On May 1st 2018 the famous Jamaican music school Alpha Institute celebrated its 138th anniversary. For this occasion, they joined hands with Pop Up Music Jamaica, an organisation devoted to raising funds for youth music education in Kingston, Jamaica. Together they launched the Just What It Is project, a campaign for helping Alpha Institute students. People who make a donation will receive in return a copy of the song Just What It Is recorded by Ernest Ranglin And The Alpharians featuring Edward ‘Tan Tan’ Thornton.

Just What It Is  is a throwback to the jazz-ska transition in the 1960s. Ernest Ranglin, the famous 85-year old  guitarist, reuinted with old Alpha students, trumpeter and Alpha graduate Edward ‘Tan Tan’ Thornton, drummer and fellow Alpha old boy Winston ‘Sparrow’ Martin, winner of Jamaica’s Musgrave Medal and the longest tenured music instructor at Alpha. Alpha old boy keyboardist Ervin ‘Alla’ Lloyd (Chalice Band) and Bassie Rennalls complete the quartet.

Just What It Is is available from June 1st on digital platforms.