Skipper's Smokehouse hosts Island Night every Wednesday. This evening's edition features Birmingham, England reggae singer/toaster Pato Banton with California's Mystic Roots backing him up. Yes, it's supposed to get pretty chilly tonight. No, that shouldn't deter from going to the show. Here's some stuff about him you probably don't know:
1. Last year, Banton released his 16th studio album, Destination Paradise, which, according to reviews, continues his graceful evolution from a strictly reggae artist to a world musician.
2. Banton's stepfather (Lester Daley) was a DJ fresh out of Jamaica and the house in which they lived was the weekend night spot for the local community. Pato, at age 9, was apparently the lookout for these illegal parties and the unexpected result was an education and interest in reggae music.
This article appears in Feb 4-10, 2009.