Jojo Bennett was born in Kingston, Jamaica, where he started his musical career at the age of 10. He attended the Alpha Boys School where he learned to read, write and play music. After leaving school, the flugelhorn/trumpet player was a member of multiple bands in Jamaica, including the Jamaica Military Band, the Celestials, Byron Lee and the Dragonaries. During his time with the Dragonaries, Bennett was able to perform at Expo 67′ in Montreal, which influenced his move to Canada. Jojo Bennett had heard about the growing Jamaican community within Toronto, which ultimately led him to reside in Toronto rather than Montreal.

Bennett helped establish the reggae scene in the Toronto area during his time with the band The Fugitives. The group’s distinct sound was a hit which led them to play at venues around the city and tour around the province. In 1970, Jojo Bennett went on to record a solo album, Groovy Joe and toured with singer Afreen. Bennett would meet fellow musician Fergus Hambleton while on tour, and together they opened the Sattalites Music School on Eglinton West, now known as Little Jamaica. They combined their knowledge and tastes, and through the school they formed the band The Sattalites.

Bennet and Hambleton were the first members of the band, followed by Bennett’s son, Paul Bennett, David Fowler, Bruce McGillivray, Neville Francis, Rick Morrison, Bruce Robinson, and Felix Taylor. The group recorded six albums together and released their first album, Sattalites, in 1985. They would go on to release several albums and win two JUNO awards as well as several nominations. Due to their enthusiastic performances, there was a demand to see them live across Canada and even the United States. They were also invited to perform at Jamaica’s ‘Sunsplash’ festival, highlighting the impact they had on the Canadian Reggae scene.

The following years, Jojo Bennett faced some health issues as he suffered from multiple strokes, eventually his health had deteriorated, and unfortunately Bennett passed on August 3rd, 2021. That said, Jojo Bennett will be remembered as a talented musician and a contributor to the Canadian Reggae musical landscape.