The Sattalites came together over twenty years ago in Toronto, Ontario as a music school; from then they’ve flourished across Canada as a very influential reggae group. They signed with the Canadian record label Solid Gold Records who have signed on Canadian Bands such as Chilliwack and The Headpins early on in their career and have been with them ever since. The worldly vibe that they emit comes from a wide variety of instruments and vocals and their peaceful attitude towards life.
History
Jo Jo Bennett and Fergus Hambleton, the first members of The Sattalites, met while touring with reggae crooner Leroy Sibbles. From there the pair began performing together, mixing Bennett’s various instrumental grooves with Hambleton’s smooth alto voice to create the unique Sattalite sound. The band kicked off as a teaching group who opened The Sattalite Music School on a pay what you can basis to spread their influence in 1981. The Sattalites consisted of various types of students from the school who wanted to get a sense of live performing. By 1982 The Sattalites had melded into a collaboration of musicians from exceptionally talented beginners to experienced pros, some of which still exist in the present day. They became very well known for their enthusiastic live performances which initiated their extensive touring across Canada and the United States. They were the only Canadian band ever invited to play at Jamaica’s “Sunsplash”, playing for over 25,000 people and they gave an excellent performance at the 93/94 World Skiing Championship in Whistler, B.C.. As two time Juno winners, The Sattalites are known as Canada’s longest standing reggae group
Members
The Sattalites are a very well rounded musical group instrumentally. There are seven members who are almost all multi instrumentalists working together to create the smooth and unique sound that they are known for. Over the history of the group there has been a number of different members who have been in and out due to the large range of instruments used. Fergus Hambleton has been the front man vocalist since the bands beginning but is accompanied by Jo Jo Bennett and Bruce Robinson. Hambleton also plays the guitar, alto sax, and the keyboard for The Sattalites and has played in a number of other bands including A Passing Fancy and The Ginger Group in his four decades of musical career. Jo Jo Bennett, an equal founder of the group focuses his talents not only on vocals but on the flugelhorn and percussions. The other five members David Fowler, Bruce McGillivray, Junior McPherson, Rick Morrison and Bruce Robinson bring it all together with Fowler on keyboards, McGillivray on Bass, McPherson on drums and electronic percussion, Morrison on saxophone and Robinson on piano and vocals. With different attitude and flavor coming from each member they are a genre of their own.
