Sunday 15 December 2013

The Crystalites LP - (1974)


The legendary Rocksteady-era session band The Crystalites backed a number of singers between 1963 and 1974. This remastered LP contains 12 of the groups fine instrumental pieces from that era.

The Crystalites were the house band for producer Derrick Harriott who recorded a number of albums with the groups backing including "Psychedelic Train" (1970), "The Undertaker" (1971) and "Scrub A Dub Reggae" (1974).

The musicians were from a relatively small pool of session-men who would work for a variety of producers and under different group names depending who the producer was.

The Crystalites were essentially Barry Biggs, Bongo Herman, Bongo Les, Gladstone Anderson, Jackie Jackson, Larry McDonald, Lynford Brown, Paul Douglas, Wallace Wilson and Winston Wright.

Of course not everyone mentioned would always be present, neither would the line-up remain consistant, as with the majority of Jamaican session groups such as Lee Perry's Upsetters.

A nice slice of Jamaican Rocksteady!

Enjoy!  : )

The Crystalites LP

1) Step Softly
2) The Emperor
3) Splash Down
4) James Ray
5) Slippery
6) Blacula
7) Stranger In Town
8) Bombshell
9) Illya Kuryakin
10) The Chariot
11) Lady Madonna
12) Try A Little Merriness

Please be aware that all download links are currently unavailable as of January 2023

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