Long Shot/Battle of the Giants

The Pioneers were a Jamaican vocal trio who formed in the early 1960s, shifting line-ups and achieving little success until producer and label magnate Joe Gibbs re-shaped the group (led by main vocalist and songwriter Sydney Crooks) and they started scoring rocksteady hits. A falling out with Gibbs saw the trio shift to Leslie Kong's Beverley label and, with Kong producing, The Pioneers developed into one of Jamaica's foremost proto-reggae groups. So fresh was their sound that ‘Long Shot Kick de Bucket’ – an ode to a doomed racehorse and the punter who lost his wages betting on him – became a UK hit in 1969.

This single CD gathers both their 1969 album Longshot and its 1970 follow-up Battle of the Giants. Across both albums there are strong original songs played and sung with real verve. Incisive, detailed liner notes by Tony Rounce make this reissue a real pleasure. Summer may be over but these classic recordings from almost 50 years ago continue to convey a timeless magic.