Jackie Mittoo
Jackie Mittoo (* as Donat Ray Mittoo on March 3, 1948 in Browns Town, Saint Ann , Jamaica , † December 16, 1990 in Toronto , Canada ) was a Jamaican keyboardist and composer . He was one of the founding members of the Skatalites and a mentor to many young musicians, primarily through his work as music director of the Studio One record label .
Life
Mittoo began playing the piano at the age of four as a student of his grandmother. In the 1960s he played in the bands The Skatalites , The Rivals , The Sheiks, The Soul Brothers and The Soul Vendors . In the late sixties, Mittoo emigrated to Toronto , Canada. There he recorded three albums on Wishbone (Summus), Reggae Magic (CTL) and Let's Put It All Together (CTL). He also founded the Stine-Jac record label and ran a record store. In 1970 his song Peanie Wallie was used by the Wailers as the basis for the hit Duppy Conqueror . Mittoo had a minor hit with Wishbone in 1971 . For this instrumentally played song, he borrowed the melody of the chorus from the Beatles' Carry That Weight ("Boy, you gonna carry that weight, carry that weight a long time") . He worked regularly with Sugar Minott during the 1980s .
On December 16, 1990, Mittoo died of cancer at the age of 42 after a four-day hospital stay.
Discography (selection)
- Jackie Mittoo in London (1967)
- Evening Time (1968)
- Keep on Dancing (1969)
- Wishbone (1971)
- Macka Fat (1972)
- Reggae Magic (1972)
- Put It All Together (1975)
- Hot Blood (1977)
- Cold Blood (1978)
- Keyboard King (1978)
- Showcase (1983)
Web links
- Jackie Mittoo at Allmusic (English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Mittoo, Jackie |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Mittoo, Donat Ray (maiden name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Jamaican keyboardist and composer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 3, 1948 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Browns Town, Saint Ann Parish , Jamaica |
| DATE OF DEATH | December 16, 1990 |
| Place of death | Toronto , Canada |