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Post by skitter on Jan 30, 2006 0:10:59 GMT
On BBC2's word programme last week, their researcher tried to find out the earliest reference to theJamaican music called "ska". Their conclusion was that Evening Standard middle class journalist Maureen Cleave was the first reference they could find, made in Spring 1964.
There were four tunes with the word "ska" in them issued in 1963, including 'Freedom Ska' and 'Ska La Parisienne' etc. I first encountered the word on the back of Derrick Morgan's 'Blazing Fire' album released in 1963 (possibly 1962).
Skitter
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Post by bmd on Jan 30, 2006 7:54:05 GMT
You should let them know, you'd think they'd have used records to find it out wouldn't you !!
What is your best bet on the origin of the workd Skitter?
I'm a fan of the Skavoovie explanation.. you?
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Post by zapatoo on Jan 30, 2006 11:27:10 GMT
I'm a fan of the Skavoovie explanation.. you? Trouble is, Mikey, conditions of inclusion require there to be written evidence, rather than the much-loved anecdotal side... We have this topic on Trojan: www.trojanrecords.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2384Earliest reference on a 1961 Higgs and Wilson record (on Starlite). ...no response from the Beeb yet  |
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Post by skitter on Jan 30, 2006 13:09:21 GMT
I like the "Skavoovie" explanation also Mike, though I understood it differently from what is posted on the Trojan forum. According to many people I know, Skavoovie was the nickname of Cluett Johnson who led the Blues Blasters and the name came from him.
Was the Higgs & Wilson record even about ska, the dance? And were tunes like 'Freedom Ska' and 'Ska La Parisienne' issued in 1963 as RKR state?
My friend Satch, the percussionist and trumpeter who was around in those times, says that the style "ska" was first played by Ernest Ranglin in the late 1940s. Satch was in Rico's band in the late 60s/early 70s.
Skitter
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Post by zapatoo on Jan 30, 2006 13:22:03 GMT
Mike Atherton, quoting on the Pama forum, comments that the Higgs & Wilson tune is actually called "S ha Ba Da" as per his JA issue - thus, blowing the 1961 reference out of the water  I pondered if the UK release (on Starlite) may have been mis-titled as "S ka Ba Da" ;D ;D - would be ironic if it had and it was from there that the word "Ska" passed into common parlance...  |
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Post by professor on Jan 30, 2006 21:20:15 GMT
Checking the Gleaner archives, the earliest reference I found was St Patricks Day (March 17) 1964 with, it seems, the very same article by Maureen Cleave titled "The 'Ska' hits London - but they call it Blue Beat" dated as originally published in London on March 7. It's kind of telling that the Gleaner first devotes space to it when it goes big in foreign. Who wants a copy then?
The dates in RKR are not etched in stone but the Ska was definitely happening in 63, there's got to be something printed somewhere. The BBC wouldn't have the earliest Ska tunes, they refused to play JA music till they could no longer avoid it.
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Post by professor on Jan 30, 2006 21:51:28 GMT
another thing - why is it often said that Ska originated in west Kingston?
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Post by skitter on Jan 30, 2006 21:58:56 GMT
Like I said Prof, my first encounter with the word "ska" was seeing it printed on the back of Derrick Morgan's debut LP 'Blazing Fire' in 1963, though I believe the set was actually issued in 1962.
Most of the musicians playing were from East Kingston and most of the singers from Western Kingston
Skitter
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Post by professor on Jan 30, 2006 22:12:27 GMT
That's what I thought about the musicians - Warieka Hill's in the East aint it? Is the West Kingston origin a Seaga thing, because of his Chocomo Lawn talent quests perhaps? What Label's the Derrick Morgan LP on Penny?
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Post by zoki on Jan 30, 2006 22:19:32 GMT
The earliest direct evidence of ska has been found in Upper Egypt, between 1900 and 1800 BCE.
It was, in fact, a common Egyptian name of the period. For instance, it is part of the names of the New Kingdom pharaohs Ahskamose, Thutskamose, and Amenskamose.
In the same period in this region, in Wadi el-Hol ("the Gulch of Terror") beyond the Valley of Kings of Kings near the royal city of Thebes, archaeologist John Ekki and Egyptologist Deborah Reel have found what they believe to have been the first adaptation of British Augustin poets.
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Post by skitter on Jan 30, 2006 22:47:10 GMT
The Derrick album is on Island. I think it's the label's third release.
Skitter
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Post by ekki on Jan 30, 2006 22:48:05 GMT
I think it was Deborah R. Ekki who found the Rosetta Stone in 1799, she was convinced that "ska" is just another name for "dildo".
But I got no written proof of that...
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Post by professor on Jan 30, 2006 23:52:00 GMT
"Forward March" was on that Island LP and it didn't hit the Jamaican Hit Parade until mid December 62, so I reckon the UK release of an album containing it would've most likely been early 63.
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Post by zoki on Jan 31, 2006 0:33:25 GMT
Be serious Ekki.
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Post by ekki on Jan 31, 2006 10:25:54 GMT
Never on a Monday  |
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Post by zoki on Jan 31, 2006 12:22:22 GMT
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Post by admin on Feb 1, 2006 12:14:27 GMT
I always thought it was Ernie Ranglin and Cluett Johnson who named it such circa 1962 as the guitar made a noise that went "ska ska ska ska"
Respect
Gordy
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Post by lankou2 on Feb 1, 2006 12:49:12 GMT
that's the sort of story you'll always get more than one version about ! just like who invented rocksteady, reggae and such...same as which were the first sound systems in JA.
they are all hard t consider as ultimate truths, though...
just like that famous "scorching summer of '66 which made the hectic rhythms of ska turn into the slower rocksteady" : that cliché has been circulating in countless writings for more than twenty years. For anyone who's deep enough into ska , it's pretty obvious that the change gradually occurred from as early as '65 where ska was already played at different speeds.
in the end, there are always more than one reason. there are often more than one reason for something which is held as undeniable! the origin of the ska term has also been attributed to Jah Jerry, who was a pupil of E Ranglin, anyway.i'm pretty much sure others could come up with another version ! ; )
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