An assembly of world-renowned musicians are headed to Crown Heights, Brooklyn for a one-night stop on their 60th anniversary Diamond Jubilee nationwide tour in order to entreat a diverse patronage to a memorable concert slated for a newly-refurbished historic, landmark former hotspot.
Thanks to the efforts of Panamanian Gil Pessoa and Jamaican Peter Tulloch (along with other like-minded individuals including musician Larry McDonald) — The Skatalites are booked to perform on May 4 at the Crown Hill Theatre.
For a rare but long anticipated performance in the borough, the pair managed to finagle a visit in commemmoration of the hey-days the legendary backing band and iconic recorders revolutionized Jamaica’s music industry playing jazz, rock-steady and popular movie theme songs.
It’s ironic that May is designated Jazz Appreciation Month or that last May 16, the last of the original members of the group succumbed with the death saxophonist Lester Sterling in Florida.
Both anniversary month’s timeline add significance to the collaborators’ promise of delivering a feast of nostalgic music, a plethora of dance-happy ska, a myriad of treasured memories and plenty of reminiscences from the short-lived assembly that during the 1960s — lit up local Jamaican dancehalls and radio playlists with new music.
In 1964 the lineup featured tenor saxmen Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso, drummer Lloyd Knibb, trombonist Don Drummond, Lester Sterling on alto sax, double bass player Lloyd Brevett, pianist Donat Roy “Jackie” Mittoo, trumpeter Johnny Moore and guitarist Jerome “Jah Jerry” Haynes.
Although the union reportedly only lasted approximately about one year, together they elevated the status of a Catholic-run, reforming institution known as Alpha Boys School by bonding to take the island’s music scene to the heights of global recognition.
In the process the pioneering assembly introduced audiences to hits such as “Guns of Navaronne,” “Addis Ababa,” “Phoenix City,” “Man In The Street,” “Lucky 7,” “Nuclear Weapon,” “El Pussycat,” “40 Miles if Bad Road,” “Feeling Fine,” “Don De Lion,” “University Goes Ska,” “Around the World,” “Sandy Gully,” “Mesopotamia,” “Doctor Dekker,” “Eastern Standard Time,” and other infectious tunes.
The short-lived grouping also added vocalists Doreen Shaffer and Jackie Opel in order to enhance their harmonious sounds
Needless to say, before forming his own assembly, trumpeter Oswald “Baba” Brooks also jazzed up the core.
Although all the originals have transitioned, the newest configuration features superlative musicians — including veteran percussionist Larry McDonald.
McDonald list his own storied musicology, having livened myriads of international bands.
Both Pessoa and Tulloch claim bragging rights to renewing the fervor of the era.
They previously joined forces to establish the now-defunct Fort Greene Festival and are committed to restoring the energy and legacy reputedly acclaimed during the summer series.
Pessoa’s impressive career in marketing is unsurpassed.
Fluent in Spanish and English, his reputation as a branding consultant varies with clients such as British reggae band Steel Pulse to corporate entities the likes of Bank of America.
To his credit, the native from the isthmus has connected continents by voluntarily donating services to numerous individuals and organizations including the annual Summerstage Central Park Concert Series.
As for Tulloch, in addition to launching one of the most festive summer concert series in 2007, his illustrious path to the Brooklyn community started from a housing scheme at Pembrooke Hall in Kingston, Jamaica where luminaries of reggae converged.
As a matter of fact according to the entrepreneur ” it was not unusual to see Bob Marley pull up (in his car) to visit my neighbor Aston “Family Man” Barrett.”
Barrett was a member of Marley’s backing band, the Wailers.
Undeniably, Barrett must have taken a liking to his next door compadre because the iconic musician gifted him his first musical instrument “and that bass guitar took me all over the world,” the businessman said.
Among celebrated names Tulloch played: C&C Music Factory, and the former reggaespanol recorder and Panamanian minister of culture, El General.
Now the enterprising collaborators are venturing into a long-term expansive multifaceted venue in order to enable live music concerts, dance, film, theatre, special events —conferences and product launches, corporate events, fundraisers and galas.
Transformed from an abandoned, historic, Nostrand Ave. landmark theater, there’s now a high-tech facility in realization of their vision for success which also recruited the business acumen of vice president Gilliann Blunschi.
A special evening in Brooklyn slates Dre Island and band with bonus offering from DJ Prezident spinning warm-up discs on the turntable.
May the fourth be with you.
Catch You On the Inside!
