The Skatalites - Hi-Bop Ska!

The founders of Skatalites were Tommy McCook (died 1998), Rolando Alphonso (died 1998), Lloyd Brevett, Lloyd Knibb, Lester Sterling, Don Drummond (died 1969), Jah Jerry Haynes (died 2007), Jackie Mittoo (died 1990), Johnny Moore (died 2008), Jackie Opel (died 1970). These nine musicians started to play together from 1955, when Kingston's recording studios started to develop. Tommy McCook was the first member of the band to record, though not for commercial release: he played with Don Hitchman's Group in 1953. Archie Lindo asked Hitchman to play few tunes for his pioneer radio station, "ZQI", on their new equipment. Soon after that, sound system pioneer Stanley Motta began to operate his studio, where he recorded calypso and mento that were released on 78's. Rolando Alphonso was one of the first to record with him, probably in 1954.Though McCook was the first in the band to record, he did not participate in recording sessions with other eight musicians. He left Jamaica in 1954 for a jazz gig at the Zanzibar Club in Nassau, Bahamas. He returned to Jamaica in June of 1962, and began playing regular jazz sessions around Kingston.
Coxsone Dodd searched jazz players around Kingston and was impressed by McCook's playing. Tommy McCook heard some ska, but initially resisted Coxsone Dodd's offers to record and to lead a studio group, because he was a committed jazzman. In 1962 Dodd released I Cover The Waterfront (Port-O-Jam) with Roland Aplhonso and Don Drummond, who did solo and brass sections. In 1963 he released Jazz Jamaica From the Workshop (Port-O-Jam/Studio One), where McCook played first time since returning to Jamaica. Don Drummond has two tunes on Jazz Jamaica and McCook's has one, "The Answer".

BOP