Various Artists - BMN Ska & Rock Steady: Always Together 1964 - 1968 (Dub Store Records)

Before making a name for himself in the music business, Nasralla, the son of a Lebanese father and a Jamaican mother, was a keen sportsman, representing Jamaica in fencing, badminton, squash and football. Introduced to the world of music by Eduard Seaga, Ronnie started out as a manager, but soon after founded his own BMN label and started producing artists like Byron Lee & The Dragonaires, The Blues Busters and later also The Maytals.

The track list of 'BMN Ska & Rock Steady: Always Together 1964 - 1968' of course features several songs by the aforementioned bands ('I Won't Let You Go' or 'Soon You'll Be Gone', delicious rocksteady classics by The Blues Busters, 'Frankenstein', an excellent ska instrumental by Byron Lee & The Dragonaires, the primeval version of 'Bam Bam' by The Maytals...), but the most original song on this compilation is undoubtedly opener 'Always Together', rocksteady in Chinese (!) by a certain Stephen Cheng, and 'Mughead Ska', an excellent instrumental by Llans Thelwell & The Celestials is also certainly worth mentioning. Another beautiful compilation full of rare material, as we have become accustomed to from Dub store Records!