"Although the Jamaican music industry was still fledgling when the island achieved its independence from Britain in 1962, its creative forces were already fashioning something distinctive ... 'Rise Jamaica!' contrasts patriotic numbers like Derrick Morgan's "Forward March" and Al T Joe's "Independence Time Is Here" with ballads of courtship and heartbreak ... There are also likable instrumentals mid-way between rhythm and blues and ska, such as Dumbago's "Duck Soup" and Roland Alphonso's "Easter Bonnet" ... The CD format comes with an excellent second disc comprised of wonderful Duke Reid productions dispatched the same year, at least 10 of which are previously unreleased alternate take, taken straight from the master tapes".
