Roland Alphonso

Roland Alphonso OD or Rolando Alphonso "The Chief Musician" (12 January 1931 – 20 November 1998) was a Jamaican tenor saxophonist, and one of the founding members of the Skatalites.

Biography Born in Havana, Cuba, Alphonso came to Jamaica at the age of two with his Jamaican mother, and started to learn saxophone at the Stony Hill Industrial School.

In 1948 he left school to join Eric Deans' orchestra and soon passed through other bands in the hotel circuit and first recorded as a member of Stanley Motta's group in 1952, going on to record frequently as a session musician. In 1959 he joined the band of Cluett Johnson named Clue J & His Blues Blasters and backed many of Dodd's recording sessions in a typical Jamaican R&B style. He also acted as arranger at many of Dodd's recording sessions.

By 1960, he was recording for many other producers such as Duke Reid, Lloyd "The Matador" Daley and King Edwards, as well as continuing to work for Dodd, contributing alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, and flute to recordings. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Alphonso led the Ruinaires, the resident band at Ruins restaurant/nightclub, this coming to an end when he suffered a stroke at the age of 41. and started to tour more often in the US. He took part in the reformation of the Skatalites in 1983, with whom he toured and recorded constantly until he suffered a burst blood vessel in his head during a show at the Key Club in Hollywood on 2 November 1998.

Discography I Cover The Waterfront, 1962 – Port O Jam Hi-Fi – produced by Coxsone Dodd ABC Rock Steady (with The Originals Orchestra), 1968 – Gayfeet/High Note – produced by Sonia Pottinger The Best of Rolando Alphonso, 1973 – Studio One (compilation) – produced by Coxsone Dodd King of Sax, 1975 – Studio One (compilation) – produced by Coxsone Dodd Brighter Shade of Roots, 1982 – Imperial – produced by Bunny Lee Roll On, 1984 – Wackies – produced by Lloyd Barnes Something Special: Ska Hot Shots, 2000 – Heartbeat (compilation) – produced by Coxsone Dodd Max's Skansas City (Lost Recordings from the N.Y.C. Club) - Jungle Records (compilation)