Last night I stayed clear of most every fringe style of ska and brought it back to that big ol’ trunk of musical bark, real ska.  Yeah, there was a little from the branches of rocksteady, reggae and neo-traditional, as well as one calypso side, but for the most part, the ska show was a ska show.

Also worth noting, the show finished off with a killer trad-ska DJ Mix from 100 dBs.  Credited here as simply his Winter Skank Mix, you can visit his site to learn what individual, old-school tracks comprised this mix.  And while you’re there, check out his other (non-ska) mixes, made with just 2 turntables and some FX.

As always, this episode of Ska’s The Limit will be streaming from KDHX.org for the next 2 weeks, enjoy it while it lasts.

Gregory “Rocksteady” Kraj “River City Ska Step” from “This Is Rocksteady” on A1 Records
Don Drummond “Rocket Ship” from “Jazz Ska Attack 1964″ on Carol
Eric Monty Morris “Oil In My Lamp” from “Byron Lee – The Man And His Music” on VP
Carlos Malcolm “Skokian” from “Ska Mania” on Island
Millie Small “Bloodshot Eyes” from “My Boy Lollipop” on Fontana

Dionne Bromfield “Oh Henry” from “Introducing Dionne Bromfield” on iTunes New
Derrick & Patsy with Drumbago & His Harmonisers “Let the Good Times Roll” from “Jamaican RnB” on Trojan
The Determinations “Housewife’s Choice” from “Ska Island” on Polygram Records
Christopher Ellis “Tribute To Alton Elis – A” from “Old Skool Young Blood 2″ on peckings
Alton Ellis “La-La Means I Love You” from “Nu-Beat’s Greatest Hits” on Nu-Beat
Si Cranstoun “Dynamo (Radio Edit)” from “Dynamo” on Galley New

The Dualers “Take A Trip” from “Melting Pot” on Galley
Yeska “Tin Tin Deo” from “The Cover Up” on Aztlan Records
Lady Lex “Is This Love” from “Old School Young Blood 2″ on peckings
The Pinstripes “Cool Whip/Hot Sauce” from “Midwest Soundclash” on Dashiki Clout Records Request
Peter Hunnigale “Leave Me Alone” from “Free Soul LP” on peckings
Justin Hinds & The Dominoes “Carry Go Bring Come” from “Rough And Tough (The Story Of Ska 1960 – 1966)” on Trojan

Cedric IM Brooks “Major Vikkly” from “Major Vikkly/Jah Kona 45 (TRT-001)” on Total Running Time New
Top Cats “Lay Down the Law” from “Mr. Donkey Paradise” on Jamdown
Laurel Aitken “Sahara” from “Moonshot! A Moon Ska Records Compendium” on Moon Ska Records
Clive Wilson “One Ska, One Ounce Of Weed, One Beer” from “One Ska, One Ounce Of Weed, One Beer” on white
Lord Mouse And The Kalypso Kats “Wash Your Hands” from “Jump Up Records Caribbean Party Sampler” on Jump Up New
100dBs “Winter Skank Mix” from “Winter Skank Mix” on self
[You gotta listen to the Winter Skank Mix, Free!]

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Looking back over last night’s playlist, I’m noticing that the show was surprisingly light on the Ska.   There was an extra emphasis on mento/calypso and 80′s ska, but it looks like reggae covers dominated the set.   I’ve never been silent about my love for Mento Music (Jamaica’s answer to Calypso and the forerunner to Ska and Reggae), but I was impressed by the amount of phone calls I got in support of such an old school sound.   St. Louis, I wish you would have told me about your love of Calypso sooner.

If you missed the show, you can stream the archive from KDHX.org for the next two weeks.

Willie Williams – Armageddon Time – 100% Dynamite – Soul Jazz

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The Slackers – New Years Day – Holiday Show 2009 – Whatevski – [The Slackers have now covered U2, this must be the end of days]

Hepcat – Country Time – Scientific – BYO

Small Island Pride – Federation – Calypso Awakening – Smithsonian Folkways – [Small Island Pride is probably my favorite non-Jamaican Calypsonian, here's a passage from the book, The Caribbean Integration Process, that describes the subtle meaning of this very song.]

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Alton Ellis – Can’t Get Used To Losing You – I’m Still In Love – Heartbeat – [You're probably more familiar with The Beat's version of this song]

Ngobo Ngobo – Blank Expression – Daily Talk – Grover

Dr. Ring-Ding – My Sound – Ram Di Dance – Moon Ska – [Here's one of those YouTubes that's not much to look at]

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Boothill Foot Tappers – There’s Melody To Our Madness – Love and Affection Single – White – [Oops!  I picked out the non-ska song to play - nothing wrong with a little bluegrass on the ska show, right?  Right?]

Max Headroom & The Car “Parks” – Rhythm & Blue Beat – Don’t Panic 7″ – White – [This Max Headroom predates the more popular one by at least 5 years.]

Beat Brigade – Armageddon Beat – NY Beat! Hit and Run – Moon Ska – [Not only should you click here to learn more about The First US Ska Comp, you can also get your hands on it!]

