Laruel Aitken: Island to Island Ska

It’s easy to forget that Jamaican music has as much to do with its neighboring islands as with JA culture itself. Of course, the music would evolve uniquely in JA over time, but the influence of Cuba can’t be understated in anyway as it gave the world Laurel Aitken.

Born in 1927 on that near by island, Aitken and his family would relocate during the singer’s teenage years. It was a fortuitous move as Aitken would gain a post singing Mento songs to tourists arriving on boats to JA. The gig served as the impetus for his singing career. And in fact, being around twenty years older than the clutch of singers that would wind up comprising the early snatch of ska singers, Aitken would recorded an early single in 1958 with Chris Blackwell behind the boards for an early Island Records release. "Little Sheila" b/w "Boogie in My Bones" wouldn’t solidify the ska genre, but it went a long way in announcing the presence of a unique Jamaican musical culture.

A few years on, after gaining a bit of notoriety in JA, Aitken moved to England and continued his recording career. In just a few years time, the singer amassed a huge backlog of singles and returned to JA in ’63 to began working with the Skatalites. After setting down tracks while fronting the most important instrumental group in the island’s history, Aitken’s legacy was basically cemented. Of course, since he wasn’t quite yet 30, the singer continued on influencing subsequent performers and the musical culture of the island as a whole.

For a great majority of the remainder of his life, Aitken resided in the UK. And while there was embraced by the nascent skinhead culture as well as those oh so well dressed mods. What complicates his legacy, recording wise at least, is the fact that a great deal of Aitken’s work was released as singles and then later compiled onto long players. Despite all of that, though, a few collections stick out as something to cherish.

The 1969 released Woppi King presents itself as something to seek out. It counts a few early sides on its track-listing - “Lanlords & Tenants” being perhaps the most notable. The version included here might be a reworking of the track, but with its simply plunked keys and sharp guitar chords, it’s easy to hear what so fascinated audiences fifty years ago. Beyond the music, Aitken was speaking up for folks who were catching the short end of the stick. The entire track is basically a calmly spoken tirade against slum lords. Most likely everyone can relate to what’s being sung about – and that accounts for some of Aitken’s success.

But apart this album and that track, the persistent touring and high level of what he delivered made Aitken a huge draw all the way up until his passing in 2005 – he’d recently completed a short tour of the States. And while most folks probably missed those dates, there’s his recorded legacy to dig through.