It’s with a heavy heart that we report that long-time running Hawaiian ska, rocksteady, and reggae act Go Jimmy Go has announced they will be calling it quits after almost 20 years of making music. In the spirit of giving everyone heads up, they’ve decided to play all the shows they’ve already got booked and will host a final show in Honolulu in Spring of 2015. That’s plenty of time to get a flight!

I feel fortunate enough that I had the chance to see them. The first and only time I ever saw Go Jimmy Go was in January of 2006 at the Middle East Upstairs with The Toasters and local band In The Face. The place was packed and the whole crowd was moving. Needless to say, it’s probably pretty darn difficult for an independent band on an island to tour the mainland so I’m grateful for the opportunity.

The band has 5 albums to show for their time, the most recent of which was a self-titled release in 2009. The Girl with the Fishbowl Eyes, released in 2005 remains my favorite record, but they’re all strong releases. “The island sound known world round,” their music for fans of traditional ska, smooth rocksteady, and their own special flavor of reggae. We will miss them. Enjoy some of my favorite jams below:

Go Jimmy Go – “In Between Times”

Go Jimmy Go – “Set Me Free”

Go Jimmy Go – “Push Me Out”