Challenging him for the position might be 86-year old Edward ‘Tan Tan’ Thornton, a graduate of the Alpha Boys School whose training at Alpha launched an amazingly varied work experiences--from performing with Eric Deans Orchestra as a teenager to a Beatles recording session as a young man and
now with Rockabilly Punk outfit Kitty, Daisy & Lewis. Pop Up Music JA is pleased to partner with some of Jamaica's most influential musicians on this, its debut release.

“Just What It Is” is a throwback to the jazz-ska transition in the 1960s that put Jamaica on course to transcend world music with the arrival of Reggae in the 70s and 80s. While Ranglin and Thornton have since transcended the genres themselves on “Just What It Is” they are joined by more alumni of Alpha Boys School. Leading the rhythm section is another Alpha ‘past boy’ (and current instructor at the school) -- Winston ‘Sparrow’ Martin, a winner of Jamaica’s Musgrave Medal and the longest tenured music instructor at Alpha. Alpha past boy Ervin ‘Alla’ Lloyd (Chalice Band) and Bassie Rennalls complete the quartet accompanying Mr Ranglin.

Pop Up Music Jamaica is a record label devoted to raising funds for youth music education in Kingston,
Jamaica. Every project involves music educators as music writers, performers or administrators and
music students are the beneficiaries. The proceeds from “Just What It Is” will support music education at the Alpha Institute, formerly Alpha Boys School, which counts Tan Tan and Sparrow as well as
keyboardist Alla among their long list of accomplished alumni. Founded in Kingston in 1880, Alpha’s
music program graduated a who's who of jazz, ska, rocksteady and reggae music including soundsystem selectors, vocalists and world-class musicians. Indeed, although “Just What It Is” marks the debut release for the new label, the musicians need no introduction.

The “Just What It Is” project benefited from the generous support of all the musicians who donated
their services to make this project possible. Barry O’Hare at World-A-Muzik Studios in Ocho Rios, Robin
Hopcraft and Idris Rahman (Soothsayers) in London who were critical to Tan Tan’s participation, and
mixing engineer David Kennedy each made a unique contribution evident in the fullness of the sound.