PIONEERS Vinyl Records and CDs

A crucial vocal trio that was instrumental in the beginnings of Ska and the worldwide popularizing of Jamaican music, the Pioneers were one of the first Jamaican bands to achieve international chart success. They attracted a large audience in the U.K., mainly within the large skinhead scene brewing in the late 1960s. Their influence was directly felt in many of the Ska Revival bands on the Two-Tone Label, including the Specials, who covered "Long Shot (Kick De Bucket)," and the English Beat, who reworked "Jackpot". Their albums are fast and upbeat, with a warm sound and harmonies that could have been taken directly from an American Soul album. The later albums aren't quite of the same quality, but their early Ska is as good as it gets.