Probably no other Jamaican artist has brought more international acclaim to his island home than Desmond Dekker, barring, of course, Bob Marley, but Dekker came first. Most people's introduction to the island's unique musical sound came via the singer's many hits, most notably "Israelites" and "0.0.7. (Shanty Town)." Needless to say, he was even... [+] Read More

Probably no other Jamaican artist has brought more international acclaim to his island home than Desmond Dekker, barring, of course, Bob Marley, but Dekker came first. Most people's introduction to the island's unique musical sound came via the singer's many hits, most notably "Israelites" and "0.0.7. (Shanty Town)." Needless to say, he was even more influential in his homeland.

Born Desmond Dacres in Kingston, Jamaica, on July 16, 1942, the star-to-be was orphaned in his teens. Left to earn a living on his own, he apprenticed as a welder. It was his workmates who first noted his vocal talents, as the youngster sang around the workshop. With their encouragement, in 1961 the young man decided to have a go at recording and auditioned for both Coxsone Dodd at Studio One and Duke Reid at Treasure Isle. Neither man found anything remarkable about this young hopeful and sent him on his way. Not discouraged, Dacres next tried his luck with Leslie Kong, owner of the Beverley's label. He auditioned before the stable's biggest hitmaker, Derrick Morgan, who immediately spotted the young man's potential. However, it was to be two long years before Kong finally took him into the studio, waiting patiently for him to compose a song worthy of recording.

In 1963, Dacres presented Kong with "Honour Your Father and Mother," and the producer knew the wait had been worth it. Upon its release, the song's heartfelt message soared to the top of the Jamaican charts. Having been renamed Desmond Dekker, the new star followed up with "Sinners Come Home" and "Labour for Learning," which were also successful. However, it was with his next release, "King of Ska," that Dekker's star was truly established. Backed by the Cherrypies, aka the Maytals, the boastful song, a raucous celebration of ska in all its glory, swiftly attained classic status and remains one of the genre's masterpieces. Before the year was out, Dekker had found his own backing group, the Aces, a quartet of singing siblings -- Carl, Clive, Barry, and Patrick Howard -- initially known as the Four Aces. Together the five men cut a slew of excellent ska-fired singles, such as the jubilant "Get Up Edina," the advice to "Parents," the bouncy love letter "This Woman," and the sublime "Mount Zion." All were big hits.

However, as can be seen by the titles, Dekker's initial appeal was as a respectful young man (admittedly with a penchant for admonishing misbehaving young ladies). That would all change in 1967. Derrick Morgan helped set the stage with his trio of rudeboys-go-to-court songs beginning off with "Tougher Than Tough," which featured Dekker and his brother George on backing vocals. Wisely, Dekker himself steered clear of what swiftly turned into a judicial soap opera, instead he rocketed "0.0.7. (Shanty Town)" into the Jamaican charts. Set to a sturdy rocksteady beat, the song quickly became a rudeboy anthem and established Dekker as a virtual rudeboy icon. Across the water in Britain in the wake of its own mod revolution, the Jamaican singer was seen as one of the mod's own. The single looted and shot its way into the U.K. Top 15, and Dekker immediately set off on his first visit to England. The response there astonished him, and he was trailed everywhere by mods almost acting as informal bodyguards. More rudeboy hits followed, including the indeed soulful "Rudy Got Soul and "Rude Boy Train." Others were often in keeping with the more temperate subjects of Dekker's past: the religious-themed "Wise Man," "Hey Grandma," the warning for "Mother's Young Girl," the lovelorn "Sabotage," the bouncy "It's a Shame" (wherein another girl gets a telling off), and the inspirational "Unity" (which took second place at Jamaica's Festival Song Competition that year). One of the most evocative was "Pretty Africa"; one of the earliest repatriation songs composed, it's haunting beauty and yearning quality has kept it a strong favorite. "It Pays," another hit from 1967, features some of the most exquisite falsetto harmonies ever to be recorded and showcases the Aces as their best. Although none repeated the success of "0.0.7.," Dekker remained a powerful force in the U.K. and a superstar at home. Many of the hits from this era were included on the singer's debut album, which was naturally titled after "0.0.7. (Shanty Town)."

