BEFORE Spain’s Soweto Ska Band left the island recently, they made a stop at what they deem the genre’s mecca —Alpha Institute (formerly Alpha Boys’ School).

The eight-piece group were among the headliners for the inaugural One World Ska and Rocksteady Festival at Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in St Andrew, recently. It was their first visit to Jamaica.

“We arrived at Alpha very early in the morning when the students were getting in and we started playing ska. Some of the students joined in and we did a jam session together,” trombonist Joan Alvado told the

Jamaica Observer.

Alpha Boys’ School is seen as the cradle of Jamaican music. Ska originated in the 1950s and is a precursor to rocksteady and reggae. The Catholic-run institution produced many of the genre’s greats, including trombonist Don Drummond and saxophonist Tommy McCook, both of the Skatalites.

“It’s like a dream come true for us to be in Kingston and even performing at the One World Ska and Rocksteady Music Festival, because this is the music we love, the music we put our passion into, the music that we’re devoted to… We’re extra happy,” said Alvado.

The outfit also comprises Uri Rovira (singer), Ahmed Boukarrouch (guitar/backing vocals), Marc Hernando (pianist), Jesus Fayos (trumpet), Eric Kopetz (double bass), Ruben Carmona (drummer), and Roger Espanol (saxophone).

During their stint in Jamaica, Soweto Ska Band recorded tracks at Tuff Gong studio in Kingston.

“We’re going back home to Barcelona to finish our new LP. We did some recordings at Tuff Gong. We recorded a couple of songs with Stranger Cole and a couple of our tunes played by us,” said Alvado.

How different is the Jamaican audience to those in Europe?

“Very different!” Alvado exclaimed.

For us, the concept of festival is that it would have been a bit younger crowd. Also, there were chairs for the audience which was strange for us… At European festivals, people dance and are much, much, much closer to the stage. This to us was like an audience similar to that of a theatre. However, they (the audience) were listening carefully,” he said.

The group was formed 18 years ago through a passion for Jamaican music.

“We play ska based on the Jamaican original bands like the Skatalites; we’re inspired by the likes of Jackie Opel and Desmond Dekker. We like playing the music we enjoy,” Alvado said.