"ABC Rocksteady" by ROLAND ALPHONSO and THE ORIGINALS ORCHESTRA and VARIOUS (April 2019 UK Doctor Bird Records 'Expanded Edition' 2CD Reissue - Andy Pearce Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Swing And Dine..."

Now here’s a winner. A hugely collectable Rock Steady compilation album from 1967 helmed by ROLAND ALPHONSO and THE ORIGINALS ORCHESTRA that you just never see. If you can actually find a UK original on High Note Records), a clean copy would easily set you back £200+ and the Jamaican pressing that arrived with different artwork in 1968 is apparently just the same. Here the legendary vinyl rarity is given a full-on fill-your-boots mama marital makeover.

All music productions across the entire twofer are helmed by that sought-after Jamaican lady-of-the-studio – SONIA POTTINGER – who also owner of the Tip Top Record Centre – a Jamaican hub of creativity and sales. Through her hands and her Orange Street record shop in Kingston (Sonia is pictured in her store on page 3) passed huge names in Reggae and many of them are here. This two-disc reissue also fills in those High Note and Doctor Bird label UK singles Discography holes that have been missing from the digital domain forever.

Yet aside from all that compilation pedigree - what sets this amazing vaults-trawl apart from so many other great Doctor Bird CD reissues, is the 1968 extras. You get a ginormous 43 of them - including two previously unreleased! You could say naught will be steady or rocking after I plough through these details – 55 tracks moi buoy. There goes the dental-budget and the pacemaker replacement fund...here are the details...

UK released Friday, 5 April 2019 (12 April 2019 in the USA) - "ABC Rock Steady" by ROLAND ALPHONSO & THE ORIGINALS ORCHESTRA [and Various Artists] on Doctor Bird DBCDD-023 (Barcode 5013929272330) offers the original 1967 UK 12-Track LP "ABC Rocksteady" plus 43 Bonus Tracks that play out as follows:

Disc 1 (75:25 minutes):

1. ABC Rock Steady [Side 1]

2. That's Life

3. Say You

4. Sad Song

5. Easy Rock

6. Hip Hug-Her

7. Starlight [Side 2]

8. Wild And Free

9. Little Nut Tree

10. Top Line

11. Narata

12. Pure Soul

Tracks 1 to 12 are the Mono album "ABC Rocksteady" (originally credited to Roland Alphonso & The Originals Orchestra) - released 1967 in the UK on High Note Records HSLP 5001 (artwork is the front of the booklet) and 1968 in Jamaica on Gay Feet S 001 - 2 in different artwork (pictured on the last page of the booklet). Although the original vinyl LP labels states only Roland Alphonso... this CD reissue breaks down the actual players even further:

Tracks 1, 2, 8 and 11 by Roland Alphonso & The Originals Orchestra

Tracks 3 and 9 by The Webber Sisters & The Originals Orchestra

Track 4 by The Originals Orchestra

Track 5 by Roland Alphonso with Aubrey Adams & The Originals Orchestra

Track 6 by Lynn Taitt & The Originals Orchestra

Tracks 7 and 10 by Leslie Butler & The Originals Orchestra

Track 12 by Lennie Hibbert, Lynn Taitt & Count Ossie

BONUS TRACKS (all 1968 UK and JAMAICAN 7" single sides):

13. ABC Rock Steady - THE GAYLADS (1968 UK 7" single on High Note HS 001, A-side - B-side is "Soul Drums" by Leslie Butler & Count Ossie, Track 26, Disc 2)

14. That's Life - DELANO STEWART (1968 UK 7" single on Doctor DB 1138, A-side - copies also on JJ Records DB 1138 - B-side is Track 18 on Disc 1)

15. Say You - KEN BOOTHE (1968 Jamaican 7" single on High Note S. 1, A-side)

16. (It's) So Hard Without You - PATSY (MILLICENT TODD) (1968 Jamaican 7" single on Gay Feet S. 156, A-side)

