www.yardie-reggae.com

DUKE REID (b. 1915 - † 1975)

NUCLEAR WEAPO

* * * *

1962 - Trojan - studio - discs:1

Arthur "Duke" Reid was born in 1915 in Port Antonio (Portland Parish). He worked in the Police force but one day around mid '50s he opened a liquor store with his wife, kept his firearms by his belt, and things changed forever. In the years 1956 - 58 he was crowned "King Of Sounds And Blues" at the Success Club in Kingston's Wildman St. His Sound System was protected by bad men, former connections of Reid during his Police days. Those "enforcers" used to sabotage the rivals Sounds and some gunplay also occurred. The Duke ran three labels: Treasure Isle, Dutchess and Trojan (after the trucks he used to carry his equipment around). During the late 50's he also sponsored "Treasure Isle Time", a radio show advertising his liquor store. In the early days of Ska (it lasted approximately from 1960 to mid 1966) Stranger Cole was one of his greatest hitmakers ("Rough And Tough" was maybe the hit of the hits). Along with his rival Clement Dodd, Reid was seminal in pushing the Skatalites to success. In 1966 Reid moved to Rocksteady sounds producing some beautiful material. During that year he recorded Alton Ellis' "Shake It Girl (For Me)" and "Girl I've Got A Date". But also the Silvertones' "It's Real" and "True Confession", Slim Smith and The Tecniques "Telling Lies" and the Paragons' "On The Beach". Tommy McCook' Supersonics cut some incredibly brilliant material too. The great Rocksteady groups all cut in the wood made, warm sounds, Tresure Isle studio based in Bond St: the Tecniques, the Jamaicans, the Three Tops, the Sensations, the Silvertones, Justin Hinds & The Dominoes, the Melodians, the Conquerors and the Paragons. As Early Reggae took the stage, Reid continued to produce strong material but he did not reach the success of the 60's. This twentysix tracks collection present some strong material cut in 1962. Most of them are rehearsals or second takes, but there lies their pureness. All the tracks were cut at Federal Studio, a few years before the Duke opened his own Tresure Isle. It seems that Baba Brooks arranged the compositions. Enjoy some early Ska at full effect.