Deejays Meet Down Town 1975-1980 / Various

As the frantic, frenetic pace of ska finally let up in 1966 the cool, cool sound of rock steady came to the fore. This languid, soulful music was the complete musical antithesis of it's more famous antecedent and the gentle guitar of Lyn Taitt would forever define the sound of rock steady. Trinidadian Nerlyn 'Lyn' Taitt had been given a contract by Byron Lee to travel to Jamaica to play at the Independence celebrations in 1962 but fell in love with Jamaica and decided to stay joining the Sheiks and then the Cavaliers before forming Lyn Taitt & the Comets. Lyn also recorded as a guest guitarist with the Skatalites before Lyn Taitt & the Jets came together in 1966. The rock steady beat was slower, more measured and the emphasis was placed on the bass. It no longer gave equal emphasis to every beat but, instead, played a repeated pattern that syncopated the rhythm. The rhythmic focus shifted to the core of the music to the bass and the drums where it has remained ever since.