For this Soul Revivers Special, David Hill celebrates the 60th anniversary of Jamaican independence with two hours of Ska, the music that soundtracked the era.
Through the 1950s, Jamaican sound systems played mainly US Rhythm & Blues and Jazz, but US tastes changed towards the end of the decade and the supply of fresh Rhythm & Blues records dried up. Jamaica’s response was to record its own version, and Jamaican shuffle was produced from the late 50s. These homegrown sounds soon evolved, and Ska was born when Ernest Ranglin first played the now distinctive guitar upstroke. Ska rapidly became the dominant music on the island and remained so until rocksteady fully landed in 1967.
This show includes music by the most influential Ska producers of the period – Coxsone Dodd of Studio One, Duke Reid of Treasure Isle, and Prince Buster. It covers hits by Alton Ellis, The Wailers and The Maytals, as well as deep jazz-led instrumentals from The Skatalites and Buster’s All Stars, featuring soloists Don Drummond, Roland Alphonso, Johnny ‘Dizzy’ Moore and Rico Rodriguez.
Soul Revivers Ska Special – The Sound of Jamaican Independence
1. Prince Buster All Stars ‘The Tickler’ (AKA 'Dark Destroyer’) JA Prince Buster blank 45
2. Rico Rodriguez and Johnny ‘Dizzy’ Moore 'Jumping with the Beat’ JA Moo’s blank 45
4. Hugh Godfrey ‘My Time’ JA Coxsone 45
5. Alton Ellis & The Flames ‘Dance Crasher’ JA Treasure Isle 45
6. Don Drummond ‘Further East’ JA Studio One 45
7. Soul Brothers ‘Shanty Town’ UK Island 45
8. Buster’s All Stars ‘Lion of Judah’ UK Blue Beat 45
9. Buster’s All Stars ‘Set Me Free’ UK Blue Beat 45
10. Ken Boothe & Stranger Cole ‘World’s Fair’ JA Coxsone blank 45
11. Slim Smith ‘The New Boss’ UK Island 45
12. Don Drummond and The Ska-Talites ‘Sudden Attack’ JA Wildbells 45
13. Buster’s All Stars ‘Vera Cruz’ UK Blue Beat 45
14. Baba Brooks & Roland Alphonso ‘Dreadnaught’ JA Beverley's blank 45
15. The Ethiopians ‘I Am Free’ UK Island 45
16. The Gaylads ‘Gal & Boy’ JA C and N 45
17. The Wailers ‘One Love’ JA Studio One 45
18. Buster’s All Stars ‘Congo Revolution’ UK Blue Beat 45
19. The Skatalites 'Ringo' JA Tuneico 45
20. The Skatalites ‘China Town’ JA Top Deck 45
21. The Skatalites ‘Malcolm X’ JA Pat’s 45
22. Soul Bros. ‘Confucious’ UK Pyramid 45
23. The Skatalites ‘Determination’ JA Soundeck 45
24. Don Drummond 'Fidel' JA Coxsone blank 45
25. The Soul Brothers ‘War Lord’ JA Coxsone blank 45
26. Delroy Wilson ‘Jerk All Night’ JA Muzik City blank 45
27. Clive & Naomi with The Baba Brooks Band ‘Say What You’re Saying’ JA Treasure Isle 45
28. The Wailers ‘Love and Affection’ JA Muzik City blank 45
29. Don Drummond ‘Love in the Afternoon’ JA Top Sound blank 45
30. Prince Buster All Stars ‘The Toughest’ JA Buster blank 45
31. Raymond Harper ‘Ska-Ta-Brain’ JA Doctor Bird blank 45
32. Don Drummond ‘Addis Ababa’ JA Coxsone blank 45
33. The Maytals ‘Dog War’ UK Island 45
34. Hugh Godfrey ‘Mad World’ JA Mu-Zik City blank 45
35. Prince Buster’s All Stars ‘Well Lash’ JA Olive Blossom blank 45
36. Lee Perry ‘Tackoo’ JA Roland & Powie blank 45
37. Vernon Allen ‘Babylon’ UK R&B 45
38. Don Drummond 'Last Call' JA Studio One 45
39. Prince Buster All Stars ‘Seven Wonders of the World’ JA Prince Buster blank 45
40. Tommy McCook and his Group 'Jam Rock' Port-o-Jam
41. Roland Alphonso & the Beverley All Stars ‘Song for My Father’ JA Beverley’s 45
42. Roland Alphonso ‘Adam’s Apple’ JA Allstars 45
43. The Sensations ‘You Should Have Known’ JA Treasure Island 45
44. Derrick Morgan ‘Take it Easy’ JA Mu-Zik City blank 45
45. Johnny Moore ‘Big Big Boss’ JA Matador 45