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The Selecter – Missing Words (acoustic) – Unplugged for The Rude Boy Generation – Mapps Cafe Records/Ka

David Hillyard and The Rocksteady Seven – Change of Plans – Get Back Up! – Whatevski – [Brand new DHR7 is available for digi download on Whatevski]

Prince Buster – Beggers Are No Choosers – I Feel The Spirit – Fab

Mary Wells & The Steadies – My Guy – Motown Flies Jamaica Vol 2 – Jamaican Airlines – [New Zealand's version of Ska's The Limit, Go Feet Radio did an episode dedicated to JA and Motown sounds]

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Toots and The Maytals – Louie Louie – This Is England OST – Commercial Marketing

The Meters – Mardi Gras Mambo – Fire On The Bayou – Sundazed Music Inc.

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Prince Buster – Day-O – Ska Lip Soul – Blue Beat – [Learn more about this song's long history]

Lord Lebby – Mama Don’t Want No Peas No Rice – Calypsos From Jamaica – Valmark – [My favorite source for info on Mento Music has an entire page dedicated to Lord Lebby]

Val Bennet – Cut Munno – Ska Lip Soul – Blue Beat – [MentoMusic.com also has a little info on this Prince Buster LP that collected Calypso and Ska on one album]

The Wigglers – Linsted Market/Day-O – Calypsos From Jamaica – Valmark

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Mealticket – Super Positive – 13 Apologies – In the Mix

The Skatalites – Ball Of Fire – Ska Authentic – Musicrama/Koch

Fun Boy Three – Our Lips Are Sealed – 3 Mixes Us 12″ – Chrysalis – [Terry Hall got silly looking in the 80's]

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Desmond Dekker – Music Like Dirt – Best Of Desmond Dekker – Trojan

The Clash – Hateful – London Calling – Sony

Da Whole Thing – Banker – Tooth – Internet Release

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One Groovy Coconut – New Wave Crashing – More Like This Than That – Ska Satellite

Pressure Cooker – Originators – Commited – Pressure Cooker

New York Citizens – Rude Girls – The Truth About The NY Citizens – Moon Ska

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Smiley Culture – Cockney Translation – The Fashion Records Story – Ras

Twizzle  and The Hot Rod All-Stars – The Graduate – 7″ Single – Torpedo Records

Vic Ruggiero – Takin Care Of Business – Something In My Blindspot – Moanin’

Key:  Artist – Title – Album -   +=Request *=New
[Notes]

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Holiday’s are great time to show off some of the many X-Mas novelty songs that are plentiful in the ska genre.  I tried to keep it not-so-cheezy, but you know how that goes.

If you missed the show, you can still catch the archive at KDHX.org for the next two weeks.

ASPO – Evening Snow – Love Potion #1 – Patate

Toots & The Maytals – Christmas Feeling Ska – Christmas Greetings – White

The Debonaires – Reggae Claus – Unreleased – Self

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – Ain’t No Chimneys – DAP 1048 side A – Daptone

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The Bluebeats – Blue Christmas – Christma-Ska – Megalith

Let’s Go Bowling – Oatmeal for X-Mas – Freeway Lanes – Asian Man

The Granville Williams Orchestra – Santa Claus is Ska-ing to Town – Trojan Christmas Box – Trojan

The Slackers – Dreidel – Single – Self

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The Chinkees – Christmas – Peace Through Music – Asian Man

The Ramones – Merry Christmas (I don’t wanna fight tonight) – Anthonlogy – Rhino

National Lampoon – The Littlest Christmas Tree – Best of National Lampoon Radio Hour – Rhino

MU 330 – Christmas Merry Christmas – Winter Wonderland – Asian Man

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The Toasters – Rudy Christmas A Jail – Christma-Ska – Megalith

Bob Marley – White Christmas – Destiny – Studio One

Alton Ellis and The Lipsticks – Merry Merry Christmas – Trojan Christmas Box – Trojan

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Mighty Mighty Bosstones – This Time of Year – A Santa Cause (It’s a punk rock Christmas) – Immortal Records

The Sonics – Don’t Believe in Christmas – Here Are The Sonics – Norton

National Lampoon – Rod Serling Explains the First Christmas – Best of National Lampoon Radio Hour – Rhino

The Slackers – No More Crying (Ska) – Single – Self

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Go Jimmy Go – Tropical Christmas – Holiday Hell Yeah! – Moon Room Records, Inc.

Leon Redbone – Christmas Island – Christmas Island – Rounder

The Villains – In My Merry Batmobile – Do The Batman – Somerset

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Go Jimmy Go – Holiday Hell Yeah! – Holiday Hell Yeah! – Moon Room Records, Inc.

MU 330 – I Got This Neighbor – Winter Wonderland – Asian Man

Rude Bones – Tonight It’s Christmas – Rude Bones & The Down Stairs Sessions – White

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Gregory Kraj – Snow Flakes – December – A1 Records

Rufus Thomas – I’ll Be Your Santa, Baby – Christmas A Go-Go – Wicked Cool

The Aggrolites – Reggae Wonderland – Dirty Reggae – Axe Records

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The Toasters – Sleigh Ride – Christma-Ska – Megalith

Patton Oswalt – My Christmas Memory – Feeling Kinda Patton – United Musicians

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King Stitt – Christmas Tree – Trojan Christmas Box – Trojan

The Maytals – Happy Christmas – Trojan Christmas Box – Trojan

Skinnerbox – Happy New Year – Demonstration – Triple Crown

The Slackers – Santa Claus is Coming to Town – Holiday Show – Knitting Factory 12-17-04 – Live Recording

The Debonaires – Winter Rain – Groovin After Sundown – Unknown

Key:  Artist – Title – Album -   +=Request *=New
[Notes]

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