VA - Coxsone's Music: The First Recordings of Sir Coxsone The Downbeat 1960-63 (2015)

Coxsone's Music is a stunning new 3-CD/two separate double LP collection featuring over two and half hours of early Jamaican proto-ska, rhythm and blues, jazz, rastafari and gospel music - charting the earliest recordings produced by Clement Dodd, in the years before he launched the mighty Studio One Records, brought together here for the first time ever.

Clement Dodd's Sir Coxsone The Downbeat Soundsystem ruled Kingston's dancehalls during this era and these recordings strongly reflect the influences of American rhythm and blues and jump jazz on Jamaican music fans. By the time the new record company formed in Brentford Road, Kingston in 1963, the young Clement 'Sir Coxsone' Dodd had already managed to release an incredible wealth of recordings by the talented musicians and artists on the island of Jamaica and this collection reflects just that: Featuring Don Drummond, Roland Alphonso, Derrick Harriott, Owen Gray, Clancy Eccles, Count Ossie, Monty Alexander, The Blues Busters, Ernest Ranglin, Rico Rodriguez and many, many more all captured here in their formative early years.

Before Studio One, Clement Dodd released this music on a variety of his early record labels such as Worldisc, All Stars, Coxsone, D Darling (named after Coxsone's mother, who received a production credit on the label), Muzik City (named after Dodd's record store on East Queen's Street), Port O Jam, Supreme and Sensational. Sleevenotes to this collection are by Studio One authority Rob Chapman, author of the Never Grow Old and Downbeat Special books cataloguing the many recordings of the label.

TRACKLIST

CD1
1. Don Drummond - Roll On Sweet Don
2. Derrick Harriott - Answer Me
3. Aubrey Adams & His Dudroppers - Do Du Wap
4. Busty & Cool - What A World
5. Roland Alphonso - Counter Punch
6. Owen & Millie - Do You Know
7. Workshop Musicians - Calypso Jazz
8. Don Drummond - Elevation Rock
9. The Blues Busters - There's Always Sunshine
10. Clue J And His Blues Blasters - Unknown Shuffle Blues
11. The Jiving Juniors - Darling Don't Leave Me
12. The Mellow Larks - Time To Pray (Allelujah)
13. Owen Gray - Twisting My Baby
14. Cecil Lloyd Quintet - What Is The Thing Called Love
15. Theo Beckford - That's Me
16. Simms & Robinson - White Christmas

CD2
1. Cecil Lloyd Quintet - Sometimes I Am Happy
2. Owen Gray - Best Twist
3. The Blues Busters - Tell Me Why
4. Don Drummond - Dew Drops
5. Clancy Eccles - River Jordan
6. Workshop Musicians - Serenade in Sound
7. Owen Gray - Young Lover
8. City Slickers - Oceans 11
9. The Blues Busters - You Had It All Wrong
10. Clue J & His Blues Blasters - Salt Lane Shuffle
11. Lascelles Perkins - Real Gone Clown
12. Don Drummond - Reload
13. Clancy Eccles - Freedom
14. Clue J And His Blues Blasters - Pine Juice

CD3
1. The Jiving Juniors - Over the River
2. Don Drummond - Schooling The Duke
3. The Mellow Cats, Count Ossie And The Warrickas - Rock A Man Soul
4. Monty & The Cyclones - Summertime
5. The Mellowlarks - No More Wedding
6. Roland Alphonso & Carol McLaughlin - Just Cool
7. Owen & Millie - Sugar Plum
8. Clue J & His Blues Blasters - Silky
9. Basil Gabbidon - Independence Blues
10. Don Drummond And The City Slickers - That Man Is Back
11. Simms & Robinson - Searching
12. The Shinners - Romantic Shuffle
13. Cecil Lloyd Quintet - Grooving With the Beat
14. Neville Esson - I Do
15. Workshop Musicians - Burnie's Tune
16. Owen & Millie - Sit and Cry