Although his reputation will probably rest on his classic early Treasure Isle sides ("Cry Tough," "Dance Crasher," "The Preacher"), the soulful Alton Ellis didn't slacken the quality level when he moved on from working with producer Duke Reid, as this fine collection of rarities and later tracks shows. Drawing from material recorded between 1968 and 1978, most of which was done after he moved to England in 1972, Arise Black Man includes stunning originals like the edgy {&"Blackish Whit...   [ read more ]

CD $17.08

Alton Ellis created a template in the 1960s that subsequent Jamaican singers like Dennis Brown and Gregory Isaacs would follow to a T, combining soulful vocal phrasing, derived in part from American R&B, with hard island rhythms and a bent for romantic material into a surefire way to keep a presence on the charts. Although he is often celebrated for his subtle Jamaican interpretations of American pop hits (which often improved on the originals, as is the case here with Ellis' version of {...   [ read more ]

CD $16.13

Alton Ellis remains one of the greatest of all reggae singers, going back to the late '50s up to the '80s, firmly established as a slick singing sex symbol of the roots pop, rocksteady, and lovers rock styles that all started with the ska movement. Ellis was there during the whole period, singing in Kingston via the Coxsone and Studio One facilities with a small rhythm section, horns, and backup singers. While more sweet than raspy or political, some variations and covers of rhythm & blues crop...   [ read more ]

CD $17.08