Good Vibrations

Following my recent post about Alexander Spence I thought it might be nice to put up something just a little bit more upbeat – and nothing can make me feel happy more quickly than a sharp blast of Jackie Mittoo, who was arguably one of the most important figures in Jamaican reggae.

He was a founding member on piano of The Skatalites, the band that pretty much invented Ska – he was just fifteen years old when the band was formed in 1963! When the band split up in 1965 Jackie formed The Soul Brothers who recorded under their own name but also as the house band for the legendary Kingston based Studio One.

As the house band The Soul Brothers wrote, arranged, produced and played on many songs to come out of Studio One between 1965-68. They backed famous Reggae stars such as Ken Boothe, Delroy Wilson and The Heptones.

He moved to Canada in the Seventies, although he still returned often to Jamaica to play with various friends, and died of cancer in 1990 at the age of just 42.

So without further ado, let’s lie back, pull out an ice cold beer and watch the sun go down to the magical keyboard work of Jackie Mittoo.

Jackie Mittoo - Killer Diller

Jackie Mittoo - Oboe


Crisp Debris