Tommy McCook and the Supersonics

• Old Timer

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We’ll be highlighting the links between Jamaica’s Jazz known as Ska and the original US boogie woogie. Reggae in general has a lot of stripped down boogie woogie lines (and in some cases hyped-up boogie woogie lines). Regionally, Jamaica is a melting pot of music experimentation forming the holy trinity with Cuba and New Orleans just an earshot away. Tommy McCook and the Supersonics were there from the beginning. Below we collect a couple interviews.

Tommy McCook auditioned in 1943 for a swing band and the rest is history. He lists all the influential swing bands Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson and many more… all from the United States.

McCook makes the distinction that before he arrived on the ska scene, it was more of boogie woogie-ska style. He helped to bring a harder form of jazz-ska. So fascinating and thankful to hear the history.

Tommy McCook speaks
The Katz Tapes interview

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