Similar Albums:
How the West Was Won,
Streets of Ska,
King Kong Compilation: The Historic Reggae Recordings,
Best of Studio One, Vol. 1,
Rough Guide to Reggae,
Best of Studio One,
Roots Reggae Essentials,
This Is Reggae Music: The Golden Era 1960-1975,
Dreadlocks, The Time Is Now,
Treasure Isle Mood,
Exodus,
Real Jamaica Ska [1993]
- Artist:
Various Artists - Rating:
- Release Date: 1991
- Total Time: 108:32
- Type: Compilation (best of)
- Genre: Reggae
Review
41-song, double-CD compilation of '60s ska, produced by Clement S. Dodd, largely (if not totally; the documentation is vague) at Studio One. Most of the big names of ska's vintage era are represented: Bob Marley & the Wailers, the Skatalites, Lee Perry, Don Drummond, Toots & the Maytals, Alton Ellis. Considering that ska's sometimes thought of as a homogenous style, the range of actual sounds and variants is impressive. There's New Orleans R&B-derivations, doo-wop-influenced ska, Motownish uptempo struts, soulful slower tunes, and instrumentals. The cuts by the unknowns include pleasurable surprises that match or exceed the ones by the stars; Frank Anderson's tropical instrumental "Wheel and Turn," for instance, or the goofy modern doo-wop jive of Chuck Josephs' "Du Du Wap." It isn't necessarily the best ska compilation that could have been concocted; Scandal Ska, to name just one, is on the whole a more exciting anthology. It is, however, one of the best of the relatively few available, and thus for the time being merits the highest rating. It's since been divided into two separate compilations, Streets of Ska and Go Ska Go. But get the original two-disc version if you can, as it's more convenient to have all the tracks and liner notes in one place. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music GuideTracks
CD 1
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Nimble Foot Ska | The Skatalites | (3:07) | |
| Spred Satin | The Skatalites | (2:55) | |
| Arte Bella | Ken Boothe, Stranger Cole | (2:34) | |
| Streets of Gold | (2:52) | ||
| A De Pon Dem | (2:45) | ||
| Black Sunday | The Skatalites | The Skatalites | (2:55) |
| Don't Want Your Loving | Cornel Campbell | (2:44) | |
| Old Fowl Ska | Roland Alphonso | (2:10) | |
| Enna Bella | (1:55) | ||
| Jezebel | (2:34) | ||
| Always on a Sunday | Tommy McCook, |
(2:27) | |
| Sugar Bag | Lee "Scratch" Perry | (2:30) | |
| Settle Down | Tommy McCook, |
(2:48) | |
| Turn Me On | (3:04) | ||
| When the Well Runs Dry | (2:28) | ||
| Wheel and Turn | Tommy McCook, |
(2:42) | |
| Oceans 11 | (3:40) | ||
| Over the River | The Jiving Juniors | (2:05) | |
| My Heaven | Alton Ellis, |
(2:32) | |
| Set Back (aka Just Cool) | Roland Alphonso | Roland Alphonso, |
(2:19) |
| Du Du Wap | (2:14) | ||
| Don Cosmic | Don Drummond | Don Drummond | (2:33) |
CD 2
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Man in the Street | Jackie Mittoo, |
Don Drummond | (3:12) |
| Simmer Down | Bob Marley | Bob Marley, The Wailers | (2:48) |
| Shining Light | Toots & the Maytals | (2:24) | |
| Push Wood | Jackie Opel | (2:27) | |
| Wonder No More | (2:18) | ||
| Bongo Tango | Roland Alphonso | (3:23) | |
| Sucu Sucu | Roland Alphonso | (2:13) | |
| 20.75 | Roland Alphonso | (2:34) | |
| Stop Making Love | The Gaylads | (2:18) | |
| How Many Times | Bob Marley | Bob Marley, The Wailers | (2:49) |
| Roll on Sweet Don | Roland Alphonso, Clement "Coxsone" Dodd | Don Drummond, Roland Alphonso | (3:28) |
| Sit Down Servant | Jackie Opel | (2:09) | |
| Go Jimmy Go | Bob Marley, The Wailers | (2:27) | |
| Stew Peas and Cornflakes | (2:29) | ||
| Answer Me My Darling | Derrick Harriott | (2:20) | |
| River Jordan | (2:52) | ||
| Salt Lane Shuffle | (3:14) | ||
| Jeannie Girl | The Charmers | (2:32) | |
| Lonely Moments | (2:42) |
