Stretching Out

In 1983 Herbie Miller, manager of Peter Tosh brought the original Skatalites (minus the late Don Drummond) back to Jamaica from all over the world to perform at the 1983 Jamaica Sunsplash.

The Skatalites had broken up 18 years earlier, after their short career of two years (1963-1965). Personal disagreements, conflicts and animosities had driven these inventors of Ska and master musicians to seek their own future as individual artists.

Miller, who became their manager, owned a nightclub in Kingston, Jamaica called The Blue Monk Jazz Gallery. Here, after 18 years of separation they reconciled their differences, (for a time), and rehearsed for Sunsplash '83 and performed live at the club before a crowd of local fans, friends, and fellow musicians.

There were no restrictions on the length of sets, no barriers on solos or improvisational experiments, and no recording studio limits on how long each song should last. They stretched out, played out, and had a joyous 18th anniversary celebration and reunion.

Fortunately, Miller recorded the rehearsals and nightclub performances and captured for history (and dance - mad Ska mavens) all the spontaneity, fire, electricity, and good fellowship of that unique moment. Ska at its best by the greatest Ska musicians in the world!