This week, Mark is out, but James is joined by Robert Stokes. Robert is a Ska & Rocksteady aficionado in Las Vegas, Nevada. We take a deep dive into the origins of ska music and how it has evolved over the decades in different parts of the globe. We talk about the differences between the subgenres and bust some myths people may have about ska music.

Robert Stokes performs regularly in and around Las Vegas regularly. Follow his Instagram, @skastokes, to find out where his next gig is. So catch a show if you’re in town, it’s always a lot of fun!

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Dave Shiffman fills in for Mark this week as we discuss new music by Jamaican pioneers, Keith & Tex. Known for their 1967 version of “Stop That Train,” the duo has been putting out a lot of new music in the last decade. We listen to the title track from their newest release “Gun Life” produced by Roberto Sanchez. We talk about the song’s insightful lyrics, its production style, and rocksteady music overall. We hope you enjoy this track as much as we did!

You can hear "Gun Life" on all major streaming platforms and Youtube.

Gun Life Bandcamp

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This week we are paying tribute to the legendary Max Romeo who passed away on April 11th at 80 years old. Max Romeo was a Jamaican roots reggae icon and released hit songs that continue to be sampled by musicians today. We break down his classic tune “Chase the Devil”, Produced by Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry at Black Ark with The Upsetters band. We get into Max Romeo’s unique vocal style as well as Scratch’s productions that helped progress Jamaican music at that time.

We livicate this episode to Maxwell Livingston Smith a.k.a. Max Romeo. Thank you for leaving a legacy of music for the world to enjoy.

You can hear "Chase the Devil" on all streaming platforms and Youtube.

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