In 1968, the singer unleashed the mighty sufferers' lament "Israelites" on an unsuspecting world. For half a year, the song simmered on the U.K. charts, finally coming to a boil in March, when it topped the chart. Meanwhile in the U.S., the song had also begun to rise, peaking thee months later just inside the Top Ten. Dekker had achieved the dream of every Jamaican artist, to break into the U.S. market. He was the first to do so, at least with a pure Jamaican song. Although Dekker would never put another single so high into the U.S. charts, his career continued unabated both at home and in the U.K. The heartbreak of "Beautiful and Dangerous" was the perfect theme for another smash, as was the exuberant "Shing a Ling" and the equally infectious "Music Like Dirt." For the more religiously minded there was "Writing on the Wall," but what did buyers of that popular single make of the highly suggestive and equally successful "Bongo Girl"? Before the year was out, the Beverley's label gathered up a group of hits from the year for the Action! collection.

In 1969, the upbeat "Problems" spoke directly to the Jamaican public, who bought the single in droves. But the year was defined by "It Mek," wherein another girl gets her comeuppance. Dekker composed the song about his rambunctious younger sister. Initially released to muted response, the original was a charmer but lacked punch; the re-recorded version was much stronger and smashed into the Jamaican chart, then soared into the Top Ten across the water. "Pickney Gal," however, although very successful in Jamaica, did less well in the U.K. As to be expected, Beverley's rounded up this year's hits for a new album, Israelites. In the U.K., fans were treated to This Is Desmond Dekker, which the Trojan label also released in 1969, a virtual nonstop chart-busting party, drawn from the three Beverley's sets.

By the time the '70s dawned, Dekker had relocated to Britain and was spending most of his time touring. However, he continued releasing excellent singles, as always backed by the superb Beverley's All Stars house band and accompanied by the exquisite Aces. Neither the band nor singers have ever received the credit they were due. The former's flawless and sympathetic performances powered every one of Dekker's songs, while the latter's sublime soaring vocals and perfect harmonies helped define his sound. Unusually, Dekker's next hit would not come from his own pen, but another's. Leslie Kong had to argue vociferously to convince the singer to cover Jimmy Cliff's "You Can Get It If You Really Want," but in the end, Dekker put his faith in the producer. He was rewarded with a timeless masterpiece that was a smash on both sides of the Atlantic. The song titled yet another hit-laden collection, released by Trojan in 1970 as well. In retrospect, it was fitting that Kong's two greatest stars should have combined talents in this way. In August 1971, the great producer, still only in his thirties, died unexpectedly of a heart attack. Unlike virtually every other artist on the island, Dekker had spent his entire career under Kong's wing and was devastated by his death. (Barring a few very early recordings, Cliff had as well and was equally distraught and directionless in the aftermath.) The definitive collection of Dekker's work with Kong is found on the Trojan label's Original Reggae Hitsound of Desmond Dekker and the Aces compilation.

Initially at a total loss of how to now proceed, eventually Dekker found his way, and over the next few years, he released a steady stream of fine singles. However, he seemed to have lost his grip on Britain and none of his releases charted there. In hopes of remedying this situation, in 1974 Dekker joined forces with the pop production team Bruce Anthony (aka Tony Cousins) and Bruce White. Their session together resulted in the singles "Everybody Join Hands" and "Busted Lad," released in the U.K. by the Rhino label. They had little impact however, but in 1975, another song from the session, "Sing a Little Song," charmed its way into the British Top 20. A sugary offering with lush production, it was far removed from the work Dekker had done with Kong. A new album, titled Israelites, and not to be confused with the Beverley's album of the same name, was also released this year. Although it featured a ferocious version of the title track, it then sank quickly into syrupy waters, much like "Sing..." After that and for the next five years, Dekker disappeared off the U.K. radar almost entirely. He continued to release records in Jamaica, although they were sporadic in comparison to his prolific output in the '60s.

