Imagine Jamaica at the end of the 1950s, already gripped by Independence fever as the new nation prepares for the lowering of the flag in 1962. In downtown Kingston the sound systems are booming and competition for the freshest tunes is ferocious. Of course the imported sounds of American rhythm & blues won’t satisfy these souls, so, at about that time, the coming of an indigenous Jamaican music for the masses was inevitable.
But this celebratory combination of nationalism and commercialism had another powerful element – Africa. Religion, in the form of Pocomania, and the drum music traditions of Burru and Kumina survived transportation to be embraced in Jamaica where Africanism was clung to fiercely and slave revolts were far more commonplace than on any other Caribbean island. Much later, Rastafari’s sophisticated drum ensembles would provide a living example of these ancient traditions, while the burgeoning music industry was never slow to absorb those influences.
Add to this a generation of classically-trained musicians, who had embraced bebop jazz’s sense of adventures, and crowds who just want to dance and it’s little wonder that this tiny island – a population half the size of London’s – has become such a force in global music.
Music is not Jamaica’s only gift to the world, but it is how so many Jamaicans chose to define themselves. People will talk about how music and singing lifted the spirits through slavery and colonialism as well as being a weapon against political corruption and civil disorder. It gave the poor people a voice and something to call their own, celebrated the joys of life on the tropical island and spread One Love throughout the world.
For fifty years, the natural medium for this music has been the sound system dances, with, traditionally, commercial recordings and release schedules playing second fiddles to these awesome ghetto-centric situations. Thus, for as long as there’s been Jamaican music it’s remained inseparable to the people and the environment responsible for it. Reggae remains one of the world’s last genuine folk musics.
DISC 1:
1. Oh Carolina - Folkes Brothers
2. Boogie In My Bones - Laurel Aitken
3. Midnight Track - Owen Gray
4. Easy Snappin' - Theophilus Beckford
5. Housewives Choice - Derrick & Patsy
6. Forward March - Derrick Morgan
7. Miss Jamaica - Jimmy Cliff
8. My Boy Lollipop - Millie Small
9. Six And Seven Books Of Moses - The Maytals
10. Simmer Down - The Wailers
11. Man In The Street - Don Drummond
12. Carry Go Bring Come - Justin Hinds & The Dominoes
13. Guns Of Navarone - The Skatalites
14. Al Capone - Prince Buster
15. Hard Man Fe Dead - Prince Buster
16. Tougher Than Tough - Derrick Morgan
17. Girl I've Got A Date - Alton Ellis
18. Happy Go Lucky Girl - The Paragons
19. Dancing Mood - Delroy Wilson
20. Train Is Coming, The - Ken Boothe
21. Take It Easy - Hopeton Lewis
22. Ba Ba Boom - The Jamaicans
23. 007 (Shanty Town) - Desmond Dekker
24. I've Got To Go Back Home - Bob Andy
25. Queen Majesty - The Techniques
26. Loving Pauper - Dobby Dobson
27. Don't Stay Away - Phyllis Dillon
DISC 2:
1. Israelites - Desmond Dekker
2. 54-46 (That's My Number) - The Maytals
3. Reggae Hit The Town - The Ethiopians
4. Wet Dream - Max Romeo
5. My Conversation - The Uniques
6. Bangarang - Stranger Cole/Lester Sterling
7. Return Of Django - The Upsetters
8. Liquidator, The - Harry J. All Stars
9. Rivers Of Babylon - The Melodians
10. Harder They Come, The - Jimmy Cliff
11. Young, Gifted & Black - Bob & Marcia
12. Wake The Town - U Roy
13. How Long - Pat Kelly
14. Double Barrel - Dave & Ansel Collins
15. Blood & Fire - Niney The Observer
16. Cherry Oh Baby - Eric Donaldson
17. Better Must Come - Delroy Wilson
18. Money In My Pocket - Dennis Brown
19. Stick By Me - John Holt
20. Teach The Children - Dennis Alcapone
21. S.90 Skank - Big Youth
22. Everything I Own - Ken Boothe
23. Westbound Train - Dennis Brown
24. Move Out A Babylon - Johnnie Clarke
25. Curly Locks - Junior Byles
DISC 3:
1. Country Boy - The Heptones
2. Welding - I Roy
3. Marcus Garvey - Burning Spear
4. Right Time - The Mighty Diamonds
5. Natty Sing Hit Songs - Roman Stewart
6. Ballistic Affair - Leroy Smart
7. Tenement Yard - Jacob Miller
8. War Ina Babylon - Max Romeo
9. Police & Thieves - Junior Murvin
10. Two Sevens Clash - Culture
11. I'm Still Waiting - Delroy Wilson
12. No Woman No Cry - Bob Marley & The Wailers
13. Uptown Top Ranking - Althea & Donna
14. Number One - Gregory Isaacs
15. Bredda Gravalicious - Wailing Souls
16. River Jordan - Sugar Minott
17. Armagideon Time - Willie Williams
18. Guess Who's Coming To Dinner - Black Uhuru
19. Fort Augustus - Junior Delgado
20. Joggin' - Freddie McGregor
21. Sitting & Watching - Dennis Brown
DISC 4:
1. Night Nurse - Gregory Isaacs
2. Mad Over Me - Yellowman
3. Diseases - Michigan & Smiley
4. Water Pumping - Johnnie Osbourne
5. Pass The Tusheng Peng - Frankie Paul
6. Here I Come - Barrington Levy
7. Ring The Alarm - Tenor Saw
8. Under Me Sleng Teng - Wayne Smith
9. Tempo - Anthony Red Rose
10. Boops - Supercat
11. Greetings - Half Pint
12. Punanny - Admiral Bailey
13. Hol' A Fresh - Red Dragon
14. Rumours - Gregory Isaacs
15. Cover Me - Tinga Stewart/Ninjaman
16. Legal Rights - Papa San/Lady G
17. Wicked Inna Bed - Shabba Ranks
18. Bandolero - Pinchers
19. Yuh Dead Now - Tiger
20. Bogle Dance - Buju Banton
21. Murder She Wrote - Chaka Demus & Pliers
22. Oh Carolina - Shaggy
CD1
CD 2
CD 3
CD 4
Cumps,
procosta
