ska
n. uncountablen. a style of fast dance music from Jamaica that started in the 1950s. It sounds like a mix of jazz and rhythm and blues, and it often uses trumpets and saxophones.
n. a genre of popular music originating in Jamaica in the late 1950s, characterized by a walking bassline accented with rhythms on the upbeat. Precursor to rocksteady and reggae, often featuring brass instruments and a fast tempo.
The band plays fast ska music that makes everyone dance.
Before reggae became famous worldwide, ska was the dominant sound in the dance halls of Kingston.
Origin uncertain. Probably imitative of the crisp guitar sound; other suggestions include a contraction of “skavoovie” (a word invented and used by musician Cluett Johnson), or of “speed polka”.
Usually functions as an uncountable noun when referring to the genre, though it can act as a modifier in phrases like 'ska band'.