When his father died in 1983, Donovan Sitadeen vowed to keep the Super Tone sound system he started in the 1960s alive. Nearly 40 years later, the ‘sound’ is scheduled to make its overseas debut.
Super Tone is on the bill for Rub A Dub Festival which takes place in Lithonia, Georgia on October 16. Shinehead, General Trees, Junior Cat, Little John and Brigadier Jerry are some of the artists who are down to perform.
“It was always my vision to build back my father soun’. Mi never have di time over di years but things different now an’ wi looking forward to doing some shows abroad,” said Sitadeen, who is known in dance circles as Sitladeen.
He actually started ‘rebuilding’ Super Tone in 2017 after an 11-year run as selector with Stur Gav, the vaunted sound system of legendary deejay U Roy.
Sitladeen traveled the world with U Roy, playing mainly at festivals in Europe and North America. Since assuming the reins of Super Tone, he has been a regular on the rural Jamaican dance circuit including multiple dates in his home parish of Clarendon.
Super Tone, like Stur Gav, has a playlist dominated by classic rock steady songs and ‘riddims’ from Studio One and Treasure Isle.
Their dances usually feature old school toasters including Josey Wales, Charlie Chaplin, Brigadier Jerry and General Trees, all of whom helped make Stur Gav a lethal force in the 1980’s.
Super Tone does also contemporary reggae to attract a younger audience.
“We’ll play some Jesse Royal, Chronixx, and Protoje but slack or out of order. Dat not allowed,” said Sitladeen.
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