Born
on January 12 1931, and died November 27 1998, after performing on stage with
the Skatalites. Unlike most of his musical contemporaries Roland Alphonso,
aka 'Rolando', Rollie Pollie' and 'Roland Al', attended the Stony Hill
Industrial School in Kingston, where he was taught trumpet in music classes. He
switched to the saxophone at around age 15. His early professional engagements
were with the Colony Club Orchestra, led by band leader Eric Deans. He later
formed his own band called the Upsetters and the Alley Cats.
Roland Alphonso was one of the founding
members of the most well-known Ska band in history, The Skatalites, a fact, that
on its own makes him a Demigod, yet prior to, and after the Skatalites
disbanded, he made an untold amount of beautiful music. This early track by Roland
Alphonso, was produced by R. Robinson and released in JA on his E and R
imprint, which the above is a white label of, and issued in Great Britain on the
newly launched Island label, number 005, and comes with the earlier '4. Rutalnd
Gate Mews SW7' address label as well as the later 'London England' address label
(see below).
BACK BEAT * ROLAND ALPHONSO THE ALLY CATS * ISLAND 005 * UK
BACK BEAT * ROLAND ALPHONSO THE ALLY CATS * ISLAND 005 * UK