A GRASMERE hotelier is reviving his past life as keyboard player in one of Britain’s first critically acclaimed rock reggae bands.

Robert Whittington is playing with Huddersfield-born band Jab Jab for the first time in 35 years.

To celebrate the release of debut album ‘Keep On Smiling’ after 35 years in the vaults, the band will perform a reunion concert and their story is also the subject of a documentary film.

Lost reel-to-reel recordings were found in an attic last year and have been digitised, re-mastered and heard for the first time.

The much anticipated first album, features original Jab Jab music recorded between 1975-1980 with their unique fusion of rock, reggae, calypso, soca, punk, funk and Afro beats.

The reunion concert saw Jab Jab supporting The Beat at the Picturedrome’s Summer Ska Splash in Holmfirth, Yorkshire on Saturday.

The film will document the story, music and reformation of the band and the Huddersfield music scene.

Jab Jab, a mixed-race band from Huddersfield, Yorkshire were critically acclaimed in the music press for their high-energy music and concerts.

By the mid-late 70s they were playing over 200 gigs a year across Britain and Europe, amassing thousands of loyal fans.

They played with bands including The Jam, Chic, Dire Straits, Steel Pulse, The Clash, The Boomtown Rats, Heatwave and Toya Wilcox. They regularly featured in the music press and on television and radio.

Like many bands, Jab Jab’s story is bittersweet. Despite their success on the live circuit and being one of the highest paid non-recording bands in the UK, they remained unsigned, resulting in their music being unavailable outside their concerts.

The music press were positive that Jab Jab were going to be a big name, but despite much A&R and major record company interest, no recording deal was struck.

These days lead singer and bassist Joe Augustine plays rhythm guitar in a Huddersfield reggae band despite living with prostate cancer, Skinhead Dick is a soca radio DJ and former HGV driver Robert is an hotelier at Lancrigg Vegetarian Country House Hotel.

At the upcoming show Robert’s son Mike Whittington will also be bringing some young blood to the band, playing bass so Joe can focus on singing and rhythm guitar.