17. Swing And Dine - THE MELODIANS (1968 UK 7" single on Doctor Bird DB 1139, A-side - B-side is Track 3, Disc 2)

18. Tell Me Baby - DELANO STEWART (1968 UK 7" single on Doctor DB 1138, B-side of "That's Life" - copies also on JJ Records DB 1138 - A-side is Track 14 on Disc 1)

19. A Little Nut Tree - THE MELODIANS (1968 UK 7" single on Doctor Bird DB 1125, A-side - B-side is Track 7, Disc 2)

20. I Need Your Loving - THE GAYLADS (1968 UK 7" single on Doctor Bird DB 1124, B-side of "It's Hard To Confess", A-side is Track 1, Disc 2)

21. Great '68 - MARVA MOORE & THE GAYSTERS (1968 JAMAICAN 7" single on Pep Records S. 13, A-side)

22. Check Up - AL & THE VIBRATORS (1968 UK 7" single on High Note HS 005, A-side - B-side is Track 5, Disc 2)

23. Top Cat - LESLIE BUTLER [with LYNN TAITT & THE JETS] (November 1968 UK 7" single on High Note HS 008, A-side)

24. Wake Up To Reality - GLEN BROWN & DAVE BARKER (1968 JAMAICAN Promo-Only 7" single, Tip Top Record Center, A-side)

25. Fire In Your Wire - PATSY (MILLICENT TODD) with BYRON LEE & THE DRAGONAIRES (1968 UK 7" single on High Note HS 007, A-side)

26. Revival - LESLIE BUTLER with LYNN TAITT & THE JETS (November 1968 UK 7" single on High Note HS 009, A-side)

27. Over The Rainbow's End - THE GAYLADS (November 1968 UK 7" single on High Note HS 009, B-side of "Revival")

28. Devil Woman - AL & THE VIBRATORS (1968 JAMAICAN Promo-Only 7"single, Tip Top Record Centre, A-side)

Disc 2 (79:16 minutes):

1. It's Hard To Confess - THE GAYLADS (1968 UK 7" single on Doctor Bird DB 1124, A-side - B-side is Track 20, Disc 1)

2. Ethiopian Kingdom - RONALD DOWNER [and COUNT OSSIE] (1968 UK 7" single on Doctor Bird DB 1130, A-side - B-side is Track 6, Disc 2)

3. I Could Be A King - THE MELODIANS (1968 UK 7" single on Doctor Bird DB 1139, B-side of "Swing And Dine" - A-side is Track 17, Disc 1)

4. I've Done You Wrong - THE CONQUERERS (2018, PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)

5. I'll Come Back - AL & THE VIBRATORS (1968 UK 7" single on High Note HS 005, B-side of "Check Up" - A-side is Track 22, Disc 1)

6. A Ju Ju Wah - RONALD DOWNER [and COUNT OSSIE] (1968 UK 7" single on Doctor Bird DB 1130, B-side of "Ethiopian Kingdom" - A-side is Track 2, Disc 2)

7. You Are My Only Love - THE MELODIANS & LYNN TAITT & THE JETS (1968 UK 7" single on Doctor Bird DB 1125, B-side of "A Little Nut Tree" - A-side is Track 19, Disc 1)

8. Let's Get Together - JOHNNY & THE ATTRACTIONS (1968 JAMAICAN Promo-Only 7" single, no label or cata no. - B-side of "Cross My Heart" - A-side is Track 11, Disc 2)

9. Little Flea - PATSY (MILLICENT TODD) with LENNIE HIBBERT & LYNN TAITT & THE JETS (1968 UK 7" single on Doctor DB 1122, A-side - B-side is Track 22, Disc 2)

10. Give Me Bread - THE TENORS & LYNN TAITT & THE JETS (1968 JAMAICAN 7" single on Gay Feet S. 148, A-side - B-side is "Gee Whiz", Track 13, Disc 2)

