Jackie Mittoo

Jackie Mittoo, born Donat Roy Mittoo on 3 March 1948 in Brown's Town, Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica, was a keyboardist, songwriter, musical director, and Broadway book writer. Of partial Indo-Jamaican descent, he began studying piano at the age of three under the instruction of his grandmother. He died of cancer on 16 December 1990 at the age of 42, having entered hospital just four days earlier.

Mittoo's professional career took shape in the 1960s through his membership in several prominent Jamaican musical groups, including the Skatalites, the Sheiks, the Soul Brothers, the Soul Vendors, and Sound Dimension. During this period he composed songs including "Darker Shade of Black," "Feel Like Jumping," and "Baby Why," and collaborated with Lloyd "Matador" Daley in 1968 and 1969. He also served as musical director for the Studio One record label. His 1970 composition "Peanie Wallie" was reworked into "Duppy Conqueror," subsequently recorded by The Wailers, and his song "Wishbone" became a hit in 1971. A 1966 recording, "Free Soul," made with the Soul Brothers, was later sampled in Lily Allen's 2006 song "Smile."

In the mid-1970s, Mittoo emigrated to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where he recorded the albums Wishbone, Reggae Magic, and Let's Put It All Together. He founded the Stine-Jac record label, operated a record store, and performed regularly in Toronto-area lounges throughout the decade. He also supported a number of Toronto-area reggae musicians, among them Earth, Roots and Water, Esso Jaxxon, Carl Harvey, Lord Tanamo, Boyo Hammond, Carl Otway, the Sattalites, Jackie James, and Jason Wilson. He continued recording for Jamaican producers during this period, primarily Bunny Lee, and co-wrote "Armagideon Time" with Willi Williams, released in 1980 and later recorded by the Clash.

During the 1980s, Mittoo frequently collaborated with Sugar Minott. In 1985 he traveled to Ghana with the British band Musical Youth, recording material that was later released as Jackie Mittoo in Africa. He briefly rejoined the Skatalites in 1989 before his health began to decline, and in 1989 and 1990 he recorded Wild Jockey for Lloyd Barnes' Wackies label. He also played additional keyboards on three tracks from UB40's Labour of Love, released in 1983.

On Broadway, Mittoo contributed as a book writer to the musical Reggae. His funeral took place at the National Arena in Kingston, Jamaica, on 2 January 1991, attended by figures including Hortense Ellis, Neville "Tinga" Stewart, Desmond "Desi Roots" Young, Ruddy Thomas, Tommy Cowan, and Clement "Coxsone" Dodd. A memorial concert was held around the same time, featuring performances by Vin Gordon, Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace, Glen "Bagga" Fagan, Pablo Black, Robbie Lyn, Michael "Ibo" Cooper, Ken Boothe, Delroy Wilson, Carlene Davis, Tinga Stewart, and others. Dodd remarked upon Mittoo's death that he had been "an ambassador of our music worldwide."

Mittoo's legacy has continued to receive recognition in subsequent decades. Superchunk referenced him in their 2013 song "Me & You & Jackie Mittoo" from the album I Hate Music. His contributions to reggae music in Canada, including recordings of his performances on CBC-TV, were featured in the 2018 CBC documentary series From the Vaults. In 2024, his album Macka Fat was named the jury winner of the Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize at the Polaris Music Prize.