World Famous Comics: Trojan Box Set: Instrumentals
Trojan Box Set: Instrumentals
By: Various Artists Average Rating: Binding: Audio CD Format: Box set, Limited Edition, Import Label: Trojan Number of Discs: 1 Release Date: May 11, 1999
Album Description: 50 great reggae instrumentals from the vaults of Trojan Records. Contains brief biographies on each artist & track. Artists include Harry J Allstars, Augustus Pablo, Don Drummond, Upsetters, Roland Alphonso, Tommy McCook and many more. Comes packaged in a full color CD-sized brilliant box with each disc in a separate slipcase. 1999 release.
Disc 1:
Liquidator - Harry J All-Stars
James Ray - Crystallites
Capo - The Hippy Boys
Napoleon Solo - Jets, The Jets, Lyn Taitt
Fat Dog - Joe Gibbs, The Love Generation
One Eyed Giant - Baba Brooks
Champion - GG's All-Stars
Tom's Version - Herman Marquis
Tribute to King Scratch - Lester Sterling
East of the River Nile - Augustus Pablo
Eastern Standard Time - Don Drummond
Reflections of Don D - Johnny "Dizzy" Moore
Make Yourself Comfortable
Rooster - Tommy McCook
In the Spirit - Lloyd Chambers
Tons of Gold - Val Bennett
For a Few Dollars More - The Upsetters
Disc 2:
Russians Are Coming [Take Five] - Val Bennett
Scarface - Boris Gardiner
Soul Scorcher - Carl Bryan
Top Secret - Winston Wright
Return to Django - The Upsetters
Contact - Roy Richards
Guns Fever - Baba Brooks
Memphis Underground - J.J. All Stars
Hippys Are Here - The Hippy Boys
Tit for Tat - Neville Hinds
El Torro - Roland Alphonso
Death a Come - Lloyd Charmers
Saint - Tommy McCook
My Cherie Amour - Harry J All-Stars
El Casino Royale - Jets, The Jets, Lyn Taitt
Bombshell - Crystallites
Disc 3:
Clint Eastwood - The Upsetters
Way of Life - Carl Bryan
Heads or Tails - Winston Wright
Last Call - Silverstars
El Pussy Cat Ska
Memories of Love - Boris Gardiner
Decimal Currency - The Blenders
Eight Years After - Tommy McCook
Jumping With Mr. Lee - Val Bennett
Monster - Beverley's All Stars
Seven Guns Alive - Baba Brooks
Cloudburst - The Hippy Boys
Love Me Forever - Gladdy Anderson, Jets, The Jets, Lyn Taitt
* A Sweet, Sweet Deal * This is a sweet friggin' box-set of instrumental Jamaican music for a VERY low price. There are 3 discs and FIFTY tracks here! It's like buying a small DJ crate of rare Jamaican sides for next to nothing! There is some ska-era stuff, a good deal of rocksteady, and tons of what we who enjoy these things label "early reggae." Of course the instrumental stuff from these periods were less tethered to the Jamaican popular forms than the vocals were, moving easily from r&b to soul to jazz to funk, to Latin, and all over the place, mixing up the stuff to create whole new styles. This is killer stuff, pure and simple. Beginners might want to get into classic Jamaican instrumental music with a disc such as Heartbeat's "Downbeat The Ruler" or Soul Jazz's "Studio One Scorcher," the two of which are the best of their type. Soon enough, however, you'll be wanting to add this groovin' set to your collection, and it will be worth every cent, and then some. Awesome.
P.S. - Check out Trojan's "Alpha Boy's School" disc as well, for more killer instrumentals from this period.
in total disagreement with previous review While some of these tracks are on the obscure side, this is one of the most enjoyable instrumental compilations in any genre that I ever purchased. I highly recommend it even to those unfamilliar with Jamaican music of the 60's (most of these tracks fall into the ska/rocksteady/early reggae period).
Instrumentals Non-essential With Trojan Records, you'd think you'd pretty much be in the arms of Jah with anything you buy. Not necessarily so, here. Although this collection contains some decent standouts from the Harry J All Stars et. al, most of the material borders on kitsch and comes off as somewhat dispensable within just the first listen, unlike much of the instrumental/dub work of Lee Scratch/Upsetters. Unless you're dedicated to collecting all these box sets, go with another and you might get a few of the better selections offered here.
Anything Goes Trivia
Last Kiss
Megaton Man
Trevor
