The Skatalites "Ball Of Fire" 1997

Ball of Fire finds a reunited Skatalites reworking their greatest hits, playing long, extended passages that allow the band to demonstrate their substantial instrumental abilities. Fans of the punchy early singles may find this approach a little unsettling, but anyone who gets into the groove will find Ball of Fire to be a delight, a thoroughly respectable comeback from one of ska's greatest groups. --Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AllMusic [Rating: 4/5 stars] The Skatalites' return to a major label was long overdue. For a band whose original incarnation had only lasted 14 months in the '60s, their influence had been tremendous. Resurrected in 1983, they were definitely jazzers with a ska beat these days. Ball of Fire was made up of old Skatalites material, all reinterpeted by a band that included four founder members, and it taught a lesson in sophistication and swing to all aspiring ska instrumentalists. Everything had a groove; the solos were fluent and never self-indulgent. In other words, it was everything they ever aspired to be, and glorious fun, too. --Chris Nickson, Amazon.comtrax:

01. James Bond Theme 02. Latin Goes Ska 03. Confucius 04. Occupation 05. Rock Fort Rock 06. Eastern Standard Time 07. Ball Of Fire 08. Swing Easy 09. Ringo 10. Freedom Sound

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