Jackie Mittoo

Jamaican keyboardist, composer and arranger recognized as one of the architects of ska, rocksteady and reggae, Jackie Mittoo was born Donat Roy Mittoo on March 3, 1948, in Kingston, Jamaica. From an early age, he showed exceptional musical talent, studying piano and classical composition, which enabled him to develop a unique style, combining jazz technique with traditional Jamaican sensibility. In the 1960s, he joined The Skatalites, the famous instrumental ska band, as keyboardist and arranger. His mastery of piano and Hammond organ became central to the band's sound, helping to define the rhythm and atmosphere characteristic of ska. At the same time, he became musical director of the Studio One label run by Clement "Coxsone" Dodd. He composes, arranges and plays on numerous instrumental and vocal hits, working with such iconic artists as Alton Ellis, The Heptones, The Abyssinians, The Wailing Souls, Hopetown Lewis, Delroy Wilson, Leroy Smart, Dennis Brown and Tappa Zukie. He played an active role in The Soul Brothers (1965-1967), Soul Vendors, Sound Dimension and Soul Defenders. His compositions such as "Darker Shade of Black ", "Drum Song " and "Feel Like Jumping " quickly became reggae and rocksteady classics. Under his own name, he recorded the albums In London (1967), Evening Time (1968), Keep on Dancing (1969), Now (1970) and Macka Fat (1970). In 1970, he emigrated to Canada, settling in Toronto, where he continued his career as a musician, producer and composer. He formed his own band and released several solo albums, including Wishbone (1971), Let's Put It All Together (1975) and The Money Makers (1978). He signed with British label Third World for productions such as Hot Blood (1977), The Keyboard King (1978) and In Cold Blood (1978), exploring instrumental reggae and dub sounds while retaining his ska and rocksteady roots. On December 16, 1990, Jackie Mittoo died of cancer at Toronto hospital, aged 42. As his fame grew and his 1960s productions were rediscovered, he was the subject of numerous compilations and requests to collaborate with international artists. His organ and piano playing, combining harmonic sophistication and driving groove, inspires many musicians of reggae, ska, dub and even electronic music. Critically acclaimed anthologies include Tribute to Jackie Mittoo (1995), The Keyboard King at Studio One (2000) and Champion in the Arena 1976-1977 (2003).

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