Roland Alphonso (Havana, Cuba, January 12, 1931 - Los Angeles, California, … Read Full Bio ↴Roland Alphonso (Havana, Cuba, January 12, 1931 - Los Angeles, California, November 20, 1998) aka Rolando Alphonso or The Chief Musician was a Jamaican tenor saxophonist.
Alphonso came to Jamaica at the age of two with his Jamaican mother, and started to learn saxophone at the Stony Hill Industrial School.
In 1948 he left school to join Eric Deans' orchestra and soon passed through other bands in the hotel circuit and first recorded as a member of Baba Motta's group in 1952.
Around the mid 1950s, he joined the band of Cluett Johnson named Clue J & The Blues Blasters and backed many sessions of Coxsone Dodd in a typical Jamaican R&B style. By 1960, he was recording for many other producers such as Duke Reid, Lloyd "The Matador" Daley and King Edwards. During this period he played in many different bands, such as The Alley Cats, The City Slickers, and Aubrey Adams & The Dew Droppers. In 1963, after few months spent in Nassau, Bahamas, he took part in the creation of The Studio One Orchestra, the first session band of the freshly opened recording studio of Coxsone. This band soon adopted the name of The Skatalites.
When the Skatalites disbanded by August 1965, Alphonso formed the Soul Brothers (with Johnny "Dizzy" Moore, Jackie Mittoo) to become The Soul Vendors in 1967. He released the first album under his name in 1973 on the Studio One record label.
During the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, he kept on playing on numerous records coming out from Jamaican studios, especially for Bunny Lee, and he toured with many bands. He was awarded Officer of the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government in 1980, and started to tour more often in the U.S. He took part in the reformation of the Skatalites in 1983, with whom he toured and recorded constantly until his death in 1998.
Alphonso came to Jamaica at the age of two with his Jamaican mother, and started to learn saxophone at the Stony Hill Industrial School.
In 1948 he left school to join Eric Deans' orchestra and soon passed through other bands in the hotel circuit and first recorded as a member of Baba Motta's group in 1952.
Around the mid 1950s, he joined the band of Cluett Johnson named Clue J & The Blues Blasters and backed many sessions of Coxsone Dodd in a typical Jamaican R&B style. By 1960, he was recording for many other producers such as Duke Reid, Lloyd "The Matador" Daley and King Edwards. During this period he played in many different bands, such as The Alley Cats, The City Slickers, and Aubrey Adams & The Dew Droppers. In 1963, after few months spent in Nassau, Bahamas, he took part in the creation of The Studio One Orchestra, the first session band of the freshly opened recording studio of Coxsone. This band soon adopted the name of The Skatalites.
When the Skatalites disbanded by August 1965, Alphonso formed the Soul Brothers (with Johnny "Dizzy" Moore, Jackie Mittoo) to become The Soul Vendors in 1967. He released the first album under his name in 1973 on the Studio One record label.
During the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, he kept on playing on numerous records coming out from Jamaican studios, especially for Bunny Lee, and he toured with many bands. He was awarded Officer of the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government in 1980, and started to tour more often in the U.S. He took part in the reformation of the Skatalites in 1983, with whom he toured and recorded constantly until his death in 1998.
El Pussy Cat Ska
Roland Alphonso Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Roland Alphonso:
Blow Roland Blow Blow Roland blow Blow your horn Blow that golden horn from n…
From Russia With Love From Russia with love, I fly to you Much wiser since…
Nimble Foot With these swollen hearts the fires will rage A scar from…
To Sir With Love From Russia with love, I fly to you Much wiser since…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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@alexpugno3151
Saw this man and his mates live in Genoa, Italy in 1992, even having a quick word with Lloyd Brevett back stage. What a night, that thumping heavy beat of that night was never replicated...
@56postoffice
One of the baddest Ska tunes committed on vinyl. Boomshot!
@Mattman1ism
Great tune! Only ever heard the Bad Manners version before tonight.
@ColinHarperSummerson
not heard this since i was teenager, brilliant!
@daraghevans7637
reminds me of the sin é downstairs after the bionic rats . great dj set after a great reggae / ska band . best times
@wotabotheration
The finest of times!
@marcusb5388
Wicked and Slick ;~>
@ColinHarperSummerson
Brilliant! not heard since my teens'', thanks
@1606Tobias
what a nice tune!!
@christopherdalton7828
Great stuff!