Of Winston Riley, Slim Smith and Pat Kelley

In the week of Winston Riley's untimely death (from injuries received in a brutal attack last November), I thought we should pause long enough to listen to a song from the group that he founded - The Techniques.

When Slim Smith left the group in 1967, Pat Kelley was recruited to take his place. This song 'You Don't Care' was the first single recorded with the new line-up. And what a recording it is, adapted from a Curtis Mayfield song, it has a lovely lilting style and was a huge Jamaican hit, spending six weeks at number 1.

For years I have been of the opinion that poor ill-feted Slim Smith was the greatest vocal talent that Jamaica ever produced, but listening to this song you would have to say, Kelley is at the very least Slim's equal.