One
of the initial producers in Kingston who developed the musical autheticity
of 2th century Jamaican music. he started in the early 1960s with ska productions,
developed the rock steady style and took part in the early days of reggae
music.
From the beginning he worked with Rico Rodriguez as part of his instrumentalists. Rico was in the studio, when he recorded his first sessions for commercial release at Federal studios.
"Born Arthur Reid at around 1915
in Jamaica, he brought and owned a liquor store on Bond street, Kingston
with his wife named Lucille (The Duchess). Duke Reid served in the Jamaican
police force and had a love of music which included Jazz and R&B. This
love of music was shown on the radio show he hosted called "Treasure Isle
Time", the theme tune for the Duke's show was Tab's Smith's "My Mother's
Eye's".
The Duke would play old 78's on
and very soon he would own his own sound system which would play at his
liquor store(called Tresure Isle) and eventually he would tour the Island
playing to huge crowds hungry for music and respite from poor conditions.
As the huge sound system was taken around the Island it coined the nickname,
"The Trojan" along with the other great early producer and close rival
Coxsone
Dodd history was beginningto be made.
The Duke Reid
label ran for only few years, much was put out on the Treasure Isle Label
own by Duke Reid." (Source: Rank's
Reggae Revival, WebSite, 4/2003)
Rico's
Music