Mr. Soul of Jamaica

Alton Ellis was a star long before rocksteady washed over Jamaica, but it took until that era for his debut album to arrive. 1967's Mr. Soul of Jamaica was his first, followed hot on its heels by Sings Rock and Soul. The latter came courtesy of Coxsone Dodd, it's a fine set, but pales in comparison to the former. Ellis had departed Dodd's Studio One for Duke Reid's Treasure Isle as rocksteady emerged, recording a stream of crucial hit singles for the label. Mr. Soul featured a clutch of them, but oddly not some of the biggest -- the genre naming "Rock Steady," the classic "Girl I've Got a Date," the seminal "Cry Tough" were all missing. Presumably, Reid thought they were pointless inclusions, as everyone already had them on 45. What fans did get was a dozen numbers of equal caliber; Ellis didn't release anything less during this period. The sublime "Breaking Up" is a perfect case in point, the singer oozes heartache, while his backing Flames' harmonies are exquisite, and absolutely fla