11. Cross My Heart - JOHNNY & THE ATTRACTIONS  (1968 JAMAICAN Promo-Only 7" single, no label or cata no., A-side - B-side is "Let's Get Together", Track 8, Disc 2)

12. We Will Live And Love - CARLTON MANNING (1968 Recording, No Original UK or Jamaican Issue)

13. Gee Whiz - THE TENORS & LYNN TAITT & THE JETS (1968 JAMAICAN 7" single on Gay Feet S. 148, B-side to "Give Me Bread", Track 10, Disc 2)

14. Miss Cushie - JUNIOR SOUL [with LYNN TAITT & THE JETS] (1968 UK 7" single on Doctor Bird DB 1112, A-side -B-side is "Dr. Paul", Track 17, Disc 2)

15. Young Wings Can Fly - JOHNNY & THE ATTRACTIONS (1968 UK 7" single on Doctor Bird DB 1118, A-side (a Ruby & The Romantic cover) - B-side is "I'm Moving On", Track 18, Disc 2)

16. Adults Only - DERMOT LYNCH with LYNN TAITT & THE JETS (1968 UK 7" single on Doctor Bird DB 1115, A-side - B-side is "Cool It, Track 19, Disc 2)

17. Dr Paul (aka "Smokey Places") - LYNN TAITT & THE JETS (1968 UK 7" single on Doctor Bird DB 1112, B-side to "Miss Cushie", A-side is Track 14, Disc 2)

18. I'm Moving On - JOHNNY & THE ATTRACTIONS (1968 UK 7" single on Doctor Bird DB 1118, B-side of "Young Wings Can Fly" - A-side is Track 15, Disc 2)

19. Cool It - DERMOT LYNCH with LYNN TAITT & THE JETS (1968 UK 7" single on Doctor Bird DB 1115, B-side of "Adults Only" - A-side is Track 16, Disc 2)

20. Come Let Us Dance - THE CONQUERERS [with LYNN TAITT & THE JETS] (1968 recording, no details available)

21. Anything You Want - JOHNNY & THE ATTRACTIONS [with Dudley Williamson] (UK 1968 7" single on Doctor Bird DB 1117, B-side of "Coming On The Scene" - A-side is Track 24, Disc 2)

22. The Retreat Song (Jikele Maweni) - PATSY (MILLICENT TODD) with LENNIE HERBERT & LYNN TAITT & THE JETS (1968 UK 7" single on Doctor Bird DB 1122, B-side of "Little Flea" - A-side is Track 9, Disc 2)

23. I'm Yours Forever - THE SOUL LADS (2018, PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)

24. Coming On The Scene - JOHNNY & THE ATTRACTIONS [with Dudley Williamson] (UK 1968 7" single on Doctor Bird DB 1117, A-side - B-side is "Anything You Want", Track 21, Disc 2)

25. Lonesome Lover - AL & THE VIBRATORS with THE FUGITIVES (1967 UK 7" single on Doctor Bird DB 1085, B-side of "Move Up")

26. Soul Drums - LESLIE BUTLER & COUNT OSSIE (1968 UK 7" single on High Note HS 001, B-side of "ABC Rock Steady" by The Gaylads, Track 13, Disc 1)

27. Call Of The Drums - JOHNNY & THE ATTRACTIONS (1971 UK Promo-Only 7" single on High Note HS 056 [1968 Sonia Pottinger recording], B-side of "Unbelievable Sounds" by Scotty)

Not surprisingly the 16-page colour booklet is festooned with period goodies – Page 5 has a whole wall of nine Gay Feet and High Note Jamaican pressings with their battered and barely legible credits - while Page 9 gives us the British contingent – the distinctive green and yellow mottled labels of Doctor Bird and cool-looking plain white High Note singles of rare early issues like HS 003 and HS 007. Saxophonist Roland Alphonso looks too busy to talk, hep Guitarist Lynn Taitt of The Jets has a colour face pose where he looks like Robert Johnson with those long fingers, Ken Boothe throws a happy dancer pose, Patsy Todd looks classy like Tammi Terrell and The Gaylads look pensive - wondering why they warrant only a black and white publicity shot no doubt. Only organist Aubrey Adams loses out on the pics...

