Musicians Include:
Carlton ‘Santa’ Davis, Sly Dunbar: Drums
Aston ‘Family Man‘ Barrett,Robbie Shakespeare: Bass
Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith: Lead Guitar
Eric Fratter, Tony Chin: Rhythm Guitar
Ansel Collins: Piano
Bernard ‘Touter’ Harvey, Winston Wright: Organ
Bobby Ellis: Trumpet
Tommy McCook: Tenor Saxophone
Vin Gordon: Trombone

Recorded at: Treasure Isle Studio’s, 33 Bond Street,Kingston, Jamaica.
Engineered by: Byron Smith, Syd Bucknor.
Produced By: Bunny Lee
Design By: H. Cassell @ Voodoo London
Photography: Jah Floyd Archive
All Titles published by: Greenwich Farm Music
Manufactured under Licence from: E.Lee

Treasure Isle Studio, 33 Bond Street, was one of the main contenders to the Studio 1
crown.So many hits came from it’s wooded loft premises that it seemed every track was
destined to become a hit, propelled by the Trojan himself Mr Duke Reid.

Arthur ‘Duke’ Reid [b.1915, Jamaica] had spent ten years as a Kingston policeman,
when he and his wife Lucille [after winning a substantial Jamaican National lottery]
decided to buy The Treasure Isle Liquor Store in Kingston,Jamaica.Wanting music to
attract customers, the Duke arranged through a sponsorship deal to host his own
radio show ‘Treasure Isle Time’.
The people would listen to the latest American R&B tunes, interspersed with liquor
deals going down at his store.This in time would lead to the starting of his own Sound
System, where he could take his liquor to the dances via his Trojan truck.With shouts
of ‘Here comes the Trojan’,Duke Reid’s now named Trojan Sound System was born.
It proved such a success that he was crowned King of Sound and Blues three years
in a row 1956,1957 and 1958.1958 also saw the store which was out growing itself,
move to its legendary premises, 33 Bond Street.

Duke Reid was a formidable character in the music business. His guns from his
policing days were ever present and always on show, striking a menacing cord.
It was also not unheard of for a few rounds to be let off, if the need arose.But it
was his extensive knowledge of the R&B tunes,and knowing what the people
liked to here that was his real strength. Like Coxsone Dodd at Studio 1 he would
travel to America to acquire the latest cuts. But this was proving more difficult due
to America’s tastes moving on to Rock & Roll, which was not so popular in Jamaica.

The obvious step was to record their own tunes to sup.......
more

Treasure Isle Studio, 33 Bond Street, was one of the main contenders to the Studio 1
crown.So many hits came from it’s wooded loft premises that it seemed every track was
destined to become a hit, propelled by the Trojan himself Mr Duke Reid.

Arthur ‘Duke’ Reid [b.1915, Jamaica] had spent ten years as a Kingston policeman,
when he and his wife Lucille [after winning a substantial Jamaican National lottery]
decided to buy The Treasure Isle Liquor Store in Kingston,Jamaica.Wanting music to
attract customers, the Duke arranged through a sponsorship deal to host his own
radio show ‘Treasure Isle Time’.
The people would listen to the latest American R&B tunes, interspersed with liquor
deals going down at his store.This in time would lead to the starting of his own Sound
System, where he could take his liquor to the dances via his Trojan truck.With shouts
of ‘Here comes the Trojan’,Duke Reid’s now named Trojan Sound System was born.
It proved such a success that he was crowned King of Sound and Blues three years
in a row 1956,1957 and 1958.1958 also saw the store which was out growing itself,
move to its legendary premises, 33 Bond Street.

Duke Reid was a formidable character in the music business. His guns from his
policing days were ever present and always on show, striking a menacing cord.
It was also not unheard of for a few rounds to be let off, if the need arose.But it
was his extensive knowledge of the R&B tunes,and knowing what the people
liked to here that was his real strength. Like Coxsone Dodd at Studio 1 he would
travel to America to acquire the latest cuts. But this was proving more difficult due
to America’s tastes moving on to Rock & Roll, which was not so popular in Jamaica.

The obvious step was to record their own tunes to sup.......
more