Love And Understanding

Laurel Aitken, The Godfather Of Ska, was a prolific artist who, when wasn't on tour, used to go to the studio for producing new material. From all that sessions there where a lot of unfinished tapes with new stuff that never saw the light.

Liquidator rescues these tapes and take them back to the recording studio for finishing all that projects with the Mighty Megatons backing, who have written the unfinished parts and played the perfect backing track for some of the most brilliant moments in Laurel's career. These collection of songs have been produced y Mighty Megaton’s leader Rudy King, who has composed, arranged, recorded and produced with an incredible result.

There’s no information about when Laurel started recording these tunes originally or the studios he used. In most of the recordings there was no backing instruments, just Laurel’s vocals, sometimes a keyboard or a click, but not much. So it has been quite important the Mighty Megatons work for re-writing and re-arranging Laurel’s compositions.

If you are new to this artist you must know that Laurel Aitken (1925 - 2005) was born in Cuba and moved with his family to Jamaica at the age of 8 years old. At 12 he was singing Calypso and playing guitar for the tourists. Being a teenager he won several local contests and later came his very first recordings, it was the Jazz, Boogie Boogie, R&B and Calypso era. Laurel was the protagonist of Ska music’s birth, that Jamaican flavored Rhythm & Blues, from which he was later acclaimed as the pioneer. The first hits and number ones started to grow for himself in the island. Jamaican music was changing in the 60’s and the Ska music was becoming a new rhythm called Rock Steady. Young followers and talents, like Bob Marley, were into his fans who waited after his shows for autographs. Laurel was always on the top and when he moved to London it was the time when Reggae music was born, it was 1969. The rest of Laurel’s life took part in the UK building a successful career in Europe, promoting Jamaican artists, producing recordings and being one of the Jamaican artists who played live more often all around the world. Laurel Aitken passed away on 17th. July 2005.

Tracklist

A1. Angel Baby
A2. Judgement Pon Di Land
A3. Let Me Know Baby
A4. El Padrino Del Ska
A5. Suddenly We Don't Talk Anymore
A6. Love & Understanding

B1. Shoeshine Boy
B2. Get You Into My Life
B3. On The Plantation
B4. Only A Smile
B5. Woman A Go Mad Me
A6. El Cubano Rides A Horse