In the '60s and early '70s, two labels fought it out on the Jamaica charts: Duke Reid's Treasure Isle and Clement "Coxsone" Dodd's Studio One. They arguably fought to a draw, producing a wealth of wonderful music. But a new wave of Studio One material from Heartbeat shifts the spotlight to Dodd.
Ska Bonanza goes back to when the upbeat first ruled the charts, mixing the work of ska giants with early singles from Alton Ellis, Lee "Scratch" Perry (Dodd's right-hand man in the early days), and The Wailers… B+
Speaking of which, Bob Marley And The Wailers' two-disc One Love: Bob At Studio One 1964-1966 provides a comprehensive look at the Wailers' work for Dodd during the sometimes-overlooked pre-superstar days… B+
As the ska beat slowed down into rock-steady and early reggae, Dodd kept up. Full Up: Best Of Studio One, Volume 2 (a sequel to an earlier compilation) collects highlights from this transitional period, from Norma Frazer's priceless cover of "The First Cut Is The Deepest" through the early Burning Spear track "Fire Down Below," a hint of things to come… A-
Two of the biggest stars of that transitional era, John Holt and Delroy Wilson, get the greatest-hits treatment with Holt's I Can't Get You Off My Mind and Wilson's The Best Of: Original Eighteen. Jamaican musicians tended to bounce between Reid, Dodd, and other producers, so any label-based collection will only tell part of the story. But these are certainly memorable parts of the story, thanks to the smooth-voiced singers and Dodd's house musicians… Both: B+
Dodd's house band evolved from the Skatalites, known in its various permutations as Sound Dimension, Soul Vendors, and Brentford Road All Stars (after the street where Studio One was located). Downbeat The Ruler: Killer Instrumentals From Studio One lives up to its title, proving that singers aren't always needed to move the floor. Elsewhere, Version Dread: Dub Specialist collects instrumental B-sides (or "versions") and early dub tracks… Downbeat: A-, Version: B+
Dub put Dodd behind the times for much of the '70s, but he rebounded by the end of the decade and began the '80s with the Freddie McGregor's rasta classic Bobby Bobylon… B+
Dodd continued working—later in New York—until his death in 2004, a few days after a ceremony renaming a stretch of Brentford Road. Its new name: Studio One Boulevard.