Jamaica is the birth place of Ska music developed in the 1950s

Ska is style of music that developed in Jamaica in the 1950s as a precursor to Reggae. It has an easily recognisable style, characterised by bars made up of four triplets, with a definitive guitar chop on the offbeat. This is called an upstroke or skank. Ska music is typically quick, upbeat and exciting – made for dancing – featuring horns (commonly trumpet, saxophone, and trombone) that take the lead and follow the skank, as well as piano or keyboard that emphasises the walking bass line. Drums tend to keep 4/4 time, but the 3rd beat of each 4-triplet phrase is accented by the bass drum and snare. Ska incorporates elements of traditional mento and calypso music, alongside American Jazz and R&B.One of the most important names in Ska historyis Clement “Coxsone” Dodd. Dodd was a DJ, rather than an artist, but it was he is largely responsible for the spread and popularity of the first wave of Ska across Jamaica. He identified the country’s need for national pride and cultural identity in the days surrounding its gaining independence. He setup Studio One, which is the – now legendary – recording studio in which many of the first ska tracks were laid down.After only a decade, Ska gave way to the emerging genres of Rocksteady and Reggae,whichwere characterised by slower songs with more socio-political themes.The second wave of Ska took off in the UKint the 1970s. This wave of Ska was known as 2-tone and the overarching message that proliferated in the lyrics of songs was one of unity. Bands, including Madness and The Specials,were typically made up of members from Caucasian and African races. The music itself featured melodies and rhythms that had characterised the first wave of Ska in Jamaica – but with a decidedly punk influence.