Laurel Aitken

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Lorenzo Aitken (April 22, 1927 – July 17, 2005), better known as Laurel Aitken, was a singer and one of the originators of Jamaican ska music.

Contents

[edit] Career

Born in Cuba of mixed Cuban and Jamaican descent, Aitken and his family settled in Jamaica in 1938. After an early career working for the Jamaican Tourist Board singing calypso songs for visitors arriving at Kingston Harbour, he became a popular nightclub entertainer. His first recordings in the late 1950s were calypso tunes such as "Sweet Chariot", "Aitken's Boogie", and "Baba Kill Me Goat".[1] Progressing to a pre-ska shuffle, Aitken's 1958 single "Little Sheila" / "Boogie in My Bones" was one of the first records produced by future Island Records founder Chris Blackwell.

Aitken moved to London, England in 1960 and recorded both in the UK and Jamaica throughout the 1960s. This cemented his position as one of ska's leading artists and earned him the nicknames The Godfather of Ska and Boss Skinhead. He gained a loyal following not only among the West Indian community, but also among mods, skinheads and other ska fans.[2] He had hit records in the United Kingdom and other countries in the 1950s through to the 1970s on labels such as Blue Beat, Pama, Trojan, Rio, Dr. Bird, Nu-Beat, Ska-Beat, and Dice. Some of his singles featured B-sides credited to his brother, guitarist Bobby Aitken. Aitken also recorded a few talk-over/deejay tracks under the guise of 'King Horror', such as "Loch Ness Monster", "Dracula, Prince of Darkness", and "The Hole".[3] Aitken settled in Leicester with his wife in 1971. Aitken's career took in mento/calypso, R&B, ska, rock steady, and reggae, and in the 1990s he even turned his talents to dancehall.[1] He performed occasional concerts almost until his death from a heart attack in 2005. After a long campaign, a blue plaque in his honour was put up at his Leicester home in 2007.[4].

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

  • Ska With Laurel (1965, Rio)
  • High Priest of Reggae (1969, Nu-Beat)
  • Laurel Aitken Meets Floyd Lloyd and the Potato Five (1987, Gaz's) ( with The Potato 5 )
  • Early Days of Blue Beat, Ska and Reggae (1988, Bold Reprive)
  • True Fact (1988, Rackit) ( with The Potato 5 )
  • Ringo The Gringo (1989, Unicorn)
  • It's Too Late (1989, Unicorn)
  • Rise and Fall (1989, Unicorn)
  • Sally Brown (1989, Unicorn)
  • Rasta Man Power (1992, ROIR)
  • The Blue Beat Years (1996, Moon Ska)
  • Rocksteady Party (1996, Blue Moon) ( with The Potato 5 )
  • The Story So Far (1999, Grover)
  • Woppi King (1997, Trybute)
  • The Pama Years (1999, Grover)
  • The Long Hot Summer (1999, Grover) (Laurel Aitken and The Skatalites)
  • Clash of The Ska Titans (1999, Moon Ska) ( Laurel Aitken versus The Skatalites )
  • Pioneer of Jamaican Music (2000, Reggae Retro)
  • Godfather of Ska (2000, Grover)
  • Jamboree (2001, Grover)
  • Rudi Got Married (2004, Grover)
  • En Enspanol (2004, Liquidator)
  • Live at Club Ska (2004, Trojan)
  • The Pioneer of Jamaican Music (2005, Reggae Retro)
  • Super Star (2005, Liquidator)
  • The Very Last Concert (2007, Soulove) (CD + DVD)

