Cherry Red Records' Doctor Bird imprint is committed to uncovering and reappraising the early years of reggae, ska, Calypso, rocksteady, and mento music, and few figures are as instrumental in the development of those genres as Alton Ellis. Starting with his first recordings in 1960, the gifted songwriter, singer, and performer quickly garnered a reputation as one of Jamaica's greatest musical exports.

Moving on from the American R&B style that inflected his earliest recordings, Ellis signed on to the Treasure Isle label, run by producer Duke Reid. Through his work on Treasure Isle - not to mention the sides he released on the Trojan, Duke, Duke Reid, and Count Shelley labels - Ellis helped transform R&B to ska, then ska to the slower rocksteady style, and rightfully earned the title "Mr. Soul of Jamaica" along the way.

In 1973, twelve of his hit sides recorded from 1967 to 1970 were collected on the Treasure Isle compilation Mr. Soul of Jamaica, released in the U.K. as Greatest Hits. The dozen tracks from that seminal collection make up the basis of Cherry Red's new 2-CD compilation, Greatest Hits: Mr. Soul of Jamaica. Here, the original album is expanded to a whopping 49 tracks, including 8 songs that have never been released on CD, two of which have never been issued anywhere before. These include rare sides, alternate takes, early versions, and, of course, a wealth of classic songs from the man who put rocksteady on the map.

The collection opens with the jaunty "Breaking Up," which was originally credited to Treasure Isle's house band Tommy McCook and the Supersonics. Ellis' dynamic and soulful vocal went uncredited on the original single. The R&B-flavored "Why Birds Follow Spring" follows, demonstrating the doo-wop and pop influences of the emerging rocksteady movement. A couple years later, Ellis gave the rocksteady treatment to soul hits like "You've Made Me So Very Happy" (credited as "You Made Me Happy") and "What Does It Take (Win Your Love?)" With a stripped-down brass-less, guitar-driven backing and a yearning, slightly-less-polished vocal delivery, "You Made Me Happy" hits even deeper than before, while the organ-led cover of Junior Walker and The All-Stars' "What Does It Take" - which closed the original compilation - displays Ellis' talent for committed interpretations, complete with wails and almost-weeping backing vocals from Treasure Isle's house band. But it's Ellis originals like the bopping ode "Baby, I Love You (Oo Wee Baby)" and the gritty warning against greed "If I Could Rule This World" that really display his immense talents as a songwriter and singer.

If the original twelve songs on Greatest Hits hinted at the best of Mr. Soul of Jamaica, the dozen that follow on Cherry Red's expanded edition cement Alton Ellis' other title as The King of Rocksteady. Here, fans are treated to a wealth of additional singles from the Doctor Bird, Trojan, Nu Beat, Island, and of course, Treasure Isle catalogue, all featuring the sonic fingerprint of Duke Reid. From Ellis' landmark 1967 single "Girl I've Got a Date" - presented in its original 7" mix - and the uplifting "Dance Crasher," to the brassy groove of "Personality" and funky "Trying To Reach My Goal," it shows the pair building a new sonic style that would affect all Jamaican music to come.

As Tony Rounce explains in his essay, though the fruits of Ellis and Reid's collaboration were plenty, their relationship wasn't always sweet. After Ellis cut tracks for Reid's arch-rival Clement "Sir Coxsone" Dodd, including the enduring "I'm Still In Love," their relationship was in peril. But Ellis eventually returned back to Duke's studio cutting those aforementioned Motown covers after Treasure Isle's eventual release of his Phyllis Dillon duet "Remember That Sunday" became a hit.

In addition to surveying Ellis' biggest hits with Reid in the producer's seat, Cherry Red also brings the listener into the studio with a number of alternate takes. Among them are "Breaking Up," "Don't Trouble People" (a catchy reminder of self-control), plus previously unreleased takes of "Remember That Sunday" and "You've Made Me So Very Happy." We're also treated to two additional versions of Ellis' first hit, "Girl I've Got A Date," including a straight-ahead soul version that replaces the trademark guitar stabs with a blend of organ and brass.

The two discs are packaged in a single jewel case and are accompanied by a thick booklet with detailed new liner notes by Tony Rounce that delve deep into Ellis' legendary recordings, his relationship with Duke Reid, and the lasting impact of these classic tracks. There's also a wealth of images, including scans of singles, press clippings, memorabilia, and classic press pictures. If that weren't enough, there's also copious discographical information about all the tracks in the collection.

In all, Cherry Red/Doctor Bird's reissue proves to be an indispensable collection of some of the most important music of early ska, rocksteady, and reggae. Though many of these tracks have been issued before, bringing the hits together with those key unreleased tracks alternate takes makes Greatest Hits: Mr Soul of Jamaica the definitive look at Alton Ellis' revolutionary Treasure Island tenure.

Greatest Hits: Mr. Soul of Jamaica is available now from Cherry Red's Doctor Bird imprint. You can order your copy and peruse the impressive track listing below!

Alton Ellis, Greatest Hits: Mr. Soul of Jamaica (originally released as Count Shelly LP SSLP-05, 1973 -- expanded and reissued on Cherry Red/Doctor Bird, 2019) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Disc 1: Greatest Hits
1. Breaking Up
2. Why Birds Follow Spring
3. I Can't Stop Now
4. Ain't That Loving You
5. You Made Me So Very Happy
6. Remember That Sunday
7. All My Tears
8. Baby I Love You
9. Chatty Chatty People
10. My Willow Tree
11. If I Could Rule This World
12. What Does It Take

Bonus Tracks:
13. Girl I've Got a Date (1966 Version)
14. Rock Steady
15. I Can't Stand It
16. Cry Tough (Take 6)
17. La La Means I Love You
18. Don't Trouble People

Disc 2: Bonus Tracks
1. Girl I've Got a Date (1967 Version)
2. Why Did You Leave Me
3. How Can I
4. Dance Crasher
5. Duke of Earl
6. Blessings of Love
7. Oh, What a Smile Can Do
8. Personality
9. The Preacher
10. Pumping In
11. Nothing Sweeter
12. Breaking Up (Alternate Take)
13. Something You Got
14. The Same Song
15. Don't Trouble People (Alternate Take)
16. Honey I Love
17. Don't Gamble With Love
18. Remember That Sunday (Alternate Take)
19. Trying to Reach My Goal