Artist:Derrick Morgan
Song:The Hop
Album:Independent Jamaica:Songs Of Freedom From The Treasure Isle
Derrick Morgan is mostly unknown to mainstream music fans but was one of the main forces behind the creation of ska music in the early 60s. He was born Mar. 27, 1940 in Mocho, Clarendon Parish, Jamaica and grew up in Kingston. He won a talent contest at age 17 and got the attention of Treasure Isle Records owner Duke Reid. Morgan became so popular that in 1960 his singles filled the top seven positions on the Jamaican charts. Originally Morgan worked with the legendary Prince Buster but when he switched to producer Leslie Kong, it began a rivalry between two legends of Jamaican music. The Hop was recorded in 1962 but it sounds very good today with Morgan's sweet vocal style. This Trojan Records comp is interesting because of course Jamaica became an independent country in 1962 and this looks at music that was popular at that time. Morgan moved to England in 1963 and remains an icon of Jamaican music. Problems with his vision forced Morgan to be less active in the 70s but he continues to tour today and record occasionally. Any fan of Jamaican music and especially ska should check out Derrick Morgan. Here's Derrick Morgan performing Miss Lulu in Holland.
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