Ska: The Rhythm of Liberation is written by North American journalist and teacher Heather Augustyn, and the book is part of the music series, Tempo, that offers the ‘ideal introduction to major pop and rock artists, the music they produce, and their cultural and musical impact on society’ (back cover). This suggests that the targeted readership is geared towards a general audience and early career scholars. Ska is a popular genre but one seldom discussed in (academic) literature. Therefore, Augustyn offers an insight on the development of this genre. The author insists that ska is indeed not ‘granny's music’ or an ‘oldie’ (p. 144), and she explores this issue with 10 chapters and a useful timeline, via which one can begin to understand on how the music has influenced other genres such as punk and pop. With its main musical roots arising from Africa, and more significantly, Jamaica, Augustyn does not shy away from its association with reggae, and offers a convincing argument on why ska is a stand-alone genre. She achieves this by journeying from the Jamaican roots to its socio-cultural impact on the island, and elsewhere, notably the UK and US.

In Chapter 1, ‘Stoking the Fire’, Augustyn explores the history of Jamaica. While that history may be familiar to some, Augustyn was correct not to ignore this crucial segment because it demonstrates how the different historical moments of inhabitants, events and musical-cultural developments have helped to shape Jamaica. The accessibility of instruments and the steady growth of technology proved to be a major contribution in Jamaica as demonstrated in ‘Music is My Occupation’ (Chapter 2). From the 1920s onwards, jazz was popular in the Jamaican music scene. Interestingly, however, Augustyn notes claims that jazz originated in Jamaica and not New Orleans, but curiously this not further elaborated upon. The author then identifies a social class division (jazz for example was exposed to the elite). However this divide did not prevent aspiring musicians who wanted to play jazz such as the students who attended the Alpha Boys School, whose work Augustyn discusses fondly. The graduates of this school (e.g. trombonist Don Drummond) were fortunate to find work as professional musicians in Jamaica and abroad. Returning to the social class divide, Augustyn focuses on sound system culture. The significance of this culture is discussed and how its operators–deejays–producers played music in open-air places to consumers of the working class. The intention of social groups immersing in music together was to escape oppression and the economical–political situation (p. 25).

Ska (and rocksteady), the precursor to reggae, begins its journey in Chapter 3 (‘Freedom Sound’). The Skatalites (graduates of the Alpha Boys School) contributed to the musical sound of ska, along with musicians/producers/toasters such as Lloyd Knibb, Prince Buster and Derrick Morgan. There was not, however, a place for women producers owing to the male-dominated music industry. Augustyn makes the reader aware of these issues with a reference to the woman producer, Sonia Pottinger, an unsung hero. Ska gave the musicians a unique sound, which helped to shape the musical–cultural identity of Jamaica as confirmed in ‘Out of Many, One People’ (Chapter 4). Here, Augustyn looks at Jamaica's independence from Britain. While the independence was a sign towards a hopeful future, there were obstacles that prevented the island from looking forward. Social class (including musical tastes) was an issue, still. The government and elite class enjoyed home-made classical music while the working classes were immersed in ska. The media, as argued by Augustyn, only became interested in ska when the politician Edward Seaga used the music in his electoral campaign. By 1966, ska was in decline owing to rapid changes in society, e.g. the acceptance of Rastafarianism, social problems of the Rude Boys and the emergence of roots reggae.

Chapter 5 examines the ‘Winter of Discontent’ in the UK. Augustyn presents an overview of Caribbean migration to Britain, and the migrants' (dis)placement in British culture and society. The arrival of ska in the 1960s is discussed along with subcultures (e.g. Rude Boys and Skinheads), and the unusual musical relationship between reggae and punk in the 1970s. Augustyn argues that the social issues of oppression and inequality were protested against by the working class youths (regardless of race) by listening to reggae and punk, or alternatively, its mediator, ska, ‘through which they returned to the roots of reggae to find a tempo more akin to punk, a similar energy, a similar message’ (p. 70). The historical-socio-cultural issues presented here neatly lead onto ‘British Ska in a Fractured Nation’ (Chapter 6), where Augustyn refers to the late Margaret Thatcher's insensitive comment on immigration. The bleak tone of British culture and society increased when the nation became Thatcher's Britain. While resistance culture was advocated by the working class youths, the second wave of ska was forming. Spearheaded by Jerry Dammers (founder of the Specials and 2Tone records), this movement musically fought for equality and racial unity. Augustyn also dwells on Eric Clapton's infamous critique of immigration, which resulted in the Rock Against Racism campaign, as well as exploring the opposition ska musicians received, and how the song ‘Ghost Town’ (by the Specials) marked the end of the ska revival. Augustyn believes that Dammers's revival of ska had served its purpose when the ‘blacks [were acknowledged] as British citizens’ (p. 83). While this is plausible, the migrants still had to fight for their rights in society.

In Chapters 7 (‘East Side Beat’) and 8 (‘Ska in the Key of Sunshine’), Augustyn looks at ska in the east and west coasts of the US. She stresses that ska took more of a genre-blending approach, and was based on broader topics rather than just social issues. The mod revival on the west coast encouraged the popularity of ska, and from the late 1980s onwards the Moon Records label and famous groups such as No Doubt and Mighty Bosstones emerged. Although the development of ska in the US is somewhat different from that in the UK, Augustyn argues that it is musically important that ska remained active as it drew people together. However, this particular ska scene was short lived because it was perceived as novelty in popular culture (Chapter 9, ‘Ska Boom and Ska Bust’). While the three waves of ska are associated with specific time periods and locations, Augustyn claims that ska has not ended. She observes that the genre is developing globally in ‘Ska All Over The World’, the final chapter. This chapter makes it clear that ska is still being celebrated globally (e.g. Italy and Japan). As the music has globally developed into various styles, Augustyn argues that ska can be no longer defined as Jamaican, British or American, but is instead ‘people's music’ (p. 144) – and this concept can easily relate to other genres such as (global) hip hop.

This book serves as a convincing introduction to the ska genre. Although the book is not deeply focused on music theory and the genre's technicality, Augustyn does present arguments about how and why ska developed, and how the genre represents its musicians, audience, culture and society. Just like the other genres, ska has a past, middle and present – and events like the yearly International Ska Festival in London confirm this. Augustyn assures us that ska is truly alive and well – after all, ska is the ‘rhythm of liberation’.