Derrick Harriott And The Jiving Juniors ‎– The Donkey Years 1961-1965

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, reggae singer/producer Derrick Harriott began as a member of the Jiving Juniors (from 1958 through 1962) before embarking on his own solo career, in addition to producing other artists, including the Ethiopians, Keith and Tex. Harriott tended to rework old R&B love songs as reggae tunes, but his best-known song, "The Loser," was an original composition. In 1971, Swing Magazine named Harriott Top Producer of 1970, as he was also one of the first to utilize the now renowned King Tubby's recording studio. The '70s saw the release of such solo albums as "Undertaker", "Songs for Midnight Lovers", and "Psychedelic Lovers". Although not much was heard from Harriott during the '80s in terms of solo releases, the mid- to late '90s saw the emergence of such solo efforts as "Sings Jamaican Rock Steady Reggae", "For a Fistful of Dollars", "Derrick Harriott & Giants", and "Riding the Roots Chariot".       

The amazingly talented singer and producer Derrick Harriott´s rocksteady and reggae material has been regularly recycled. This 1994 set from the aptly named Jamaican Gold label, however, was the first comprehensive selection of his pre-ska work with the Jiving Juniors.

The group´s name pretty much expresses the atmosphere of these doo-wop-influenced tracks, some of which were recorded in New York in 1960, and Harriott´s own falsetto magic was already obvious. As usual with this label, the accompanying booklet is packed with informative notes and photos, andthe entire package is an object lesson in how vintage material should be presented.

Derrick Harriott And The Jiving Juniors ‎– The Donkey Years 1961-1965
(256 kbps, cover art included)