[edit] Singles

  • "Drinkin' Whiskey" (1959 )
  • "Boogie Rock" (1960, Blue Beat)
  • "Jeannie Is Back" (1960, Blue Beat)
  • "Judgement Day" (1960, Blue Beat)
  • "Railroad Track" (1960, Blue Beat)
  • "More Whisky" (1960, Blue Beat)
  • "Sweet Chariot" (1960, Kalypso)
  • "Aitken's Boogie" (1960, Kalypso)
  • "Baba Kill Me Goat" (1960, Kalypso)
  • "Boogie In My Bones" (1960, Starlite)
  • "Honey Girl" (1960, Starlite)
  • "Hey Bar Tender" (1961, Blue Beat)
  • "Bouncing Woman" (1961, Blue Beat)
  • "Mighty Redeemer" (1961, Blue Beat)
  • "Mary Lee" (1961, Melodisc)
  • "Love Me Baby" (1961, Starlite)
  • "Brother David" (1962, Blue Beat)
  • "Lucille" (1962, Blue Beat)
  • "Sixty Days & Sixty Nights" (1962, Blue Beat)
  • "Jenny Jenny" (1962, Blue Beat)
  • "Mabel" (1962, Dice)
  • "Lion of Judah" (1963, Black Swan)
  • "The Saint" (1963, Black Swan)
  • "Zion City" (1963, Blue Beat)
  • "Little Girl" (1963, Blue Beat)
  • "Oh Jean" (1963, Dice)
  • "Sweet Jamaica" (1963, Dice)
  • "Low Down Dirty Girl" (1963, Duke)
  • "I Shall Remove" (1963, Island)
  • "What a Weeping" (1963, Island)
  • "In My Soul" (1963, Island)
  • "Adam & Eve" (1963, Rio)
  • "Mary" (1963, Rio)
  • "Bad Minded Woman" (1963, Rio)
  • "Devil or Angel" (1963, Rio)
  • "Freedom Train" (1963, Rio)
  • "This Great Day" (1964, Blue Beat)
  • "West Indian Cricket Test" (1964, JNAC)
  • "Pick Up Your Bundle" (1964, R&B)
  • "Yes Indeed" (1964, R&B)
  • "Bachelor Life" (1964, R&B)
  • "Leave Me Standing" (1964, Rio)
  • "John Saw Them Coming" (1964, Rio)
  • "Rock of Ages" (1964, Rio)
  • "Jamaica" (1965, Dice)
  • "We Shall Overcome" (1965, Dice)
  • "Mary Don't You Weep" (1965, Rio)
  • "Mary Lou" (1965, Rio)
  • "One More Time" (1965, Rio)
  • "Let's Be Lovers" (1965, Rio)
  • "Clementine" (1966, Blue Beat)
  • "Don't Break Your Promises" (1966, Rainbow)
  • "Voodoo Woman" (1966, Rainbow)
  • "How Can I Forget You" (1966, Rio)
  • "Baby Don't Do It" (1966, Rio)
  • "We Shall Overcome" (1966, Rio)
  • "Clap Your Hands" (1966, Rio)
  • "Jumbie Jamboree" (1966, Ska-Beat)
  • "Propaganda" (1966, Ska-Beat)
  • "Green Banana" (1966, Ska-Beat)
  • "Rock Steady" (1967, Columbia Blue Beat)
  • "I'm Still In Love With You Girl" (1967, Columbia Blue Beat)
  • "Never Hurt You" (1967, Fab)
  • "Sweet Precious Love" (1967, Rainbow)
  • "Mr. Lee" (1968, Dr. Bird)
  • "La La La (Means I Love You)" (1968, Dr. Bird)
  • "For Sentimental Reasons" (1968, Fab)
  • "Fire In Your Wire" (1969, Dr. Bird)
  • "Rice & Peas" (1969, Dr. Bird)
  • "Reggae Prayer" (1969, Dr. Bird)
  • "The Rise & Fall Of Laurel Aitken" (1969, Dr. Bird)
  • "Haile Haile" (1969, Dr. Bird)
  • "Carolina" (1969, Dr. Bird)
  • "Think Me No Know" (1969, Junior)
  • "Woppi King" (1969, Nu-Beat)
  • "Suffering Still" (1969, Nu-Beat)
  • "Haile Selassie" (1969, Nu-Beat)
  • "Lawd Doctor" (1969, Nu-Beat)
  • "Run Powell Run" (1969, Nu-Beat)
  • "Save The Last Dance" (1969, Nu-Beat)
  • "Don't Be Cruel" (1969, Nu-Beat)
  • "Shoo Be Doo" (1969, Nu-Beat)
  • "Landlords & Tenants" (1969, Nu-Beat)
  • "Jesse James" (1969, Nu-Beat)
  • "Pussy Price Gone Up" (1969, Nu-Beat)
  • "Skinhead Train" (1969, Nu-Beat)
  • "Donkey Man" (1969, Unity)
  • "Pussy Got Thirteen Life" (1970, Ackee)
  • "Sin Pon You" (1970, Ackee)
  • "Moon Rock" (1970, Bamboo)
  • "Skinhead Invasion" (1970, Nu-Beat)
  • "I've Got Your Love" (1970, Nu-Beat)
  • "Scandal In Brixton Market" (1970, Nu-Beat)
  • "Nobody But Me" (1970, Nu-Beat)
  • "I'll Never Love Any Girl" (1970, Nu-Beat)
  • "Reggae Popcorn" (1970, Nu-Beat)
  • "Baby I Need Your Loving" (1970, Nu-Beat)
  • "Sex Machine" (1970, Nu-Beat)
  • "Pachanga" (1970, Nu-Beat)
  • "Mary's Boy Child" (1970, Pama)
  • "Why Can't I Touch You" (1970, Pama Supreme)
  • "Dancing With My Baby" (1971, Big Shot)
  • "If It's Hell Below" (1971, Black Swan)
  • "True Love" (1971, Nu-Beat)
  • "I Can't Stop Loving You" (1971, Nu-Beat)
  • "It's Too Late" (1971, Trojan)
  • "Take Me In Your Arms" (1972, Big Shot)
  • "Africa Arise" (1972, Camel)
  • "Reggae Popcorn" (1972, Pama)
  • "Fattie Bum Bum" (1975, Punch)
  • "Rudi Got Married" (1980, I Spy) UK # 60
  • "Big Fat Man" (1980, I Spy)
  • "Mad About You" (1986, Gaz's)
  • "Everybody Ska" (1989, Unicorn)
  • "Skinhead" (1999, Grover)

[edit] Videos/DVDs

  • Live at Gaz's Rockin' Blues (1989, Unicorn) (VHS)
  • Laurel Aitken And Friends - Live At Club Ska (2005, Cherry Red) (DVD)

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ a b Thomspon, Dave:"Reggae & Caribbean Music", 2002, Backbeat Books, ISBN 0-87930-655-6
  2. ^ Larkin, Colin:"The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", 1998, Virgin Books, ISBN 0-7535-0242-9
  3. ^ de Koningh, Michael; Cane-Honeysett, Laurence (2003). Young Gifted and Black: The Story of Trojan Records. Sanctuary. ISBN 1-86074-464-8. 
  4. ^ March 23, 2007 article from Leicester Mercury, retrieved 23 March 2007

[edit] Further reading

  • Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter: "The Rough Guide To Reggae 3rd edn.", Rough Guides, 2004

[edit] External links