Rocksteady

Rocksteady is pianist Monty Alexander's tribute to the late '60s and early '70s heyday of ska. No mere dalliance, Alexander is from Jamaica and came up through the club scene there before relocating to the United States and embarking on a career in jazz. A vital component throughout this album is guitarist Ernest Ranglin, who played on many of the key recordings produced by Coxson Dodd (including Toots & the Maytals, Derrick Herriot, Roland Alfonso, and many others). The dozen tracks pay homage to the era's key artists and composers. The album opens with the spry fun of Dave and Ansel Collins' "Double Barrel," one of the first Jamaican songs to become a hit in America, and closes with Bob Marley's richly emotive "Redemption Song." In between they play everything from "Confucius" by the Skatelites to "The Israelites" by Desmond Dekker. The sextet locks into each number, eschewing overdubs for an essential live groove. --David Greenberger