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Joseph. JO-JO" Bennett officially began his musical career at the age of 10 when he enrolled at Alpha Boys' School in
Kingston, Jamaica to begin formal studies in Jazz and the Classics. He began playing the drums but made a voluntary switch
soon after to playing the trumpet. He became very proficient in musical theory in general and a long time before graduation
he was allowed by the Institution to instruct new arrivals in musical theory and practice. After graduation he played as lead
trumpeter with the Jamaica Military Band for quite a while. His classical music involvement after training was short as JO-JO
was being aggressively pursued to perform on the Pop Circuit by the Caribbean leading orchestras.
JO-JO Bennett left the Military Band to perform on Jamaica's North Coast but was courted by the island's leading orchestra
Byron Lee & The Dragonnaires and he recorded several albums with them before choosing to stay in Canada after the groups
impressive show at Expo 67.
Once settled in Toronto, JO-JO organized his first Canadian performing group called "The Fugitives" whose home
base was the West Indian Federation Club in Toronto. In the seventies and eighties Bennett was involved in many musical venture
in Canada (Toronto) and was the prime mover behind the establishment of the first (and only) Black controlled music school.
At this time instructions in the Reggae music genre was introduced under his tutelage. In 1970 while on hiatus in his homeland
Jamaica, Bennett released his first and only album "Groovey Joe" while performing live and doing studio work for
numerous record companies. He
had several single disc hits while at home, his most memorable "Leaving Rome" thus establishing his talent on
an international level. He returned to Canada in the late seventies and shortly after in 1979 registered his music label "BUNJO".
JO-JO Bennett is currently the leader (Guru) of the Toronto based Pop-Reggae band "The Sattalites", a band that
is the winner of numerous music awards including a Juno in 1990. A 'rabble-rouser' as he as been dubbed by music critics,
this entertainer still has the exuberance
and charm of a youth just discovering music. To meet and talk with the veteran off stage however, he provides no insight
at all as to his on stage 'rabble rousing', he becomes deeply introverted and on-exhibitionist. If asked about his plans
for the future he states "I just take it one day at a time"
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