However, as the '70s came to a close, the 2-Tone movement gave fresh impetus to the singer's career, and Dekker inked a deal with the independent punk label Stiff. His debut for them was the wittily titled Black & Dekker album, which featured re-recordings of past hits, backed by the British rock band the Rumour. The Rumour, of course, were famous as the group behind Graham Parker. A series of singles also announced his return, with the first, a re-recorded "Israelites," almost breaking into the Top Ten in Belgium. That was followed by "Please Don't Bend" and a cover of Jimmy Cliff's "Many Rivers to Cross." A fourth single, "Book of Rules," was especially strong and produced by Will Birch, best known for his work with power pop bands. Dekker's follow-up, 1981's Compass Point, in contrast, featured mostly new compositions and was produced by Robert Palmer. Both it and the single "Hot City," however, did poorly. Regardless, Dekker was in big demand on-stage, where he continued to be accompanied by the Rumour. As the 2-Tone movement disintegrated, so too did Dekker's revival. In 1984, the singer was forced to declare bankruptcy, although this was less a reflection on him than on his past management.

Dekker veritably disappeared from view for the rest of the decade, with only Trojan's 1987 Officially Live and Rare album breaking the drought, which was recorded during an enthusiastic live club appearance in London. A new version of "Israelites," utilized in a Maxell tape ad, brought the singer back into public view in 1990. The following year, Dekker released King of Ska, again featuring re-recordings of past glories. Two years later, he entered the studio with an equally revitalized Specials for the King of Kings album. And although this set too featured old hits, this time around the vast majority weren't Dekker's own, but his personal heroes, including, of course, Derrick Morgan, the man who had discovered him.

In 1996, Moving On appeared, not one of Dekker's best. However, the Trojan label has continued to keep the singer's back catalog to the fore. Beginning back in 1974, when they released the humorously titled Double Dekker, across Sweet 16 Hits (1978), The Original Reggae Hitsound in 1985, and 1992's Music Like Dirt, there's never been a dearth of excellent Dekker material for fans to revel in. Other labels have jumped in on the action, and the shelves have quickly filled with compilations of the singer from varying stages of his career. Dekker's vast catalog of music, songs that defined the ska, rocksteady, and reggae eras have provided the singer with a rich legacy that has rarely been equaled. On May 25, 2006, Dekker passed away at age 64 in his London home. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide [-] Hide

On an island overflowing with exceptional talent on both sides of the mixing board, to suggest that just one man was the most influential is perhaps absurd, but if you took a poll, Prince Buster would inevitably win by a wide margin. He remains synonymous with ska, while being equally important to rocksteady. From Judge Dread to rude reggae,... [+] Read More

On an island overflowing with exceptional talent on both sides of the mixing board, to suggest that just one man was the most influential is perhaps absurd, but if you took a poll, Prince Buster would inevitably win by a wide margin. He remains synonymous with ska, while being equally important to rocksteady. From Judge Dread to rude reggae, Prince Buster has left his imprint across Jamaica's musical landscape, both as a singer and a producer. 2-Tone wouldn't have existed without him, and by extension, neither would the third wave. And over 45 years after he first appeared on the music scene, Prince Buster was still making an impact.

Cecil Bustamente Campbell was born on the island of Jamaica on May 28, 1938, the son of a railway worker. While still in his teens, Campbell simultaneously pursued two quite separate careers -- boxing and singing. Eventually, he'd give up the former, a talent he honed as a child leading a gang in one of Kingston's toughest neighborhoods, although it would hold him in good stead once he opened his sound system. He made his singing debut at the Glass Bucket club in the mid-'50s and fronted a number of now long-forgotten groups. Several of them included drummer Arkland "Drumbago" Parkes in their lineups and the two became friends. The drummer provided the introduction to Coxsone Dodd, not yet a producer, but at the time running a hot sound system in competition to another businessman soon to turn producer, Duke Reid. Dodd employed the young singer not for his vocals, but for his fists, as a security guard cum Guy Friday. By 1959, the young Buster understood the sound system business inside and out and set off on his own. He began by opening a record store, Buster's Record Shack, and then set up the Voice of the People sound system.

