Treasure Isle SKA

This specially curated collection brings together the most “treasured” SKA hits produced by the legendary Jamaican label owner Arthur “Duke” Reid.

Jamaica was blessed at the time with a surfeit of great musicians, some who had learned their craft in the jazz and dance bands that played in the island's upmarket resorts, whilst others had come up through the ranks of the Alpha Boys School band. These musicians would fuel the bands that worked long hours in the studios. To augment them there was always an ample supply of singers, keen to make their mark, filtering through from talent shows and song contests. It is from this world that SKA bubbled up, and left Duke Reid in poll position to make some of not just the finest, but also the most exciting SKA records of the era.

“We could fill this album several times over, but this Solid Ska, all-killer–no-filler collection is the perfect starting point for anyone wanting to find out what Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle is all about.” DEAN RUDLAND

TRACKLIST LP

SIDE A 

1. BABA BROOKS - Watermelon Man

2. ERIC MORRIS & BA BA BROOKS BAND - Strongman Sampson

3. TOMMY McCOOK & HIS SKATALITES - Silver Dollar

4. THE TECHNIQUES - Little Did you Know

5. THE SKATALITES - Latin Goes Ska

6. GLORIA & THE DREAMLETS - Really Now

7. STRANGER COLE - Run Joe

8. THE SKATALITES - Occupation

SIDE B

1. BABA BROOKS BAND - Independence Ska (Pussycat)

2. JUSTIN HINDS & THE DOMINOS - Love Up Push Up

3. BABA BROOKS BAND - Guns Fever

4. ALTON AND THE FLAMES - Dance Crasher

5. DON DRUMMOND WITH TOMMY McCOOK BAND -Lucky Seven

6. THE ZODIACS - Renegade

7. BABA BROOKS - Duck Soup

8. OWEN AND LEON SILVERA WITH TOMMY McCOOK AND THE SKATALITES - The Fits Is On Me