The likes of Duke Reid and Sir Coxsone was not yet on the discotethecque music scene until middle 50's. In 1958, the first local R&B bands was formed by Joe Higgs and Roy Wilson) known as Higgs & Wilson who began recording for the conjugal audiences of Jamaica. By the early 1960's, a idiosyncratic music sound had sprung up based around the mento and R & B with a touch of Jazz thrown in which became known as ska. The best-known of the original ska bands were The Skatalites band, whose career spanned decades and into numerous styles of popular Jamaican music. At first primarily instrumental, Ska's rhythms generally didn't lend too well to vocal styling lyrics, though some popular artists such as The Maytals and The Wailers. Rude boys were anything from fashionable poseurs to hard-edged, violent and misogynist thugs with nothing to lose in Jamaica's post independence depressed economy. Rude boys brought incongruity to the ska scene and scorn from the island's almost entirely white middle and upper class. The rude boys also garnered attention from politicians, who promised protection, gifts of weapons or other incentives to harness their political support. From then on the Ska developed into Rock Steady a soulful type of music with heavy guitar bass line. The Rocky Steady though Jamaica's best music; the reggae, dancehall music and dub took over and create a rage in dancehall as it became a favourite with ravers and the sound DJ's. |