The next year, the young entrepreneur took the next logical step and produced his debut single, the instrumental "Little Honey," credited to Buster's Group (a trio of Jah Jerry, Rico Rodriguez, and Parkes). It immediately created a sensation, with a sound far removed from the American R&B swamping the sound systems. Prince Buster had basically introduced the classic syncopated rhythm of ska to a voracious Jamaican nation. A second recording session was arranged, this time including vocalists Derrick Morgan, Owen Gray and the Folkes Brothers, while nyabingi drummers Count Ossie & His Wareikas were brought in from the hills to create a rhythm never experienced before by most Jamaican audiences. A baker's dozen of songs were recorded and amazingly, every one became a hit, kicking off with the Folkes Brothers' seminal hit "Oh Carolina." And the smashes just kept on coming, with these artists and more, including Basil Gabbidon, the boogie "War Paint Baby"; Eric Morris, "Humpty Dumpty"; and Chuck & Dobby. All were backed by Buster's Group an aggregation of excellent musicians that included various Skatalites-to-be. Particularly revolutionary was Bunny & Skitter's "Chubby," a startling single that featured the duo a cappella, accompanied by Count Ossie & His Wareikas tribal beats. Not surprisingly, the single wasn't a success as audiences preferred the more commercial sound of "Oh Carolina." But both songs were breaking new ground and kicked off a wave of releases employing nyabingi-style rhythms.

Prince Buster himself made his recording debut in 1962, releasing a clutch of hits over the year. Amongst these was "Hey Got to Go," co-written by the teenaged Derrick Morgan, whose lyrics pointedly sum up Prince Buster's feelings toward his rival producers. This business feud, which the elder men were still winning thanks to their better financial resources, became personal in 1963 when Derrick Morgan deserted Buster for producer Leslie Kong. In truth, it wasn't quite that simple as the young singer had made his debut with "Lover Boy" for Reid and had remained loyal to him until the producer took a brief hiatus from the music business. Reid had burned him, however, by recording but often not releasing the teen's songs. Needless to say, the youngster was now determined to record for whomever offered him the most work and money. And at the moment, that was Kong. However, adding insult to perceived injury was Morgan's second cut for his new master, "Housewife's Choice," which apparently featured an instrumental break stolen from one of his former employer's own songs. Prince Buster's fury could barely be contained. It all seems a tempest in a teapot today, but the upshot was serious, even though it did create a host of seminal singles. Prince Buster fired the first salvo with "Blackhead Chinaman," a stinging riposte aimed directly at Kong. Of course, the producer had to retaliate, shooting back with Morgan's "Blazing Fire," which ripped off the melody to Buster's own smash hit "Madness."

To muddy the waters, "Madness" itself had borrowed the rhythm from "They Got to Go." Weeks turned to months, and the feud showed no signs of ebbing as the two men took aim and fired off song after insulting song at each other, each one a classic of wit and music. Unfortunately, the fight was not contained to the studio, but soon spilled over into the sound system parties and streets, as each side's supporters slugged it out on the dancefloors and the streets. The situation had become so serious that the government finally stepped in and a public reconciliation finally put and end to this musical melee. By this time, Prince Buster, as artist and producer, was already releasing so many singles that he set up two new imprints (Islam and Buster Wild Bells) to help with the overflow from his original Voice of the People label. Blue Beat, his U.K. distributor, could barely keep up with the output and over an eight-year period, he released over 600 Prince Buster productions. This works out to approximately two new singles a week produced by Buster, with two new singles of the artist's own hitting the British streets every month. A superstar in Jamaica, he was almost as big in the U.K. Hit after classic hit, a flood of seminal singles was fed into the market, many of which were rounded up on Blue Beat's I Feel the Spirit in 1963.

1964 was just as prolific, as was the following year, and included such classics as "One Step Beyond," "Al Capone" (which broke the Top 20 in the U.K. two years later), "Burke's Law (arguably the blueprint for Eek-A-Mouse's distinctive vocal style), and many, many more. Blue Beat released three compilation albums of Prince Buster productions across 1964-1965. This trio of Fly Flying Ska, Pain in My Belly (the title-track is a Maytals' classic), and It's Burke's Law remain the definitive collection of Buster's work during this period. Amongst the classic included are Don Drummond's "Ska Town," Owen Gray's "River Jordan," the Maytals' smoking "Dog War," and of course, "Al Capone."

