Jackie Mittoo

Jackie Mittoo
Birth name Donat Roy Mittoo
Born (1948-03-03)3 March 1948
Origin Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica
Died 16 December 1990(1990-12-16) (aged 42)
Toronto, Canada
Genres Ska, rocksteady, reggae, funk
Instruments Keyboards
Labels Studio One
Associated acts The Skatalites, The Sound Dimensions

Jackie Mittoo (3 March 1948 – 16 December 1990) was a Jamaican- Canadian keyboardist, songwriter and musical director. He was a member of The Skatalites and musical director of the Studio One record label.[1]

Biography

He was born Donat Roy Mittoo in Browns Town, Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica, and began learning to play the piano when he was three under the tutelage of his grandmother.

In the 1960s he was a member of The Skatalites, The Sheiks, The Soul Brothers, The Soul Vendors and Sound Dimension. Mittoo's compositions in this period included "Darker Shade of Black", "Feel Like Jumping", and "Baby Why". He played with Lloyd "Matador" Daley in 1968 and 1969.

He emigrated to Toronto, Canada at the end of the 1960s. There he recorded three albums, Wishbone (Summus), Reggae Magic (CTL) and Let's Put It All Together (CTL). He also set up the Stine-Jac record label, as well as running a record store.

In 1970, his song "Peanie Wallie" was reworked into a song called "Duppy Conqueror" and recorded by The Wailers.[1] Mittoo's song Wishbone was a hit in 1971. He performed in local Toronto lounges throughout the 1970s. Mittoo assisted Toronto-area reggae musicians, including Earth, Roots and Water, Esso Jaxxon (R. Zee Jackson), Carl Harvey, Lord Tanamo, Boyo Hammond, Carl Otway, The Sattalites, Jackie James and Jason Wilson. Mittoo continued to record for Jamaican producers in the 1970s, mostly Bunny Lee.[2] He co-wrote "Armagideon Time" (later recorded by The Clash) with Willi Williams, released in 1980.

In the 1980s, he often worked with Sugar Minott. In 1989, he briefly rejoined The Skatalites, but left when his health started to deteriorate. In 1985 he travelled to Ghana with British band Musical Youth, and while there recorded tracks that would later be released on the album Jackie Mittoo in Africa.[3] In 1989 and 1990 he recorded Wild Jockey for Lloyd Barnes' Wackies label.

Mittoo entered a hospital on 12 December 1990 and died of cancer on 16 December at the age of 42.[4] His funeral was held at the National Arena in Kingston, Jamaica, on 2 January 1991. Hortense Ellis, Neville 'Tinga' Stewart, Desmond "Desi Roots" Young, Ruddy Thomas, Tommy Cowan, Clement "Coxsone" Dodd were among the attendees. A memorial concert was held around the same time, with performances by Vin Gordon, Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace, Glen 'Bagga' Fagan, Pablo Black, Robbie Lyn, Michael "Ibo" Cooper, Ken Boothe, Delroy Wilson, Carlene Davis, Tinga Stewart and others.

In 2013, Mittoo was referenced by Superchunk in their song "Me & You & Jackie Mittoo" from their album I Hate Music.

Discography

Albums

Compilations
Featured Guest Appearance
Other

Notes

  1. 1 2 http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p106517/biography
  2. ↑ http://www.reggaetrain.com/biojmittoo.asp
  3. ↑ Campbell, Howard (2015) "New voyage for Jackie Mittoo in Africa", Jamaica Observer, 29 March 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015
  4. ↑ http://users.efortress.com/doc-rock/1990.html

4. http://kaatsound.blogspot.fr/2010/04/jackie-mittoo-il-y-bientot-vingt-ans.html (in French)

External links

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