More Jamaican R&B and the Birth of Ska The sequel to Youths Boogie, and again compiled by genre specialist Mike Atherton (Echoes, Record Collector), Mash It! portrays the popular music of Jamaica in the period 1959 to 1962, before it became formerly known as ska, but by which time most of the characteristics of ska were present and correct. The music owes some debt to Jamaica s earlier indigenous pop music, mento, but the strongest, most obvious ingredient of ska was American rhythm and blues. By the close of the 1950s the advent of record pressing facilities on the island had enabled records to be manufactured, without sending tapes to Britain and waiting for records to be shipped back. A number of enterprising Jamaicans began to supervise recording session and released the results on their own labels. Disc One showcases the productions of Eddie Seaga, whose love of Jamaican music eventually led to the founding of West Indies Records Ltd (WIRL), and businessman Leslie Kong, whose Beverley s operation was based in Orange Street. Disc One also features four fine, rare instrumentals by Rico Rodriguez. Disc Two looks at the productions of other individuals like Delroy Dunkley, Chris Blackwell, Dada Tewari, Roy Robinson, and George and Vincent Edwards. Mash It! features the work of male solo artists like Laurel Aitken, Owen Gray, Derrick Morgan and Jimmy Cliff, groups such as the Moonlighters and the Blues Busters, and duos like Higgs and Wilson, and Derrick and Patsy. As many as 21 titles could be making their debut on CD, including tracks originally released on the WIRL, Planetone and Wasp labels. As well as Mike s notes, the 20pp booklet features a wealth of Jamaican and British label shots.
