The Man and His Music

Did you notice the ska band playing in a scene of the James Bond movie Dr. No? That’s Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, playing “Jamaica Jump Up.” Lee was not only a fine bass player (credited with introducing the electric bass to Jamaican musicians), but a canny impresario, producer, and concert organizer; his band was slick and smooth, and introduced countless people to the sounds of ska, rock steady, and reggae. This is a fine collection of his early work in the ska mode.