Cry Tough
After ska and just before reggae, Jamaica's musicscape was thick with the sweet sounds of rock steady--a slowed-down permutation of ska'stchink-a-tchinkriddim--best served up with lyrics of love and lament, including reggaematical transformations of R&B; tunes. Ellis, a staunch opponent of Jamaica's mid-'60s rude-boy craze (which was being fired by Bob Marley and the Wailers hits) and an exquisite singer, was the consummate rock steady crooner and remains a vibrant favorite on reggae's vintage show circuit. This CD corrals Ellis's honied tenor on classics from producer/gun toting sound system don Duke Reid's Treasure Isle label. "Ain't That Loving You," "Willow Tree," "Girl I've Got a Date," "Black Man, White Man," and the 16 other topnotch cuts here are beautifully reproduced from the original masters.--Elena Oumano