Take a Bus or a Truck

Tremile & The Jamals: I Dunno, Push Ya Push Dey, Cab Driver
From: NOW [Camille Records, 1974]

Winter is starting to creep in so it seemed a prime time for a little calypso sunshine to keep the cold at bay. There isn't much info out there about Tremile & The Jamals except for what's on the album art: a sweet group photo, and, this writeup (excerpt) from the back:

"Tremile & The Jamals have been around since the early 50's * all members hailing from St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands * and have been playing to full house wherever they perform. Their last performance in New York was over the July 4th weekend when the performed at Club Monterey in the Bronx and Manhattan Center in New York for the Annual Independence Day Jump Up, this is where I had the pleasure of seeing and hearing fifteen young and talented men display their artistic knowledge to yet, another standing room only audience." - Kenty Lyttle, WFUV-FM

The back cover goes on to tell us that "Tremile" is actually James Jerrard who doubles both as band leader and bass player. He must run a tight ship because these 15 people sound like one unified rhythm machine. And, for flair, the band has two great vocalists whom each get two tracks to shine: George Knight and Lord Hykie. Knight's voice/songs are less calypso and more similar to early 70's funk contemporaries (like 'Dance to the Music' era Sly). Hykie, featured in 'Cab Driver' is more traditional.

If you like these tracks, you'll most likely dig the whole album; solid through and through.