Lloyd Knibb, the jazz-trained ska and reggae drummer known for his work with the Skatalites and Tommy McCook and the Supersonics, has passed away. Earlier this morning Twitter and Facebook feeds were the first to spread the word. It was later confirmed by news reports.
Knibb was an integral to a musical movement that began in the early 1960s, as Jamaica saw the dawn of independence from the United Kingdom. With the Skatalites, Knibb shepherded a new sound derived from 1950s American R&B, a darling of Jamaicans post-World War II. As legendary Kingston-based facilities such as WIRL Records and Studio One wooed new musicians, Knibb and Tommy McCook produced “Freedom Sound,” their most famous song.
Also with the Skatalites, the Jamaican percussionist brought Ska music to the world stage. They were journeymen musicians who were revered by ska and reggae fans internationally. Ska and reggae is music to uplift the people. That especially rang true with fans in the US and UK who saw the revival of the Jamaican sound in the form of ska punk in the 1980s and 1990s.
Lloyd Knibb was to ska as Ginger Baker is to rock. He continued to tour with the Skalalites when they reunited at Reggae Sunsplash in 1983. Knibb and the Skatalites recently played a show in Lima, Peru. They were set to play at the Culture Beat Performing Arts Center in Ensenada, Mexico later this month. He was 80 years old.
