The Techniques were a Jamaican vocal quartet who found fame once ska evolved into reggae, with this classic Queen Majesty.

 The sun is out and I enjoyed my constitutional today without a coat for the first time in months, soundtracked by this rocksteady classic.

The Techniques started out as a vocal group in 1962 and hit their stride once the rhythms of ska began to slow down and evolve into rocksteady in the mid-Sixties.

The change of pace suited the group formed by Winston Riley and three classmates – Slim Smith, Franklyn White and Frederick Waite – enjoying a string of hits produced by Duke Reid.

This one, with Smith’s passionate vibrato complemented by Tommy McCook & The Supersonics, went on to spawn several other recordings, including great deejay versions by two of my favourite toasters, U Roy and Ranking Trevor.

The Techniques got their break performing at Jamaican music entrepreneur, MP and future Prime Minister Edward Seaga’s Chocomo Lawn Club in Kingston, which became an unofficial nursery for countless future reggae stars.

Spotted there by a talent scout for Columbia Records, their debut single No One, was released only in the UK in 1963, their Jamaican debut coming two years later when they hooked up with Duke Reid.

Songs including Don’t Leave Me, When You Are Wrong, and Little Did You Know came out before Smith left the group in 1966 – replaced by Pat Kelly – to pursue a solo career at Studio One, later forming The Uniques with White. 

The shift from ska to rocksteady brought The Techniques a string of hits in 1967 and 1968 including You Don’t Care, Queen Majesty, I Wish It Would Rain, It’s You I Love, and Love Is Not a Gamble, but they left Treasure Isle in 1968 with Riley setting up his own Techniques label.

Over on YouTube, the ever-reliable mixologist Dr Algoriddim has put together all the versions of this great tune, starting off with The Techniques’ original.