Jamaican ska and rocksteady foundation singer songwriter legend, Stranger Cole was so impressed with The Ska Vendors he insisted on recording with them; but he had to be quick. Stranger was using The Ska Vendors as his band for a mini Australian tour, selling out several shows, but Stranger was booked to return to Jamaica straight after the tour. In late 2022, between shows and travelling, 81 year-old Stranger wrote a song especially to record with The Ska Vendors. With the clock ticking, band leader, Steve Montgomery rounded up the troops and or-ganised a session at Quasar studios. Only one week-night was available for rehearsal when Covid struck two members of the horn section. With 24hrs notice, Paul Williamson and Peter Slipper came to the rescue. What resulted was a fine piece of old style Jamaican ska, recorded in the same way the first recordings were made in early 1960’s Kingston: straight to tape. In top form, Stranger and the band recorded two tracks: ‘More Ska’, the song written for the Vendors, and a cover, ‘Singer Man’, a song written and recorded originally by his friends Derrick Harriot and Clive Bernard. This is the first recording of Stranger singing a cover.
credits
released July 13, 2023
Stranger Cole vocals, Steve Montgomery, Kerri Simpson backing vocals, Steve Phillips drums, Chris Rogers bass, John Holmes, Dan Kerr guitar, Michael Havir keys, Ed Farrar trumpet, Paul Williamson tenor, Peter Slipper trombone. Horn arrangements Dean Hilson.