The Skatalites: Ska-Boo-Da-Ba – VINYL LP

Title: Ska-Boo-Da-Ba
Artist: The Skatalites
Label: Pressure Sounds
Product Type: VINYL LP
UPC: 781005629693
Genre: Reggae
Release Date: 2024-01-26
Number of Discs: 1

In his all too brief involvement in the Jamaican music business Justin Yap left his mark producing some of the best ska ever made, and “SKA-BOO-DA-BA” is perhaps the most coherent LP in that genre. Derived from a single 18 hour session at Studio One in November 1964, Justin and brother Ivan laid on food, drink and ganja: as Justin tells it “This was a monster session and it turned out the greatest recording for me”. The highlights were the five original compositions by Don Drummond – “Marcus Junior”, “The Reburial”, “Confucious”, “Chinatown” and “Smiling” along some well-chosen cover versions. Two from the Duke Ellington book: “Ska-Ra-Van” a take on the classic “Caravan” and “Surftide Seven”, Ellington’s “In A Mellotone”. Title track “Ska-Boo-Da-Ba” is a version of Bill Doggett’s 1958 “King” US 45 “Boo-Da-Ba”. “China Clipper” and “Ringo” (titled “Ringo Oiwake”) are taken from Arthur Lyman’s “Taboo” LP. The last track on this fine LP, “Lawless Street”, is a feature for Roland Alphonso.

Tracks:
1.1 Ska-Boo-Da-Ba
1.2 Confucious
1.3 China Town
1.4 The Reburial
1.5 Smiling
1.6 Skaravan
1.7 Ringo
1.8 Surftide Seven
1.9 Lawless Street
1.10 Marcus Junior
1.11 Ghost Town
1.12 China Clipper