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…