The Skatalites 60^th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee Tour

Members who give $500+ annually receive 10% off concert tickets.

2024 Concert Series sponsored by

The Skatalites are an institution, an aggregation of top-notch musicians who didn’t merely define the sound of Jamaica, but were the sound of Jamaica in the 1950s and ’60s.

—AllMusic

2024 marks the 60^th anniversary of the Skatalites, whose influence in the worlds of ska, reggae, and pop is unparalleled. Frequently credited as the originators of ska—a musical mash-up of calypso, Caribbean mento, R&B, and rock and roll—the original members of the group played on hundreds of recordings before forming the band in 1964 and backing most of the vocalists in Jamaica at that time, including Bob Marley, Toots Hibbert, Jimmy Cliff, Alton Ellis, Ken Boothe, and many more. After disbanding in 1965, the members continued playing in various groups as the music evolved from ska to rocksteady to reggae.

In 1983, the Skatalites reunited to play Reggae Sunsplash in Montego Bay, which led to them supporting Bunny Wailer on the Liberation Tour in 1989 and in 1990 embarking on their first headlining tour of the United States. The band’s extraordinary journey has left an indelible mark on the global music landscape, and they remain an iconic presence in Jamaican popular music to this day.