TWO KNIGHTS OF SKA LP - DERRICK MORGAN/ LAUREL AITKEN

$

30

TWO KNIGHTS OF SKA DOUBLE LP! 

THE SKA IMMORTALS: DERRICK MORGAN AND LAUREL AITKEN (A.K.A. THE GODFATHER OF SKA!)

This is an absolutely fabulous record, or records rather, since there is one disc for each musician, that all lovers of ska and reggae should own.  You can't keep still while listening to these guys - absolutely impossible.

This record is in amazing condition.  I bought it new in 1990 at a really cool record store in San Antonio (Hogwild), took it home while tearing off the wrapping, ran upstairs, placed one of the discs gingerly on my turntable and subsequently locked myself in my room rocking out for hours.  It has been in a protective plastic sleeve since that day (I was very meticulous as a young teenager).  The vinyl on both discs is beautiful,with a smooth, scratch free surface, ready to be played 100s of more times! 

ABOUT DERRICK MORGAN (ALLMUSIC.COM):

A member of the classic first wave of Jamaican ska artists, Derrick Morgan was among the genre's founding fathers, emerging alongside pioneers including the Skatalites, Laurel Aitken, Prince Buster and Desmond Dekker. Born in March, 1940, Morgan was raised in the Kingston area, exposed to a variety of musical sources spanning from New Orleans R&B to the choral music of the nearby church where his father served as deacon. At the age of 17, he took top honors at the annual Vere John's Opportunity talent show, delivering blistering renditions of Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" and "Jenny Jenny," and in 1959 teamed with producer Duke Reid to record his debut single "Lover Boy." Morgan's follow-up, "Fat Man," was a smash throughout Jamaica, and he later scored with recordings of "Leave Earth" and "Wigger Wee Shuffle," both cut with the legendary Clement "Coxsone" Dodd.

By 1960, Morgan was the unrivaled King of Ska — at the peak of his popularity, he was the first and only Jamaican artist to date to hold down the top seven slots on the national pop singles chart during the same week, generating a string of smashes including "Be Still," "In My Heart," "Don't Call Me Daddy," "Moon Hop" and "Meekly Wait and Murmur Not." In 1961, he recorded his biggest hit ever, "Housewives' Choice," and a year later — in celebration of Jamaica's emancipation — recorded the first independence song, "Forward March." Morgan and Prince Buster, arguably the two biggest ska performers of the era, became embroiled in a fierce musical feud which quickly spilled over among their respective fans, and as of 1963 disputes between the two camps became so heated that leaders of the newly formed Jamaican government were forced to intervene, calling a cease-fire and bringing the two performers together for publicity photos to bury the hatchet.

SONGS INCLUDED BY DERRICK MORGAN:

The National Dance, Greedy Girl/Wet Dream/Hold Yu Jack, Meekly Wait/ Housewives' Choice/ She's So Young, Miss Lulu, The Moon Hop, Tougher Than Tough, Fat Man/Be Still/Sunday Monday, In My Heart I Feel Like a King, Don't Call Me Daddy, Blackhead Chinaman/Blazing Fire, and Some Women Must Cry.

Also, performed with Laurel Aitken, Boogie In My Bone Jam Session

ABOUT LAUREL AITKEN (ALLMUSIC.COM):

Known as "the Godfather of Ska," Laurel Aitken was Jamaica's first real recording star. He was a pioneer in many other respects as well: he was one of the first artists ever to release a ska record, the first to work at promoting his music in the U.K., and one of the first to record for the seminal Island label, itself a major force in the international popularity of Jamaican music. Cutting his teeth on the sort of jump blues and boogie shuffles popular during the early days of American R&B, Aitken recorded numerous hits for a variety of labels over the years, enjoying his heyday during the '60s. His continued presence in the U.K. made him an elder statesman to the Two Tone ska revival movement of the punk era, and he continued to tour even into the new millennium.

Aitken was born in Cuba on April 22, 1927, and moved to his father's homeland of Jamaica in 1938. At age 15, he won a prominent talent competition with his rendition of "Pennies From Heaven"; around the same time, he also sang as part of a calypso group that performed for tourists arriving on the island from cruise ships. Aitken developed his singing and songwriting chops on a wide variety of material: jump blues (especially those of Louis Jordan and the young Nat King Cole), New Orleans R&B, calypso, and the indigenous Jamaican folk style mento. He became a popular nightclub performer around Kingston, and officially joined the nascent Jamaican recording industry in 1957, when he recorded (and produced) the R&B/calypso spiritual "Roll Jordan Roll." The following year, he began recording for producer Chris Blackwell's fledgling Island label; his double-A-sided "Little Sheila"/"Boogie in My Bones" was the first single ever released on Island, as well as one of the earliest ska records. It was also a massive hit in Jamaica, topping the charts for nearly three months, and went on to become the first Jamaican record ever issued in the U.K.

SONGS INCLUDED BY LAUREL AITKEN (THE GODFATHER OF SKA):

Mad About You, Bartender, Calendonia, Rudy Got Married, Skinhead, Landlords & Tenants/ Pussy Price, I Love You,Yes I Do, I'm A Rebel, It's Too Late, and Sally Brown

All tracks recorded in New York and London in 1989.  Released on Unicorn Records in 1990.

DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS RECORD... IT IS EXTREMELY HARD TO FIND AND IS SOOOOOO WORTH IT.  IT'S ONE OF THOSE RECORDS THAT WILL TURN INTO A SOUNDTRACK FOR YOUR LIFE!  YES, UNFORTUNATELY I'M LETTING IT GO, BUT YOU'D BETTER BELIEVE I MADE A COPY!!

SHIPPING POLICY:  I WILL COMBINE SHIPPING UP TO TWO RECORDS.  EACH RECORD AFTER THAT IS AN ADDITIONAL DOLLAR.  I WILL SHIP TO CANADA AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL LOCATIONS.  THE PRICE FOR SHIPPING WILL BE DETERMINED USING THE POSTAL CALCULATOR FROM WWW.USPS.COM

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME!

BE SURE TO KEEP TRACK OF MY OTHER AUCTIONS. I AM IN THE EXTREMELY LONG, TIME CONSUMING, SEEMINGLY NEVER ENDING PROCESS OF LISTING MY WHOLE RECORD COLLECTION FOR SALE. IT IS EXTREMELY ECLECTIC - YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU MIGHT FIND, IN FACT AS I GO THROUGH THEM, I'M SURPRISING MYSELF.  WHY AM I SELLING? ...LIVING IN A 700 SQ. FT. LOFT WITH 6'5" EX-LINE BACKER BOYFRIEND AND HYPER DOG. THERE'S THAT AND THEN THE WHOLE "UNEMPLOYMENT" THING - I FEEL LIKE SUCH A STATISTIC...

ANYWAY - HAPPY BIDDING!!!