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Ska Bonanza: The Studio One Ska Years

 
Album Review: Ska Bonanza: The Studio One Ska Years
 

  • Artist: Various Artists
  • Rating: StarStarStarStarStar
  • Release Date: 1991
  • Total Time: 108:32
  • Type: Collection (various artists)
  • 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 Guide

Tracks



CD 1

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Nimble Foot Ska The Skatalites (3:07)
Spred Satin The Skatalites (2:55)
Arte Bella Ken Boothe, Stranger Cole (2:34)
Streets of Gold Roland Alphonso, Soul Vendors (2:52)
A De Pon Dem Rita Anderson Marley and the Wai, The Wailers (2:45)
Black Sunday The Skatalites The Skatalites (2:55)
Don't Want Your Loving Cornell Campbell (2:44)
Old Fowl Ska Roland Alphonso (2:10)
Enna Bella Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, Eric "Monty" Morris Eric "Monty" Morris (1:55)
Jezebel Wayne Shanklin Clue J's Blues Blasters, Owen Grey (2:34)
Always on a Sunday Frank Anderson, Tommy McCook (2:27)
Sugar Bag Lee "Scratch" Perry (2:30)
Settle Down Tommy McCook, Johnny "Dizzy" Moore, Lester Sterling (2:48)
Turn Me On The Checkmates (3:04)
When the Well Runs Dry Bunny & Skitter (2:28)
Wheel and Turn Frank Anderson, Tommy McCook (2:42)
Oceans 11 Roland Alphonso, Cecil Lloyd (3:40)
Over the River The Jiving Juniors (2:05)
My Heaven Alton Ellis, Aubrey Adams, Eddie Parkins (2:32)
Set Back (aka Just Cool) Roland Alphonso Roland Alphonso, Carrol McLaughlin (2:19)
Du Du Wap Aubrey Adams, Chuck & Dobby (2:14)
Don Cosmic Don Drummond Don Drummond (2:33)


CD 2

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Man in the Street Don Drummond, Roland Alphonso, Moore, Tommy McCook, Jackie Mittoo, Lester Sterling, Mittoo Brivett 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 Andy and Joey (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 Rico, Aubrey Adams (2:29)
Answer Me My Darling Derrick Harriott (2:20)
River Jordan Clancy Eccles, Hersang & The City Slickers (2:52)
Salt Lane Shuffle Clue J's Blues Blasters (3:14)
Jeannie Girl The Charmers (2:32)
Lonely Moments Clue J's Blues Blasters, Lascelles Perkins (2:42)

Credits

Ken Boothe (Performer), Ken Boothe (?), Alton Ellis (Performer), Alton Ellis (?), Toots & the Maytals (Performer), Toots & the Maytals (?), Bob Marley (Performer), Bob Marley (?), Rita Marley (Performer), The Skatalites (Performer), The Skatalites (?), Cornell Campbell (Performer), Checkmates Ltd. (Performer), Don Drummond (Performer), Don Drummond (?), Roland Alphonso (Performer), Roland Alphonso (?), Clancy Eccles (Performer), Clancy Eccles (?), Dobby Dobson (Performer), Aubrey Adams (Performer), Aubrey Adams (?), Glen Adams (Digital Transfers), Frank Anderson (Performer), Frank Anderson (?), Rita Anderson Marley and the Wai (Performer), Rita Anderson Marley and the Wai (?), Andy and Joey (Performer), Andy and Joey (?), Bunny & Skitter (Performer), Bunny & Skitter (?), The Charmers (?), The Checkmates (Performer), The Checkmates (?), Stranger Cole (Performer), Clement "Coxsone" Dodd (Producer), Clement "Coxsone" Dodd (Engineer), Clement "Coxsone" Dodd (Photography), Clement "Coxsone" Dodd (Digital Transfers), Clement "Coxsone" Dodd (Compilation Producer), The Gaylads (Performer), The Gaylads (?), Owen Gray (?), Clue J's Blues Blasters (?), The Jiving Juniors (Performer), The Jiving Juniors (?), Chuck Josephs (Performer), Chuck Josephs (?), Cecil Lloyd (Performer), Cecil Lloyd (?), Tommy McCook (Performer), Carrol McLaughlin (Performer), Eric "Monty" Morris (Performer), Eric "Monty" Morris (?), Dr. Toby Mountain (Digital Remastering), Jackie Opel (Performer), Jackie Opel (?), Lascelles Perkins (Performer), Lascelles Perkins (?), Lee "Scratch" Perry (Performer), Lester Sterling (Performer), Lester Sterling (?), Dennis Thompson (Digital Transfers), The Wailers (Performer), Nancy Given (Design), Nancy Given (Hand Tinting), Derrick Harriott (Performer), Rico Rodriguez (Performer), Graham Goodall (Engineer), Owen Grey (Performer), Soul Vendors (Performer), Chris Wilson (Liner Notes), Chris Wilson (Production Coordination), Chris Wilson (Photography), Chris Wilson (Digital Transfers), Chris Wilson (Compilation Producer), Courtney Dodd (Digital Transfers), Hersang & The City Slickers (Performer), Eddie Parkins (Performer)
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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more

 

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