Ball of Fire
The Skatalites' return to a major label was long overdue. For a band whose original incarnation had only lasted 14 months in the '60s, their influence had been tremendous. Resurrected in 1983, they were definitely jazzers with a ska beat these days.Ball of Firewas made up of old Skatalites material, all reinterpeted by a band that included four founder members, and it taught a lesson in sophistication and swing to all aspiring ska instrumentalists. Everything had a groove; the solos were fluent and never self-indulgent. In other words, it was everything they ever aspired to be, and glorious fun, too.Chris Nickson