In addition to spotlighting the career of one of Jamaica's most productive and illustrious producers,
Duke Reid's
Treasure Chest is also a great overview of the rocksteady period of the mid-to-late '60s. Using trumpet star
Tommy McCook and the Supersonics as his house band,
Duke Reid recorded everything from vocal numbers, to instrumentals, to DJ pieces at his Treasure Isle Studios, and in the process he scored numerous hits which all bore his polished, heavy, drum'n'bass sound. The first of the two discs here features vocal numbers and reflects the prevalent influence of stateside soul artists such as
the Impressions,
Sam Cooke, and
Smokey Robinson on Jamaican music. The connection gets explicit with Impressions covers by
Alton Ellis ("La La Means I Love You") and
the Techniques ("Queen Majesty") as well as
the Silvertone's straight cover and
U-Roy's treatment of
Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour." Other highlights include harmony numbers by
the Sensations and
Melodians,
Alton Ellis and
Lloyd William's
Sam and Dave workout on "I Can't Stand It," and
Dobby Daubson's early lover's rock gem "Loving Pauper." The second disc fans out from the rocksteady/soul sound with
Justin Hind and the Dominoes' outlaw ska classic "No Good Rudie,"
Winston Wright's early dub number "Holiday Version," and
Ernest Ranglin and
Tommy McCook's incredible ska instrumental "Ranglin' on Bond Street." Fortunately there are also more strong vocal numbers like
Alton Ellis' "Girl I've Got a Date" and Phyliss Dillon's cover of "Perfidia." Whether it's the incredible roster of artists, distinct production values, or just the fact that the songs were staples at
Kingston parties of the time,
Duke Reid's
Treasure Chest provides one of the best documents of Jamaica's golden rocksteady era.