1966 was the year when ska slowed into rocksteady and Jamaica was abuzz about the rise of the rude boys. This was the era of the classic vocal groups, but Prince Buster, always a man of the people, had his finger on the rudies' pulse. The tough "Hard Man Fe Dead," the classic "Rude Rude Rudie," and the ferocious "Shanty-Town" were just some of the masterpieces he released during this period. The following year, Derrick Morgan released the seminal "Tougher Than Tough" single, wherein a quartet of rude boys are hauled before his unnamed judge for sentencing. Although charged with violent crimes including "gun-shooting," Morgan's lenient magistrate lets these miscreants off. The single was a phenomenal success, so of course Prince Buster would have to respond. He did with ferocity on "Judge Dread," and in a total and absolutely unexpected turn-about, sentenced the hapless rudies appearing before him to centuries in jail. Uproar followed, not on record but in real life, as the entire nation was caught up by the trial. Other artists now jumped on the Judge's bandwagon, and a slew of singles featuring singing magistrates and defendants followed.

Eventually, Buster was ready to step back into the courtroom fray and the island avidly awaited the result of "The Barrister," a single cleverly credited to the Appeal. The verdict actually made the Jamaican national news and no wonder, Judge Dread had jailed the appealing barrister. More outrage, more singles, and Prince Buster finally gave in and released his final word on the subject, "Judge Dread Dance (The Pardon)." Except it wasn't the final word, Morgan still had one last case to hear and on "Judge Dread in Court," he jailed the notorious magistrate for impersonating a judge.

All of these songs appeared on Blue Beat's Judge Dread Rock Steady, which included other Buster singles from this time, including the moody hit "Ghost Dance." He's rough, he's tough, and now Judge Dread's in jail for a million years. This judicial soap opera may seem ludicrous today, but at the time it addressed the serious problem of youth violence that threatened the island, albeit with dollops of humor. However, between Morgan's pushover magistrate and Buster's draconian Dread, it opened the door for serious discussion on the island's rising tide of young, violent offenders. Lee Perry's barrister on "Set Them Free," for example, poignantly explains the societal causes that led his defendants to court.

Meanwhile, the U.K. was in the grips of gangster fever as the two-year-old Jamaican hit "Al Capone" was now shooting its way up the U.K. chart, prompting a U.K. tour. This was captured on the On Tour album, where Buster performs a fabulous hits-laden set before an exuberant audience. Back in Jamaica, rocksteady was drawing to a close, reggae was on the rise, and Prince Buster had a new furor to invoke. Across 1968, he released a clutch of seminal singles ensured to raise blushes from all but the least bashful. These rude classics include the likes of "Wreck a Pum Pum," "Big Five," "Rough Rider" (written for Buster by young English pop star Eddy Grant), and "Wine & Grind" (the last two both later covered by Two Tone heroes the Beat). The Fab label features a clutch of Buster's rude offerings on 1968's Wreck a Pum Pum and the following year's She Was a Rough Rider, while Melodisc managed to fill an entire album with them for 1972's Big Five. "Big Five," itself, was responsible for the launch of English DJ Alex Hughes to superstardom. Renaming himself Judge Dread, he carried on the "Big" saga into the realms of improbability that finally ended with "Big Twelve." The Judge was the first British reggae artist to score in Jamaica, where his fans were quite astonished and bemused to discover that their hero was actually an overweight white man.

While Judge Dread was notching up the hits, Prince Buster was already turning his attention elsewhere. Of course, rude reggae was only a fraction of what he released during the late '60s and early '70s, there was also a clutch of Beatles covers, numerous songs dealing with other subjects entirely, and he even addressed Rastarianism by the turn of the decade. But it was this latter area that was about to turn into a minefield. Dodd and Reid were in a similar boat, but Prince Buster was even less-equipped to cope with the rise of roots than his competitors. They were merely businessmen, while Buster had converted to Islam in 1961 and thus could not credibly sing about Rastafarinism; this religious movement was at the heart and soul of roots. Prince Buster tried his hand at DJ productions instead, finding success with both Dennis Alcapone and Big Youth. But the genre didn't seem to really suit him. He continued to work with such established artists as Alton Ellis, John Holt, the Heptones, and Dennis Brown (all of whom cut hits with him), but times were changing swiftly and Buster seemed to be unable to find a way to move with them.

