“Let’s Dance the Ska”   Lord Gayle and the Seasiders   Federal Records (Kingston, Jamaica) (1964)

“In Reggae Time”  Ember Records (UK)  A nice compilation of reggae and soul from 1970 including:

Sonny & The Daffodils – You got to make de money while you can; Gonna give it one more try; That girl she done me wrong
Laris McLennon – Confusion; Try me; Baby that’s love; Turn me loose
Vernon Vermont – Golden band; Come back; Too late; Hurry home
Maynell Wilson – Motown feeling
Hoagy Benson – Kangaroo
Norma Lee – Hurt

Happy New Year!  Jimmy Cliff  “Music Maker”  The second of Jimmy Cliff’s three albums for Reprise in the mid-’70s.  Photographer: Don Jim.

“Reggae Girl” The Tennors     Big Shot Records (UK)   (1968)   The best of the Tennors’ self-produced material.   Aside from being notable for the title track (one of the first recordings to bear the name ‘reggae’) and the best-selling ‘Ride Me Donkey’, the album features a selection of late Rocksteady favorites by leading Jamaican talent, including future Tennors Member, Ronnie Davis.   Recently named by Record Collector Magazine as one of the most collectable LPs ever!

“Hot Shots of Reggae”   Trojan Records (1970)   With Delroy Wilson and “Show Me the Way” Produced by the legendary Leslie Kong

Ken Boothe – Freedom Street
Melodians – Sweet Sensation
The Maytals – Monkey Man
Ken Boothe – Why Baby Why
Beverley’s All Stars – Cotton Dandy
Joe White – So Much Love

The Maytals – She’s My Scorcher
The Pioneers – Simmer Down Quashie
The Gaylads – There’s a Fire
Delroy Wilson – Show Me the Way
The Gaylads – This Time I Won’t Hurt You
Bruce Ruffin – I’m the One

Mel told me that reggae and dancehall superstar Sugar Minott passed away today.   (1956-2010)   RIP Sugar.   Here’s “Buy Off the Bar” (1984)   Sonic Sounds and Power House Records.   (Cover art by reggae illustrator Wilfred Limonious.)

And here’s Sugar Minott’s cool, cool cover of Michael Jackson’s “Good Thing Going” from 1981.

Jimmy Cliff   “Struggling Man” (1973)   Jimmy’s follow-up to one of the greatest records ever “The Harder They Come”.     Not as celebrated musically, but the cover is pretty damn cool.   Cliff is one of the 2010 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees.

“Space Flight”   Carlos Malcolm and His Afro-Jamaican Rhythms (“The Sound of the Soil”)   Carlos plays Trombone and (little did I know til just now) wrote most of the incidental music to the James Bond movie “Dr. No”     He had a big mid-sixties hit with his version of the “Bonanza” TV Theme called…”Bonanza Ska”   I like his song “No Jestering” a hit in 1974.   And who can forget his other million seller, “Fattie Bum Bum”.

“One the Hardway”   Chuck Turner   Reggae from 1988.   Produced by King Jammie and Lloyd James