V/A - Merritone Rock Steady 2: This Music Got Soul 1966-1967

2LP Vinyl - DSR LP 012 - Compilation

American rhythm & blues fervour, boosted by a multitude of sound systems playing 78rpm records on increasingly larger sets, gripped Jamaica from the late forties onwards but, towards the end of the decade, the American audience began to move towards a somewhat softer sound. The driving rhythm & blues discs became increasingly hard to find and the more progressive Jamaican sound system operators, realising that they now needed to make their own music, turned to Kingston’s jazz and big band musicians to record one off custom cut discs. These were not initially intended for commercial release but designed solely for sound system play on acetate or ‘dub plates’ as they would later be termed. These ‘specials’ soon began to eclipse the popularity of American rhythm & blues and the demand for their locally produced music proved so great that the sound system operators began to release their music commercially on vinyl and became record producers. Clement ‘Coxsone’ Dodd, Duke Reid ‘The Trojan’ and Prince Buster, who operated his Voice Of The People Sound System, were among the first to establish themselves in this new role and the nascent Jamaican recording industry now went into overdrive.

Condition:

Media: Mint (M)

Sleeve: Mint (M)

Track List: 

A1. Hopeton Lewis - This Music Got Soul
A2. Hopeton Lewis - Let Me Come On Home
A3. The Zodiacs (5) - Walk On By
A4. The Termites - We Gonna Make It
A5. The Dynamites - Fountain Bliss
B1. Hopeton Lewis - Rock A Shacka
B2. Hopeton Lewis - Don't Cry
B3. The Royals - House Upon The Hill
B4. The Tartans - Real Gone Sweet
B5. The Tartans - Rolling Rolling
C1. Hopeton Lewis - I Don't Want Trouble
C2. Lester Sterling - Lester Sterling Special
C3. The Dynamites - If You Did Love Me (Take 1)
C4. The Tartans - Don't Take That Train
C5. Lynn Taitt & The Jets - Batman (Early Take)
D1. Hopeton Lewis - Oh Tell Me Darling (Take 1)
D2. The Tartans - I'm Ready
D3. Henry Buckley - Take Me Back
D4. Roland Alphonso - Sounds Of Silence
D5. Lynn Taitt & The Jets - Batman (Early Take - Rehearsal)
D6. The Federal All Stars - Merritone False Starts 2