Various Artists - The Trojan Story: 50th Anniversary (3LP + 50 Page Book)

One of the most significant collections in trojan’s immense catalogue, the ‘the Trojan story’ album dramatically changed the perception of Jamaican music among the general British public outside of the country’s Afro-Caribbean population.

Prior to its release in 1971 there had never been an attempt to present a comprehensive anthology of the island’s musical development, with vintage ska, rock steady and reggae widely regarded as obsolete and of precious little merit.

The treble disc set, which became an instant best-seller, had been the brainchild of Trojan’s label manager and black music fan, Rob Bell, who, assisted by Trojan stalwarts, Dandy, Webster Shrowder and Joe Sinclair, produced arguably the most significant Jamaican music retrospectives of all time.

Now, 50 years following its original release, this hugely influential album has been revisited by bell, along with reggae musician, Rusty Zinn, who have succeeded in improving what was already an almost perfect collection.

Presented in the original eye-catching artwork, the set is further enhanced by a highly illustrated 50-page booklet in which bell relates the stories behind the release and the whopping 50 tracks featured on the compilation. 3LP Vinyl

LP 1

Side A:

1. Invitation To Jamaica – Lord Tanamo
2. Fat Man – Derrick Morgan
3. Tell Me Darling – Jackie Edwards
4. Running Around – Owen Gray
5. Miss Jamaica – Jimmy Cliff
6. Housewife’s Choice – Derrick And Patsy
7. Give Me All Of Your Love – The Continentals
8. Darling Patricia – Owen Gray

Side B:

1. Rough And Tough – Stranger Cole
2. Man To Man – Kentrick Patrick
3. Uno-Dos-Tres – Stranger & Ken
4. Slow Boat – Al T. Joe
5. Rude Boy – Duke Reid’s Group
6. Gone Is Yesterday – Higgs & Wilson
7. I'm In The Mood For Ska – Lord Tanamo
8. Virginia Ska – The Baba Brooks Band
9. Satan – Justin Hinds & The Dominoes

LP 2

Side A:

1. One Eyed Giant – Baba Brooks & His Band
2. Every Night – Joe White And Chuck
3. King Size – Baba Brooks & His Band
4. Syncopate – The Astronauts
5. Keep The Pressure On – Winston & George
6. Oh Babe – The Techniques
7. Train To Skaville – The Ethiopians
8. Rudy, A Message To You - Dandy Livingstone

Side B:

1. Dreader Than Dread – Honey Boy Martin & The Voices
2. It's Raining – The Three Tops
3. The Whip – The Ethiopians
4. Pretty Africa – Desmond Dekker & The Aces
5. Rock Steady – Alton Ellis & The Flames
6. Rock Steady Train – Ewan & Jerry
7. King Without A Throne – Sugar Simone
8. Perfidia – Phyllis Dillon

LP 3

Side A:

1. Musical Train – Roy Shirley
2. Do The Beng Beng – Derrick Morgan
3. Way Of Life - Lynn Taitt & The Jets
4. Second Fiddle – Tommy McCook & The Supersonics
5. People Funny Boy – Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry
6. I've Got To Get You Off My Mind – The Tennors
7. Do The Reggay – The Maytals 8. Nana – The Slickers

Side B:

1. Tell Me Baby – Delano Stewart
2. Mama Look Deh – The Reggae Boys
3. Hong Kong Flu – The Ethiopians
4. Pressure Drop – The Maytals
5. Them A Laugh And A Ki Ki – The Soul Mates
6. Walking In The Rain – The Melodians
7. Satisfaction – Carl Dawkins
8. Black And White – The Maytones
9. Rasta Never Fails – The Charmers