freeskafoundation

 

Desmond Dekker / King of Ska: (The Beverley's Records Singles Collection, 1963 - 1967) In 1963, a 21-year-old welder with dreams of becoming a full-time singer-songwriter, auditioned for one of Jamaica's new elite record producers, Leslie Kong, owner of the recently launched Beverley's Records label. 

After performing a number of original compositions, a deal was secured and within weeks, Desmond Adolphus Dacres saw his name in print as 'Desmond Dekker' on the labels of what would prove to be the first of his catalogue of 7" singles. 

The record, which coupled two of his own songs, 'Honour Your Mother And Father' and 'Madgie', became an instant best-seller and heralded the beginning of a long and immensely successful run of singles by Dekker, both as a solo artist and later, as lead singer for The Aces. 

Tracklist : 

1. Desmond Dekker - Honour Your Mother and Father (2:25)

2. Desmond Dekker;The Beverley's All Stars - Madgie (2:40)

3. Desmond Dekker - Happy Birthday Jamaica (3:07)

4. Desmond Dekker - Sinners, Prepare! (2:39)

5. Desmond Dekker - Parents (2:31)

6. Desmond Dekker - Labour for Learning (2:38)

7. Desmond Dekker - Dracula (2:55)

8. Don Drummond - Spitfire (3:18)

9. Desmond Dekker;The Cherry Pies - Jeserine (2:41)

10. Theophilus Beckford - Take Your Time (2:35)

11. Desmond Dekker;The Cherry Pies - King of Ska (2:44)

12. Tony Washington & The D.C's - Boof Ska (2:46)

13. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - Get Up Adina (2:41)

14. Sonny Burke & His Group - Sleepwalk (1:56)

15. Desmond Dekker - It Was Only a Dream (2:59)

16. The Four Aces - Just One Little Girl (2:30)

17. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - This Woman (2:34)

18. Desmond Dekker;The Four Aces - Mount Zion (2:45)

19. Desmond Dekker - Soldering (2:33)

20. Sonny Burke & His Group - Just in Time (It's Always a Pleasure) (2:18)

21. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - It's a Shame (2:23)

22. Roland Alphonso;The Beverley's All Stars - On the Move (3:20)

23. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - 007 (Shanty Town) (2:34)

24. Roland Alphonso;The Beverley's All Stars - El Torro (Edit) (3:23)

25. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - Wise Man (2:16)

26. Roland Alphonso;The Beverley's All Stars - Middle East (2:50)

27. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - Rude Boy Train (2:19)

28. Roland Alphonso;The Beverley's All Stars - Nothing for Nothing (2:57)

29. Desmond Dekker - Mother's Young Gal (2:58)

30. Roland Alphonso;The Beverley's All Stars - Jungle Bit (3:13)

31. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - You've Got Your Troubles (3:16)

32. Roland Alphonso;The Beverley's All Stars - Don Special (2:45)

33. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - Unity (2:14)

34. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - Sweet Music (2:30)

35. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - Keep a Cool Head (2:04)

36. Roland Alphonso;The Beverley's All Stars - Charade (3:06)

37. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - Mother Long Tongue (2:11)

38. Roland Alphonso;The Beverley's All Stars - Halls of Montezuma (3:17)

39. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - Sabotage (2:44)

40. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - Pretty Africa (2:41)

 FORMAT : FLAC 

DWNL

 

Initially released as a double-vinyl album, this is arguably the best Desmond Dekker compilation currently available.

 Nineteen seminal songs, all hits, but Dekker released so many exceptional singles, this album still only scratches the surface and omits a host of crucial cuts. 

The tracks could all use a good remastering as well, and in places the sound quality is not pristine (an unfortunate fact of life with many Jamaican recordings), still surely Trojan had a less crackly copy of "Pretty Africa."

 Finally, the sleeve notes are minimal and particularly unhelpful. But the music -- oh, the music! The expected monster hits are all here, but the record also includes a bundle of classic songs (all also Jamaican hits) that newer fans (and most Americans) may be unfamiliar with. 

The exquisite "It Pays," with its soaring falsetto harmonies; the gorgeous "Pretty Africa (one of the first repatriation themed songs); the infectious "Unity"; "Warlock," showcasing a seldom heard soul side to the artist; the funky "Reggae Recipe"; the simply sublime "Hippopotamus" -- so many unforgettable songs. 

All date from the period between 1965-1971, and were produced to perfection by the late, great Lesley Kong. Dekker, blessed with one of the most distinctive voices around, also is one of the most emotive. From vehemently demanding to achingly delicate, forceful to plaintive, the vocalist's performance was never less than scintillating. 

Sadly, however, history has neglected the Aces, but their own extraordinary talents and sublime harmonies provided the backbone for all of these songs, and many, many more. 

The equal (or betters) of any of Jamaica's more celebrated vocal groups, luxuriate in the beauty of their singing, then just try to imagine these cuts without them. Inevitably, this compilation will merely whet your appetite for more of the same. Which surely was the point.

Tracklist:

1 01. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - 007 (Shanty Town) (02:35)

1 02. Desmond Dekker;The Four Aces - Get Up Edina (Get Up Adina) (02:42)

1 03. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - Beautiful and Dangerous (02:51)

1 04. Desmond Dekker - Shing a Ling (02:18)

1 05. Desmond Dekker;The Aces;The Beverley's All Stars - Pretty Africa (with The Beverley's All Stars) (02:33)

1 06. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - Wise Man (02:07)

1 07. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - Sabotage (02:45)

1 08. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - Unity (02:16)

1 09. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - It Pays (02:59)

1 10. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - Israelites (02:39)

1 11. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - It Mek (It Meik) (02:35)

1 12. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - Warlock (03:58)

1 13. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - Archie Wah Wah (02:32)

1 14. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - Pickney Gal (02:55)

1 15. Lloyd Charmers;The Aces - Reggae Recipe (03:07)

1 16. Desmond Dekker - You Can Get It If You Really Want (02:39)

1 17. Desmond Dekker;The Aces - Hippopotamus (02:53)

1 18. Desmond Dekker - Licking Stick (02:15)

1 19. Desmond Dekker - The More You Live (Live and Learn) (03:21)

DDL

Disc 1
01 (Poor Mi) Israelites
02 007 (Shanty Town)
03 It Mek
04 Unity
05 Licking Stick
06 Intensified '68 (Music Like Dirt)
07 Problems
08 It Pays
09 (Where Did It Go) The Song We Used to Sing
10 Rude Boy Train
11 Get Up Edina
12 Mother Pepper
13 Live and Learn (The More You Live)
14 Rudy Got Soul
15 First Time for a Long Time
16 Honour Your Mother and Father
17 Mother's Young Gal
18 Mother Nature
19 Wise Man
20 Fu Man Chu

Disc 2
01 You Can Get It If You Really Want
02 Sing a Little Song
03 Pickney Gal
04 Mount Zion
05 Pretty Africa
06 Get Up Little Suzie
07 Beautiful and Dangerous
08 Generosity
09 Bongo Gal
10 This Woman
11 Sabotage
12 Archie Wah Wah
13 Young Generation
14 It's a Shame
15 King of Ska
16 Perseverance
17 Coconut Water
18 Everybody Join Hands
19 Baby Come Back
20 Jamaica Ska


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DDL