Rise Jamaica! Independence Jamaica Special

When Jamaica achieved its independence from Britain on August 6 1962, its music industry was still in the nascent stages of its development. Nevertheless, the island’s creative figures were already busy crafting a distinctive sound that fused elements of R&B with Caribbean cadences.

Celebrating the 60th anniversary of Jamaican independence, Rise Jamaica! naturally showcases songs of patriotism such as Al T Joe’s eponymous independence anthem and Lord Creator’s ‘Independent Jamaica’, but the majority are romance ballads and songs of lovelorn despair, as heard on Roy & Patsy’s ‘My Happy Home’ and Lloyd Clarke’s ‘Love Me or Leave Me’.

Musicians such as Roland Alphonso and Arkland ‘Drumbago’ Parks contribute rousing instrumental work too. The physical editions of this fine release offer different enticements for collectors, since the 28-track double LP edition boasts some tasty-looking green-and-yellow-coloured vinyl, while the expanded CD is a 50-strong double-disc set that includes 25 sizzling rarities produced by Duke Reid, at least ten of which are entirely unreleased alternate takes that were salvaged from master tapes Reid had dispatched to Melodisc Records in 1962, most of which were left in the can. The CD edition is thus ultimately more appealing for any devoted fans of ska and Jamaican R&B.