There are local flyers for dances on New Year’s Day, shop counter release sheets, and even an advert for the Jamaican pressing of the mainly instrumental long-playing microgroove LP on Gay Feet Records with teacher impressing her class of eager Kingston female students on the benefits of ABC Rocksteady for your complexion (the UK and Jamaican labels of Sides 1 and 2 of the LP get a page to themselves). The whole shebang has been compiled and managed by Reggae aficionado LAURENCE CANE-HONEYSETT who co-wrote “Young Gifted & Black: The Story Of Trojan Records” and has compiled huge swaths of Trojan’s catalogue including the magnificent "Trojan 50" mega box set of 2018 (see separate review). With quality ANDY PEARCE mastering – the whole project reeks of class. For sure the audio dips here and there as is the nature of Reggae recordings (I detected a vinyl dub on occasion says El Supremo) – but in the main it’s incredibly clean and full of beans. To the music...

It opens with Roland Alphonso giving it some Herb Alpert type jabs on his ABC saxophone while his Originals Orchestra bring home the fabulous instrumental. The infectious dancers continue on "That’s Life" – Aubrey Adams and her organ dominating the warm summer vibe – and already its easy to see why this LP was such a monster – it’s such great fun. Booker T & The MGs get their "Hip Hug Her" turned into a Reggae organ instrumental while The Webber Sisters (Merlene and Cynthia) add some much-needed vocals to "Say You" and "A Little Nut Tree" – the latter a Biblical tale of lovers under shaded trees. The Ken Boothe hit "Starlight" gets a Nat King Cole hazy-lazy-days brass makeover with Leslie Butler taking over organ duties from Aubrey Adams while Vibraphones end the album on a cover of a 1965 Johnny Lytle tune "The Loop" now upgraded to a new title - "Pure Soul".

The Gaylads take the album instrumental of "ABC Rock Steady" and add their cat on the fiddle and the cow jumped over the moon lyrics for the single version on the first High Note 45. Singer Delano Stewart does the same to the LP’s Side 1 groover "That’s Life" – adding words of woe about fighting with all your might. Ken Boothe does the same to "Say You" – lyrics giving the backbeat a huge lift and more commercial feel (come back and be my best friend). Of the others on Disc 1 – dancers will love "Top Cat" – an organ grinder by Leslie Butler with Guitarist Lynn Taitt that could easily have been on Volume 2 of "ABC Rock Steady" – while Millicent Todd (patsy) warns us in the frantic calypso rhythm of "Fire In Your Wire" (were hearing you Millie – we may not understand a word you’re saying – but we’re hearing you). But my fave is the wobbly Leslie Butler organ of "Revival" where Lynn lays down a fantastic (and clearly mastered) groove that will have you donning a straw hat and sashaying in the sand.

Disc 2 opens with The Gaylads wishing they'd said yes in "It's Hard To Confess" (great audio) while The Melodians reckon they could rule over all they survey in "I Could Be A King". I like the groove Johnny & The Attractions get in "Let's Get Together" (dancing all night long) while The Tenors seem glad to have a chance with you in their "Gee Whiz". And on it goes to Dermot Lynch telling punters to "Cool It" while he rocks it steady and feels alright...

For sure you could argue that this is in fact more Saxophone stabbing grooves than a body needs, but that doesn't stop "ABC Rock Steady" from being another feather in Doctor Bird's reissue cap...

