Busy Week

It's been a mad old week this week... I've not had a chance to transcribe any more of Kinky Reggae or write any of it up in Illustrator. In other words I've been distracted by a new DVD - Laurel Aitken at Club Ska. Recorded 2004-2005, the DVD is of two gigs at Club Ska: the tribute show when Aitken was in hospital and his return gig once he was out and recuperated. As well as performances featuring Aitken's backing band, The Pressure Tennants*, there are interviews with various stars of Ska including the legendary Rico.

The stand out thing about the interviews was the debt that is owed by the Ska musical style to R&B. When asked what his favourite music was, Aitken replied 'R&B' and went on the name Sam Cooke and Ray Charles as his heroes. Another older ska producer said something like, 'We were just playing R&B' and stuff like that...

Everything goes back to the Blues.


* they later on became El Pussycat Ska, featuring Brother Dave Anderson on drums, whose Taye GoKit inspired me to explore compact kits.