When the third wave ska revival hit in the mid-'90s, it brought with it for the first time a sizable contingent of bands from Europe and South America. Of the German crew,
Dr. Ring Ding & the Senior Allstars were by far the best. Led by the large and garrulous
Richie "Dr. Ring Ding" Jung and featuring a crack horn section and pitch-perfect organist, the band manages to produce historically faithful traditional ska and reggae while imbuing it with modern energy and freshness.
Jung has worked hard on his Jamaican patois, and on old-fashioned originals like "Big Man" and "(Want Me) Money Back" and cover versions like
Justin Hinds' "Save a Bread" (to which he appends a DJ addendum titled "Save a Toast"), his flawless Rasta syntax combines with a faint Teutonic accent for a thoroughly charming combination. His musical foundation is equally deep -- "(Want Me) Money Back" is a calypso tune that Roaring Lion or
Lord Kitchener would have killed for, while the minor-key instrumental "Bellevue Asylum" sounds like
Augustus Pablo with a big horn section. Even ska legend
Derrick Morgan believes -- he steps in as a guest vocalist on the very fine "Knocking on My Door." Overall, this is about as good as traditional ska gets. And that's very good. ~ Rick Anderson