VA - Treasure Isle In Dub - Rare Dubs 1970-1978 (2004)

1962 - 1966 was a prolific time at Treasure Isle,the Ska hits kept coming.His resident engineer Byron Smith and later Syd Bucknor’s work with artists like Stranger Cole , The Techniques,Justin Hinds and the Dominoes and the great Alton Ellis and the Flames,proved a winning formula.Such was the output that the releases were spread over three labels,Treasure Isle, Duke Reid and Duchess [ a name he often used to refer to his wife ].

1968-1969 saw the beat slowing down and reggae was evolving into Rocksteady and again Duke had his finger on the pulse.Working with guitarist Ernest Ranglin and the great sax player Tommy McCook and the Supersonics, the hits flowed from the studio.The Paragons ‘Wear you to the Ball’,Alton Ellis’s ‘Rock Steady’, The Melodians ‘Last train to Expo’ and The Technique’s rendition of the Curtis Mayfield classic ‘Queen Majesty’ were all big hits of the day.Getting released on Reid’s own labels and on Trojan [ named after his Sound System ] in the UK.
The musical style would change again around 1970,but the ever resourceful Reid would apply his tunes and start a new genre, the DJ Sound.By using his classic backing tracks and interspersing the dubbed vocal along side his Sound System DJ’s rants and raves, his tunes became hits once more.The irrepressible U Roy cut ‘Wake this Town’ a version of Alton Ellis’s ‘Girl I’ve Got a Date’,’Rule the Nation’, rode the Techniques ‘You Don’t Care’ and ‘Wear you to the Ball’ the Paragons hit of the same name, became three hits in a row in the Jamaican charts...an unheard of feet....

For this collection with have put together a set of rare dubs recorded at the legendary studio.Such classics as the for mentioned ‘Queen Majesty’,Alton Ellis’s ‘I’m Just a Guy’,The Ethiopians ‘Everything Crash’.All great tunes and classic rhythms,the atmosphere and the guidance of the seasoned engineers Byron Smith and Syd Bucknor alongside the top musicians,set the tone for these classic lost till now recordings.

Arthur ‘Duke’ Reid died in 1974 but his legacy lives on through the music.His Treasure Isle Studio’s,inspiring all that used it ....Hope you enjoy the set....