Original Skatalites’ vocalist, Doreen Schaefer, has just released her third solo album. Although she is one of three remaining original members of the Skatalites, this new set, Groovin’ with Doreen Schaefer and the Moon Invaders, was recorded with a Belgian aggregation.

“I want to say hello Jamaica, it’s so good to be here. It’s not often that I’m in the island but while I’m away I’m holding up the flag of Jamaica very high,” chimed the veteran songstress, who is now based in the USA.

“The Skatalites are still in business and we do a lot of European tours. I will leave here shortly to be in Spain for WOMAD Festival with the group. We have a three-week tour all over Europe — Spain, France Germany. After that, I start a tour with another band that I am also working with, the Moon Invaders from Belgium. I might be working with them for festivals during the summer,” Doreen Schaefer who was in the island recently chilling out as well as for Sir Coxsone Dodd’s memorial, told the Sunday Observer.

“With the Moon Invaders I did an album which has just been released on the Mosquito label called Groovin’ with Doreen Schaefer and the Moon Invaders,” she disclosed.

One of the original female singers at Studio One, Schaefer has just a handful of solo titles, but she did a lot of harmony work and has recorded on a number of various artistes compilations. She has always been closely aligned with Skatalites — saxophonist Lester Sterling and drummer Lloyd Knibbs — with whom she tours extensively.

Doreen Schaefer’s best known efforts are a few duets, the most famous of which are The Vow and Welcome You Back Home with the late Jackie Opel. Her two previous albums are her 1970 maiden set The First Lady of Reggae and Adorable which came out in 1997. Her last album with the Skatalites is Right Track and she is also working on a new set with the group.

Performing on the WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) Festival could bring about an international rebirth for her and the Skatalites given the reputation the event currently enjoys.

According to its website, “Over the years, WOMAD has helped launch, boost or revive the careers of many world music (and other) artistes, including the Master Drummers of Burundi, the Afro Celt Sound System, the Dhol Foundation, Ozomatli and the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.”

The first WOMAD festival took place in 1982 in Shepton Mallet, England. Nowadays, a typical festival will include varied live musical performances, workshops, stalls and events for children.

WOMAD currently holds festivals in over 20 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, UK, US and many European countries.

“WOMAD has pioneered the growing acceptance and enjoyment of World music by western society. The festival now draws crowds of over 80,000 people per event, and competes on equal terms with other mainstream western festivals globally,” the website stated.