2017 and 2018 Doctor Bird Records CD Reissues
(Featuring Larges Amounts of Trojan Records, Treasure Isle, Pama 60s & 70s etc)

1. BOB ANDY & MARCIA GRIFFITHS - Young, Gifted And Black/Pied Pier (May 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-014 - Barcode 5013929271432)

2. ERROL BROWN/THE REVOLUTIONAIRES – Dubb Everlasting/Dub Expression [1977 and 1978 High Note 2LPs on 1CD] (November 2017, Doctor Bird DBCD-07 – Barcode 5013929270732)

3. DAVE & ANSEL COLLINS – Double Barrel (June 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-016 - Barcode 5013929271630)

4. DESMOND DECKER & THE ACES – Action!/Intensified (August 2018 2CD Set, Doctor Bird DBCD-025 – Barcode 5013929272538)

5. DESMOND DEKKER – You Can Get It If You Really Want (September 2018 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-015 - Barcode 5013929271531)

6. DESMOND DEKKER – Double Dekker [1973 UK 2LP set onto 1CD] (November 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-018 – Barcode 5013929271838)

7. PHYLLIS DILLON – One Life To Live (September 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-021 – Barcode 5013929272132)

8. ETHIOPIANS – Reggae Power/Woman Capture Man (January 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-10 – Barcode 5013929271036)

9. MARCIA GRIFFITHS – Naturally/Steppin’ [1978 and 1979 2LPs on 1CD] (August 2017 CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-002 – Barcode 5013929270237)

10. DERRICK HARRIOTT & THE CRYSTALITES – Psychedelic Train (October 2017 CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-05 – Barcode 5013929270534)

11. HARRY J. ALL STARS - Liquidator (June 2008 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-012 - Barcode 5013929271234)

12. JUSTIN HINDS & THE DOMINOES – From Jamaica With Reggae (February 2018 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-09 – Barcode 5013929270930)

13. THE KINGSTONIANS – Sufferer (September 2017 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-03 – Barcode 5013929270336)

14. THE MAYTALS – Monkey Man/From The Roots (July 2018 2LPs on 1CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-017 – Barcode 5013929271739)

15. THE PIONEERS – Long Shot/Battle Of The Giants (September 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-019 – Barcode 5013929271937)

16. THE UNIQUES - Absolutely The...Uniques (January 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-011 - Barcode 5013929271135)

17. THE UPSETTERS – The Upsetter/Scratch The Upsetter Again (October 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-022 – Barcode 5013929272231)

18. THE UPSETTERS – Return Of Django/Eastwood Rides Again (May 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-013 - Barcode 5013929271333)

19. VARIOUS – Dancing Down Orange Street [Trojan 1969 LP] (September 2017 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-04 – Barcode 5013929270435)

20. VARIOUS – Gay Feet, Every Night (October 2017 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-06 – Barcode 5013929270633)

21. VARIOUS – Greater Jamaica Moonwalk Reggae/Reggay At Its Best (October 2018 2CD Set, Doctor Bird DBCDD-030 – Barcode 5013929273030)

22. VARIOUS – Hot Shots Of Reggae (November 2017 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-08 – Barcode 5013929270831)

23. VARIOUS – King Size Reggae (November 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-026 – Barcode 5013929272637)

24. VARIOUS – No More Heartaches/What Am I To Do? [2LPs from 1969 and 1970 onto 1CD] (August 2017, Doctor Bird DBCD-01 – Barcode 5013929270138)

25. VARIOUS [Duke Reid and Treasure Isle Productions] – Soul Of Jamaica/Here Comes The Duke (August 2018 2CD Set, Doctor Bird DBCDD-024 – Barcode 5013929272439)

2019 Doctor Bird Records CD Reissues

1. ROLAND ALPHANSO & THE ORIGINAL ORCHESTRA – ABC Rock Steady (April 2019 Expanded 2CD Set with 43 Bonus Tracks, Doctor Bird DBCDD-023 – Barcode 5013929272330)

