Mike Love

A Hawianian Musician with the capital M. Mike is the man who breathes music. His timing, sense of rhythm and melody, his texts about love and hope. Healing is at the core of his music. The basis of his music is spiritually and firmly rooted in the Conscious Roots Rock Reggae which is smoothly mixed with pop, soul, jazz and progressive and classic rock. Mike plays in Hawaii and America with his band The Full Circle. He travels the rest of the world with his percussionist and soul mate, Sam Ites. and with his pedalboards, which he operates with his toes. With different loops that he plays on the spot, he stimulates a complete uplifting and driving band.
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The HiSessions: 

Official website: 

Maarten

Don Drummond

Although he only reached the age of 37, Don Drummond left a lasting impression in this world, with many fantastic tunes. He was educated at Kingston’s Alpha Boys School, where he later taught his younger schoolmate (and my other trombone-hero) 

Rico Rodriguez to play the trombone. After performing jazz for a decade, Drummond began performing ska and in 1964 Don joined The Skatalites. 

n 1965 Drummond was convicted of the murder of his longtime girlfriend, on 1 January 1965. He was ruled criminally insane and imprisoned at Bellevue Asylum, Kingston, where he remained until his death four years later. A great musician’s life cut short…

Check this!
and 
This please!

Rob

Martin Stewart

Keyboarder and founding member of Bad Manners.
His way of playing the organ and use of the Leslie is of a level I hope to achieve in this lifetime.
The little things he does and riffs he came up with are simple and superb.
I’ve met him once (after a Selecter gig where he played after he left Bad Manners) and we hung out at their hotel.
It was memorable like meeting your superhero for real.

Richard

Clinton Fearon

The Living Reggae Legend, who came up with some very strong songs.
Clinton Fearon is still touring, playing and preaching One Love.
I may be mistaken, but I take him for humble person, with huge sense of responsibilaty, to tell humanity to look after each other and our planet. Check this!

David

Rico Rodriquez

Rico Rodriguez was born Emmanuel Rodriguez on October 17, 1934 in Cuba. As a trombonist and composer he is among the founding figures of Jamaican popular music. He died on September 4, 2015 in London. With roots in jazz as well as in the sound of African rooted burru drumming and so-called Rasta-chants Rico took part in developing Jamaican music from rhythm & blues to ska and reggae. Within this process he developed his own style, a combination of ska, reggae and jazz which reached an artistic peak with his album “Man From Wareika” in 1976.

One of his latest shows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IviHD2Ty0jk

Rob

Sister Ignatius

Sister Mary Ignatius Davies (18 Nov. 1921−9 Feb. 2003) was a Sister of Mercy and inspirational music teacher. She inspired many musicians from the Alpha school to become professional musicians, including future Skatalites Tommy McCook, Don Drummond, and Johnny “Dizzy” Moore, as well as trombonist Rico Rodriguez and Leslie Thompson, who went on to become the first black conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. 

Sister Ignatius : Angel of Alpha

Maarten

 

 

Ernest Ranglin

Ernest Ranglin (19 Jun. 1932) is a Jamaican guitarist. He played an important role in the development and popularization of Jamaican music. In 1948 he was a member of the Val Bennett orchestra. Ranglin worked in Studio One in the 1950s. He gained international fame when he moved to London in 1964. He recorded music for Island Records and collaborated with singer Millie Small, among others. They recorded a cover of the song “My Boy Lollipop”, one of the best-selling ska tunes.
See a living legend at work, at the age of 82: Listen here!

Etienne

 

Frank Zappa

Might be the opposite of my other hero.. But there are certainly similarities, the passion and urge to bring a message across (mostly in mystifying wrapping). But most of all: The readiness to contribute as a guitarist without a guitar, a singer without melody, the creativity of this man is unprecedented. Perhaps his music is an acquired taste, but there is always the fun!!
Check this!

David

Bob Marley

This man has connected people from all over the world with his words and music. One of his first singles “Simmer Down” was played by The Skatalites. Evolved from the ska and thoroughly taken care of by producer Lee Perry, the band developed the fine reggae sound that conquered the world in the 70s. His words appeal to people worldwide. Bob Marley can rightly be called a hero, he reached the hearts of people who didn’t even know they had a heart.

http://www.bobmarley.com/

Etienne.

 

Stewart Copeland

Since I started learning to play drums along with Police records (as well as Kate Bush, Joe Jackson and Kiss…), my biggest influence without doubt is Stewart Copeland. His explosive, energetic style and creativity, blending reggae with punkrock, makes him a living legend.
Not a hero in the sense of early influence but certainly a creative musician I love to listen to nowadays, and closer to our genre, is drummer/percussionist Te Kanawa Haereiti from reggae band Groundation.
 
Peter

Harrison Stafford

Groundation is a reggae band from California. The group was formed in 1998 under the leadership of Harrison Stafford, Marcus Urani (keys) and Ryan Newman (bass). This collaboration existed until 2015 and yielded 8 studio albums. The album “Hebron Gate” has become a classic. Groundation mixes the jazz very pleasantly so that the arrangements sound free. I classify Ryan’s bass work as “the cleanest of all”. The vocals of Stafford exude an enormous energy and urgency. Over the years, the fantastic singers have more and more room, and rightly so. The latest album “A Miracle” clearly shows where Groundation has brought the reggae. From 2018 Stafford is again active with Groundation with all new musicians: The next generation

Live Montreux Jazz Festival 2015:

Peace!

 Maarten

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