Byron Lee & The Dragonaires- Mash Mr Lee: The Early Recordings 1960-1962 (Uk) (CD)
In tandem with our Owen Gray collection this month Jasmine dips more toes into the waters of early Jamaican popular music with this collection featuring the island's premier 'uptown' band for almost half a century, Byron Lee and the Dragonaires (or 'the Dragonnairs' as they were known originally. Byron and his band can claim a similar 'first' to their countryman Owen Gray as they were the first musicians to release an album in Jamaica in stereo - at a time when few Jamaicans had the facility to play anything other than mono! Needless to say, it sold poorly compared to the mono version and is now vary scarce. This Jasmine collection features the rare stereo edition of the "Joy Ride" album in it's entirety alongside the group's early non-album A's and B's (among them an ultra-rare 1962 'giveaway' 45 featuring their big belated club hit 'Bata Cha Cha Cha') and as much of the Dragonaires' 1962 album "Come Fly With Lee" as could be slotted into the finite running time of a CD. Almost everything here is making it's digital debut. As befits an uptown band, the entire spectrum of early Jamaican music is covered, from Calypso and 'Jump Up' to R&B, ballads and even some early ska, all of it performed with precision and professionalism. The sound is great, and the music is great too! Attractively packaged and - as always - comprehensively annotated, "Mash Mr. Lee" is a release that no collector of music that is referred to as 'The Blue Beat Era' will want to miss
Tracklist:
- Joy Ride (Stereo LP Version)
- Damela Cha Cha
- Yellow Bird
- Merengue
- Cha Cha Medley
- You Belong to My Heart
- It Happened in Monterey
- South of the Border
- Ay Cosita Linda
- Baby What You Want Me to Do
- Loretta
- Let True Love Begin
- Finale Medley
- Firefly Jump Up
- Waltzing Matilda
- Colonel Bogey
- Dumplins
- Kissin' Gal
- Mash Mr. Lee
- Help Me Forget
- Over the Rainbow
- Joy Ride (Mono Single Version)
- River Bank Jump Up
- Night Train
- Dan Is the Man (In the Van)
- Funny How Time Slips Away
- Sunjet Jump Up A.K.A. St Thomas
- East to West
- Walk Like a Dragon
- Forget Her
- I Don't Love You Anymore
- Bata Cha Cha Cha
- Fiesta Twist (What'd I Say
In tandem with our Owen Gray collection this month Jasmine dips more toes into the waters of early Jamaican popular music with this collection featuring the island's premier 'uptown' band for almost half a century, Byron Lee and the Dragonaires (or 'the Dragonnairs' as they were known originally. Byron and his band can claim a similar 'first' to their countryman Owen Gray as they were the first musicians to release an album in Jamaica in stereo - at a time when few Jamaicans had the facility to play anything other than mono! Needless to say, it sold poorly compared to the mono version and is now vary scarce. This Jasmine collection features the rare stereo edition of the "Joy Ride" album in it's entirety alongside the group's early non-album A's and B's (among them an ultra-rare 1962 'giveaway' 45 featuring their big belated club hit 'Bata Cha Cha Cha') and as much of the Dragonaires' 1962 album "Come Fly With Lee" as could be slotted into the finite running time of a CD. Almost everything here is making it's digital debut. As befits an uptown band, the entire spectrum of early Jamaican music is covered, from Calypso and 'Jump Up' to R&B, ballads and even some early ska, all of it performed with precision and professionalism. The sound is great, and the music is great too! Attractively packaged and - as always - comprehensively annotated, "Mash Mr. Lee" is a release that no collector of music that is referred to as 'The Blue Beat Era' will want to miss
Tracklist:
- Joy Ride (Stereo LP Version)
- Damela Cha Cha
- Yellow Bird
- Merengue
- Cha Cha Medley
- You Belong to My Heart
- It Happened in Monterey
- South of the Border
- Ay Cosita Linda
- Baby What You Want Me to Do
- Loretta
- Let True Love Begin
- Finale Medley
- Firefly Jump Up
- Waltzing Matilda
- Colonel Bogey
- Dumplins
- Kissin' Gal
- Mash Mr. Lee
- Help Me Forget
- Over the Rainbow
- Joy Ride (Mono Single Version)
- River Bank Jump Up
- Night Train
- Dan Is the Man (In the Van)
- Funny How Time Slips Away
- Sunjet Jump Up A.K.A. St Thomas
- East to West
- Walk Like a Dragon
- Forget Her
- I Don't Love You Anymore
- Bata Cha Cha Cha
- Fiesta Twist (What'd I Say