2. DENNIS BROWN – Just Dennis/Deep Down (April 2019 2CD Expanded Set, Doctor Bird DBCDD-027 – Barcode 5013929272736)

3. ERROL BROWN & THE REVOLUTIONARIES – Culture Dub & Medley Dub (12 July 2019 2CD Expanded Set with 25 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-038 – Barcode 5013929273832)

4. ERROL BROWN & THE SUPERSONICS – The Treasure Dub Albums Collection (13 September 2019 2CD Expanded Set with Eight Previously Unreleased, Doctor Bird DBCDD-043 – Barcode 5013929274334)

5. ALTON ELLIS – Greatest Hits/Mr. Soul Of Jamaica [known as Greatest Hits in the UK] (11 October 2019 Expanded 2CD Set with 47 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-045 – Barcode 5013929274532)

6. THE ETHIOPIANS – Engine No. 5 (17 May 2019 1CD Expanded Set with 17 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCD-035 – Barcode 5013929273535)

7. THE GAYLADS – Fire And Rain (14 June 2019 1CD Expanded Set with 13 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCD-036 – Barcode 5013929273634)

8. JOHN HOLT – Like A Bolt (January 2019 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-029 – Barcode 5013929272934)

9. THE MELODIANS – Rivers Of Babylon (9 August 2019 Expanded 1CD Set with 15 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCD-041 – Barcode 5013929274136)

10. DERRICK MORGAN – Moon Hop/Derrick Morgan In London (April 2019 Expanded 2CD Set, Doctor Bird DBCDD-032 – Barcode 5013929273238)

11. DERRICK MORGAN – Derrick Morgan And His Friends (12 July 2019 Expanded 2CD Set with 24 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-039 – Barcode 5013929273931)

12. SONIA POTTINGER – Put On Your Best Dress: Ska & Rock Steady 1966-1967 (14 June 2019 Expanded 2CD Set with 35 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-037 – Barcode 5013929273733)

13. LORD TANAMO & FRIENDS – Festival Jump-Up [1965] (15 November 2019 Expanded 2CD Reissue of 1965 LP with 40 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-046 – Barcode 5013929274631)

14. LINVAL THOMPSON – The Linval Thompson Trojan Roots Album Collection [including two LPs by Big Joe & The Trinity called “African Princess” and “Rock In The Ghetto” and one Linval Thompson LP called “I Love Marijuana”) (11 October 2019 Expanded 2CD Set with 10 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-044 – Barcode 5013929274433)

15. LINVAL THOMPSON & THE REVOLUTIONAIRES – Negrea Love Dub/Outlaw Dub [1978 and 1979] (15 November 2019 Reissue featuring 2LPs onto 1CD (no bonus), Doctor Bird DBCD-047 – Barcode 5013929274730)

16. THE UPSETTERS featuring LEE 'SCRATCH' PERRY – Clint Eastwood/Many Moods Of The Upsetters (April 2019 2CD Expanded Set, Doctor Bird DBCDD-034 – Barcode 5013929273436)

17. VARIOUS – The Down Town Albums Collection [Down Town Label] (February 2019 2CD Set, Doctor Bird Records DBCDD-020 - Barcode 5013929272033)

18. VARIOUS – Gay Jamaican Independence Time – Boom Sha-Ka-La (17 May 2019 2CD Expanded Set with 35 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-028 – Barcode 5013929272835)

19. VARIOUS – Greatest Jamaican Beat... (March 2019 2CD Set, Doctor Bird DBCDD-033 – Barcode 5013929273337)

20. VARIOUS – Independence Jump Up Calypso (9 August 2019 2CD Expanded Set with 46 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-040 – Barcode 5013929274037)

21. VARIOUS – The Treasure Isle Ska Albums Collection (January 2019 2CD Set [4LPs and more], Doctor Bird DBCDD-031 – Barcode 5013929273139)

22. VARIOUS – You Can’t Wine/Music Alone Shall Live (13 September 2019 2CD Expanded Set with 33 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-042 - Barcode 5013929274235)