...in the 60s, just before Peter Tosh, Bunny Livingston and Bob Marley's star really caught fire and took off, "*Desmond Dekker*":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmond_Dekker was one of Jamaica's more popular recording artists who helped spread the Island vibe beyond the Caribbean ...if you're down with the crucial, old-school ska joints from the Yard, then I highly suggest you snag yourself a copy of Rockin' Steady: The Best of Desmond Dekker...released originally back in '92 on Rhino, this album contains a grip of Dekker's better issuances of ska, Rocksteady and Blue beat (which will feel akin to riding a brand new Vespa off the assembly line for the dyed-n-the-wool Mods who haven't found it yet)...I don't know if it's still in print but if you see it cop it as it holds one of the better anthologies from this guy's musical ouvre...starting with the upfull rocksteady jam "Honour Your Mother and Father" which swings right on into the horn-skankin' "This Woman" which slides right into Dekker's template recording of "007" ...this set is not only filled with top rankin' hits that are instantly recognizable to newcomers like the latter and "Israelites", you'll can hear poppin' cuts like the bubbler "Unity", the swinger "It Is Not Easy" and "Rudeboy Train" which had me reaching for my porkpie hat, checkered braces and wraparound shades...find rarer cuts like the "Wise Man", "Fu Manchu" (a rootsy reggae-ish number) and Dekker's hit version of You Can Get It If You Really Want" (a tune that was also a hit for Jimmy Cliff and on The Harder They Come Soundtrack)...I'm also feelin' "Licking Stick" and "Warlock" too...as mentioned, there are quite a few compiled issuances here in the States and the number probably grows exponentially abroad...this is one of those anthologies that cover many bases in as few movements as possible (which your inner DJ will appreciate)...here are a couple of my favorite tracks from this album...take a listen for yourself...
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