What is this thing called...Ska?
 "It isn't what you play, it's how you play it."
By: Todd Grassman

Music is important to most of us right? One thing people seem to ask a new person is what kind of music they like. When people ask me, I usually respond with a resounding "Ska!" This answer usually results in more questions. I want to try to answer them right here.

Is it punk with horns? Definitely not. Some of the modern bands that call themselves Ska may sound like "punk with horns" but if they are really Ska, they will have a little something different about them. We will get a little deeper into that later.

Is it a mix of Punk and Reggae? Again that's a no. Traditional Ska pre-dates both Punk and Reggae. A lot of the more modern Ska has been mixed with Punk, and Ska is actually the parent of Reggae, not the other way around.

Where does it come from? Most people feel the "Jamaican Vibe" in Ska. This is true, Traditional Ska first came about in Jamaica as Jamaican music like Calypso and Mento was mixed with more "American" genres such as Swing and R&B. Reggae, which seems to be much more well-known, is actually a slowed down descendent of Ska.

Many different groups call themselves Ska, and many argue over which ones are. Ska is really a basic beat upon which much can be added. In Ska, an accent is created on the upbeat, usually with the guitar. (Though, originally, this was more commonly done with the horns.) This unique style of play is actually where the name comes from. This short choppy word describes the noise of the guitar, accenting not on a ONE TWO THREE FOUR as is common in music, but instead on a one AND two AND three AND four AND.

I would have to say that one of my favorite things about Ska is how well it lends itself to mixing with other genres. You have your Traditional Ska which can be slowed down to a Reggae or Rocksteady kind of music. It died out, but then came back in Brittain, and then once again in America where it was often sped up and mixed with Punk.

Today there are some amazing scenes allover the World. Some say Ska is dead, but it's really still very healthy, just not so much in the mainstream right now. Does that matter anyway? Wether you're listening to Traditional, 2-Tone, Rocksteady, Skunk, Reggae, or Skacore, it's all about that feel good beat which puts a glide your stride and a dip in your hip. :-)
 
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