A U Roy – Treasure Isle Skank
B Nora Dean & U Roy – What Is Catty?
Two tracks from the legendary deejay U Roy dating back to the early ’70s are featured on this 7″ vinyl. Both showcase his talent, with the tuff solo piece Treasure Isle Skank on the A-side and the risque duet with Nora Dean, What Is Catty?, on the B-side. In Treasure Isle Skank, U Roy rides a stripped-down version of the Love Uprising riddim in his signature style. This riddim, played by Tommy McCook & The Supersonics, is a reworking of Roy Richards’ Freedom Blues, which first came out in 1970 on the Coxson label. The title of the riddim originates from The Jamaicans’ 1970 track Love Uprising released by Treasure Isle.
U Roy & Nora Dean’s What Is Catty? is a well-crafted interpretation of the 1950s mento classic Big Boy And The Teacher, initially performed by Chin’s Calypso Sextet. While U Roy rose to fame as a celebrated Jamaican artist with international acclaim, Nora Dean’s musical journey didn’t yield similar success. Besides her 1970 solo hit Barbwire, she struggled to achieve notable recognition with her subsequent solo projects.