Portrait of a legend: Alton Ellis
The career of Alton Ellis is one of the most important in Jamaican music history—he didn’t just succeed within a genre, he helped create one. Early Years & Ska Beginnings (late 1950s–mid 1960s) Ellis started out in the late 1950s, originally performing in a duo with Eddie Perkins. Their early work leaned into ska, the fast, upbeat sound that dominated Jamaica at the time. He later formed a group called The Flames, working with producer Coxsone Dodd at the legendary […]