Foundation Ska by Skatalites

Foundation Ska is one of the top compilations to explore the greatness of the legendary Skatalites. This top-tier Jamaican ska band featured the cream of the island’s musicians in a true supergroup. Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso, and Johnny Moore were already recognized as the best players on the island and Don Drummond’s legendary status eclipsed them all. Adding Lloyd Knibbs and Lloyd Brevette as the rhythm section and Jackie Mittoo on piano, the Skatalites’ greatness was unrivaled. The reissue of this 1997 album, long out of print, is now a strictly Studio One affair with the inclusion of six hard-to-find tracks from the label. A true slice of ska history, these songs sound as fresh today as they did when first released in the early sixties. Including a history of the group and song notes along with its mix of top songs and vocals, this album is a must have for all ska fans.

The Skatalites officially lined up as guitarist Jerome "Jah Jerry" Hinds, bassist Lloyd Brevett, teenaged pianist Donat Roy "Jackie" Mittoo, drummer Lloyd Knibbs, trumpeter Johnnie "Dizzie" Moore, Cuban-born tenor saxophonist Tommy McCook, alto saxophonists Lester Sterling and Cuban born Roland Alphonso, and trombonist Don Drummond.