Coxsone's Music 2: The Sound of Young Jamaica

This fabulous double CD (or triple-vinyl) set gathers 41 recordings from the dawn of the ska era: 1960-62. All the recordings were made for Coxsone Dodd's Studio One label – the foremost Jamaican record label – and feature such future icons of Jamaican music as Roland Alphonoso, The Skatalites, Delroy Wilson, Clancy Eccles, The Maytals, Owen Gray and The Wailers (with a teenage Bob Marley). There's not just ska here but jazz, mento and R&B, so providing a full picture of the Kingston scene. This being Soul Jazz, there's no replication of easily available ska hits – many of the recordings are very rare records that have been unavailable for more than half a century – and the remastering has been done with considerable care. Also, the excellent accompanying booklet comes with comprehensive notes on the artists and recordings by reggae historian Noel Hawks.

This era coincided with the nation's move to independence from Britain so there is a sense of creativity and destiny in many of the tunes here. And, the tunes still sound fresh. So kick back with a drink and let two-and-a-half hours of superb Jamaican music wash across you.