Track Listing
Disc: 1
1. We Are in the Mood [Take 2] - Royals
2. Come on Little Girl [Take Two] - The Melodians
3. Things You Say You Love - The Jamaicans
4. Tide Is High - The Paragons
5. You Don't Need Me - The Melodians
6. Rock Steady - Phyllis Dillon
7. Soul Style - Duke Reid's Group
8. Can't Stand It - Alton Ellis, Lloyd Williams
9. Queen Majesty - The Techniques
10. Heartaches - Vic Taylor
11. Midnight Hour - The Silvertones
12. Midnight Hour - U-Roy
13. My Best Girl - The Paragons
14. Loving Pauper - Dobby Dobson
15. I'll Get Along Without You - The Melodians
16. I'll Never Fall in Love - The Sensations
17. Traveling Man - The Techniques
18. Don't Stay Away - Phyllis Dillon
19. La-La (Means I Love You) - Alton Ellis
20. Hey Leroy, Your Mama's Callin' You - Honey Boy Martin
Disc: 2
1. No Good Rudie [Take Three] - Justin Hinds & Dominoes
2. Everybody Bawling - U-Roy
3. Ba Ba Boom - The Jamaicans
4. Cry Tough [Extended Version] - Alton and the Flames
5. You Have Caught Me - The Melodians
6. Perfidia - Phyllis Dillon
7. Those Guys - The Sensations
8. Ranglin on Bond St. - Ernest and Tommy
9. Girl I've Got a Date [Alternate Version] - Alton Ellis
10. How I Wish It Would Rain - The Techniques
11. It's Raining - The Three Tops
12. Love Is a Treasure - Freddie McKay
13. You Done Me Wrong - Tyrone and the Slickers
14. Right Track - Phyllis Dillon, Hopeton Lewis
15. Everyday Is a Holiday - The Sensations
16. Holiday Version - Winston Wright
17. Come Back My Darling [False Start] - Girl Satchmo
18. Come Back My Darling - Girl Satchmo
19. Mother's Tender Care [Take Two] - The Ethiopians
20. My Girl - The Techniques
21. Moonlight Lover - Joya Landis
Review
Now we've moved away from Ska on the Jamaican Music Mojo Specials and into Rock Steady, the more sultry development of Jamaican music, somewhere between Ska and Reggae. This is a pretty nifty collection of tracks.
The album is named after the producer of all these tracks, Duke Reid, who really gives them his own sonority. In fact you can really divide Jamaican music as much by producers as by musicians, as the music often reflects the producer's ethos as much as the musicians.
I particularly like some versions of well known songs in Rock Steady rhythm here, such as La-La (Love You) or Midnight Hour, but then there are plenty of classic originals such as Tide is High, famously covered by Blondie or We Are in the Mood. This is much more dancy music than ska and while it does not have anywhere near the edge of Prince Buster it is pretty good "pop", or an equivalent of pop, which makes the covers particularly adequate. Great Stuff.
Track Highlights
1. La-La (Love You)
2. Tide is High
3. We Are in the Mood
4. Midnight Hour
Final Grade
9/10
Trivia
From Wikipedia:
After serving 10 years as a Jamaican Police Officer, Reid left the force to help his wife Lucille run the family business, The Treasure Isle Grocery and Liquor Store.
He made his way into the music business first as a sound system (outdoor mobile discothèque) owner, promoter and disc jockey. He quickly overtook Tom the Great Sebastian and his sound system as the most popular sound system in Jamaica. Soon he was also sponsor and presenter of a radio show, Treasure Isle Time. A jazz and blues man at heart, Duke chose 'My Mother's Eyes' by Tab Smith as his theme tune. Other favourites of his included Fats Domino, a noticeable influence on the early Duke Reid sound.
Tide is High by the Paragons:
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