In 1973, he stopped trying. Over the next 15 years, Buster remained silent, but allowed his legacy to speak for him. Across the '70s, he stocked the shelves with reissues, most featuring self-composed liner notes railing at the current state of music, and holding up his past work as proof. Even with the rise of 2-Tone, so indebted to him, the artist remained mute. Another decade passed before he would again stand before a mic. With little warning, Prince Buster suddenly began to appear on-stage in the late '80s, and as a new decade began, toured Japan with the Skatalites as his backing group. He started recording again in 1992, and two years later also guested on the Skatalites' Hi Bop Ska album. Buster's own records were usually made in collaboration with Gaz Mayall, leader of the U.K. ska band the Trojans. However in 1997, he was joined again by the Skatalites for his contribution to Island Records' 40th anniversary album, Ska Island. The next year, Prince Buster re-entered the British charts for the first time in 31 years with a scintillating new version of "Whine and Grind." ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Fabulous Greatest Hits remains the definitive roundup of Prince Buster's own work, rounding up as it did a flood of hits from the ska and rocksteady age. This quirky compilation, in contrast, leans heavily toward the rocksteady years, and while bundling up many of the same numbers, does include a few of Fabulous' omissions, including the... [+] Read More

Fabulous Greatest Hits remains the definitive roundup of Prince Buster's own work, rounding up as it did a flood of hits from the ska and rocksteady age. This quirky compilation, in contrast, leans heavily toward the rocksteady years, and while bundling up many of the same numbers, does include a few of Fabulous' omissions, including the splendid "Dance the Pardon," inexplicably retitled "Barrister Pardon," which closed the courthouse doors for good on Buster's infamous "Judge Dread." The "Judge" appears as well, as does the equally notorious "Al Capone," alongside the extraordinarily politically incorrect "10 Commandments of Man," wherein the Prince lays down the law to his woman. The superb "Free Love," despite its title, does not advocate sexual experimentation, but instead sublimely spreads a unity message, black pride, and Garvey-esque self-empowerment, all set to a splendid rocksteady backing and sweet harmonies. "Julie on My Mind" finds Buster in a romantic mood, "Ghost Dance" in a more pensive state, as the Prince pens a missive to late friends, while "Take It Easy" is as laid-back as its title. Prince Buster unleashed a deluge of singles during the '60s, more's the pity that modern compilations continue to cull from the same group of 50 or so. Here's another dozen drawn from the same pot -- however, with the vast bulk available on the more copious Fabulous, only hardcore fans should be tempted by this set. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide [-] Hide

To pick a truly essential Desmond Dekker collection from the myriad best-ofs, box sets, and period anthologies that dot the musical landscape would be almost impossible; many of the Dekker compilations currently on the market are practically interchangeable in terms of both content and sound quality. But if you're looking for a starting point,... [+] Read More

To pick a truly essential Desmond Dekker collection from the myriad best-ofs, box sets, and period anthologies that dot the musical landscape would be almost impossible; many of the Dekker compilations currently on the market are practically interchangeable in terms of both content and sound quality. But if you're looking for a starting point, you can't do much better than this 20-track retrospective, which includes just about every hit single Dekker made during the peak of his popularity in the late '60s. There are the songs of Biblical warning ("Honour Your Mother and Your Father," "This Woman"), the rude boy anthems ("007 (Shanty Town)," "Rude Boy Train"), the topical admonishments ("Keep a Cool Head," "Unity"), and, of course, the immortal "Israelites," which introduced most of North America to the ska sound when it was a worldwide radio hit in 1969. Not to mention charming period pieces like "Intensified Festival 68" and the irresistible romantic come-on "Pickney Gal." Highly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide [-] Hide