Monty Alexander

Monty Alexander & The Cyclones - Dog It - Coxsone - All Stars - Blue Beat - 1961

A great tune - in a shuffle beat style from one of the masters of many keyboards Monty Alexander. Listening to the tune carefully it sounds like a harmonic playing the lead and then the melodica! Which would make this one of the first if not the very first melodica tunes in Jamaican music- although the presence of the harmonic confuses the issue. Certain parts of the tune just do not sound like an harmonic!!! You would never hear a tune like this outside of Jamaica in 1961, that is for sure!

Monty & The Cyclones - Organization - Coxsone - D Darling - Island - 1962

Fantastic fast Shuffle Beat tune from Monty Alexander. The double tap on the snare drum that pushes this tune along - is a very simple way of understanding the difference between the two genres!!! But this goes further - its also got a rare example of the 'Shuffle Organ' that replaced the Shuffle Piano. So this tune is truly educational!!! On the entertainment side of things - there is also a magnificent guitar solo from what sound Ernest Ranglin. But this organ instrumental is one of the best!!!