Over the years,
the Skatalites went through their share of personnel changes. In the 1990s, their lineup ranged from newcomers to survivors of the band's classic 1960s lineup, including saxmen
Tommy McCook and
Roland Alphonso, bassist
Lloyd Brevett, and drummer
Lloyd Knibbs. But the 1990s personnel were quite faithful to the spirit of the 1960s band, and
Hi-Bop Ska bears that out. Recorded 30 years after the breakup of the original
Skatalites,
Hi-Bop Ska finds the band's blend of R&B, jazz, and Afro-Caribbean music continuing to sound healthy and exuberant. On this project,
the Skatalites are joined by distinguished guests who range from Jamaican icons
Toots Hibbert (of
Toots & the Maytals fame) and
Prince Buster to such jazz improvisers as trumpeter
Lester Bowie, saxman
David Murray, pianist
Monty Alexander, and trombonist
Steve Turre.
Bowie and
Murray were best known for avant-garde jazz, but you won't find any dissonant, quirky outside playing on this album; from
Alexander's
"Renewal" and
Murray's
"Flowers for Albert" (dedicated to free jazz explorer
Albert Ayler) to remakes of
"Man in the Street" and
"Guns of Navarone," the music on this mostly instrumental CD is quite accessible. The jazz guests get room to blow, but they are aware of the fact that
Hi-Bop Ska is a ska project first and foremost. ~ Alex Henderson
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