Ska : From The Vaults Of Wirl Records

Description

Ska was the name given to Jamaican music from 1961 to 1966. It was inspired by American R&B and Doo Wop records played by Kingston sound systems. But the American musical style had softened, and Jamaicans preferred a more driving sound. The sound system leaders then became record producers to meet this demand. Sir “Coxonne” Dodd and Duke Reid led the way by inviting the island’s best musicians into the studio to create music. Its subtle offbeat touch, emphasizing the offbeat, made the music unmistakably Jamaican. W.I.R.L Records (West India Records Limited) was founded by Jamaican politician Edward Seaga in the late 1950s. He had overseen the recording of an album of Jamaican ethnic music and needed a medium for its release. In 1962, the year of Jamaica’s independence, Seaga became a member of parliament for the Jamaican Labour Party, then decided to sell the label to Bryon Lee. This sale led to W.I.R.L. being renamed Dynamic Sounds.