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Tommy McCook

Tommy McCook (1927–1998): tenor saxophonist and bandleader, founding member of the Skatalites, then leader of the Supersonics at Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle. “Freedom Sounds”, “Down on Bond Street”, “Ska Jam”.

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Early years

Thomas Matthew McCook was born on 4 March 1927. Some sources give his birthplace as Havana, Cuba, with a move to Jamaica in 1933; others give Kingston. He entered the Alpha Boys School in 1938 and took up tenor saxophone at eleven. He cited jazz players John Coltrane, Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins and Lester Young as his main influences, and played in Eric Deans' orchestra before spending several years working in Nassau, Bahamas.

The Skatalites

Back in Kingston in the early 1960s, McCook became a founding member of the Skatalites in 1964 alongside Roland Alphonso, Don Drummond and Lester Sterling in the horn section. "Freedom Sounds" is among the Studio One sides associated with him.

The Supersonics

After the Skatalites split in 1965, McCook led Tommy McCook and the Supersonics, the house band at Duke Reid's Treasure Isle studio. The Supersonics backed Treasure Isle's rocksteady singers, including Alton Ellis, the Paragons and the Techniques, and cut instrumentals such as "Ska Jam", "Down on Bond Street" and a version of the Beatles' "Michelle".

Later work

In the 1970s McCook recorded widely for Bunny Lee as part of the Aggrovators studio band and continued to work with Coxsone Dodd, appearing on dub and instrumental albums credited to Tommy McCook and the Aggrovators. He received Jamaica's Order of Distinction in 1975 and toured with the reformed Skatalites from 1983. After a heart attack in 1995 he stopped touring. He died of pneumonia and heart failure in Conyers, Georgia, on 5 May 1998.

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Down On Bond Street
Down On Bond StreetTommy McCook & The Supersonics - Topic
Tommy McCook & The Supersonics - "Michelle" (Official Audio)
Tommy McCook & The Supersonics - "Michelle" (Official Audio)Trojan Records Official
Tommy McCook & The Supersonics - Ska Jam
Tommy McCook & The Supersonics - Ska JamTrojan Box Set
Tommy McCook - Freedom Sounds
Tommy McCook - Freedom SoundsGioSkaRocksteady
Tommy McCook - Real Cool (196-)
Tommy McCook - Real Cool (196-)GOLDEN EAR
Every record

Discography

Pulled from Discogs. Titles in yellow have a full page on Breakbeat Archive.

Studio albums 8

  1. 1969Greater Jamaica Moon Walk - ReggayTreasure IsleeBayDiscogs
  2. 1974The Sannic Sounds Of Tommy McCook (Horny Dub)Micron Music LimitedeBayDiscogs
  3. 1976Reggae In JazzEveeBayDiscogs
  4. 1977InstrumentalJustice (2)eBayDiscogs
  5. 1978Lovers RockRoots ManeBayDiscogs
  6. 1995Cookin' ShuffleJAeBayDiscogs
  7. 1998The Authentic Ska Sound Of Tommy McCookMoon SkaeBayDiscogs
  8. 2022Reggay At It's BestLanarc EnterpriseseBayDiscogs

Collaborative albums 12

  1. 1964Latin Goes SkaTommy McCook & The Skatalites · Treasure IsleeBayDiscogs
  2. 1974Green MangoBobby* And Tommy* · Attack (7)eBayDiscogs
  3. 1975Brass RockersBunny Lee & King Tubby Present Tommy McCook And The Aggravators* · Total SoundseBayDiscogs
  4. 1975Step Forward YouthI Roy* vs. Prince Jazbo* / Tommy McCook And The Agrovators* · Live And LoveeBayDiscogs
  5. 1975King Tubby Meets The Agrovators At Dub StationTommy McCook & The Agrovators* · Live and LoveeBayDiscogs
  6. 1976Lovers TimeTommy McCook & The Agrovators* · Carl's RecordseBayDiscogs
  7. 1977Blazing HornsTommy McCook & Bobby Ellis · Grove MusiceBayDiscogs
  8. 1977Super Star - Disco RockersTommy McCook & The Agrovators* · Weed BeateBayDiscogs
  9. 1982Yabby U Meets Sly & Robbie Along With Tommy Mc CookYabby U* Meets Sly & Robbie Along With Tommy McCook · WLN Music, WLN MusiceBayDiscogs
  10. 1995Blazing Horns In DubSly & Robbie Presents Dean Fraser, Tommy McCook And The Skatalites · Rhino RecordseBayDiscogs
  11. —Sly And Robbie Presents Tommy McCook Sly & Robbie Presents Tommy McCook · Carl's RecordseBayDiscogs
  12. —How Am I Gonna Live/Bubbling Horn/Mysterious NatureBob Andy / Rupie Edwards All Stars Featuring Tommy McCook / The African Brothers* · Success (2)eBayDiscogs

Compilations 7

  1. 1998Cook With McCookLCK DM DisceBayDiscogs
  2. 1999Tribute To Tommy - The Best Of Tommy McCook And The SkatalitesHeartbeat RecordseBayDiscogs
  3. 2003Blazing Horns / Tenor In RootsBlood & FireeBayDiscogs
  4. 2004Tommy McCook Featuring Bobby EllisAttackeBayDiscogs
  5. 2005Real Cool: The Jamaican King Of The Saxophone '66-'77Trojan RecordseBayDiscogs
  6. 2011Dubbing With HornsJamaican RecordingseBayDiscogs
  7. 2020Horns Man DubJamaican RecordingseBayDiscogs
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