. Ska-D-Lite makes this happen in a soccer line up of eleven musicians and let exuberant vocal songs compete with instrumentals. Which sometimes makes the five piece horn section (baritone-, tenor, altsax, trombone and trumpet) lose track like a pair of wild horses.
Ska-D-Lite released a first full album, including some skadub-versions which keep on generating warm reactions from reggae and ska-communities throughout the world.
Now in 2008 Ska-D-Lite release their second CD: "Ska-D-Lite Plays Dynomite". Containing 23 tracks in total it's filled with 100% killers, no fillers!! Apart from 10 new studio-tracks there are 4 new dubs/versions and 9 live tracks recorded in Leiden sept. 08.
Come on, get on board! Don't miss this ska-train!
Skalutations!
