Thousands of thanks to 45Cat chatboard contributor, OldOak, who freely offered up this bit of research related to the topic of U.S. Reggae 45s — I have simply added links to audio recordings on YouTube and/or filmed performances of the artist and song in action:

“Ska was one of the dance crazes of the summer of 1964, inspiring a fair number of records in the US — all 45 releases below are from ’64:

• Mango Jones Orchestra = “Coffee Street Ska/ Ska La Bomba” (VeeJay 603)
• Dinah Lee = “Do the Blue Beat” (Interphon 7708)
• Ray Rivera = “Do The Blue Beat” (RCA 47-8372)
• The Angels = “Jamaica Joe” (Smash 1915)
• The Rockin’ Rebels = “Bongo Blue Beat” (Stork 3)
• The Pussycats = “Come On and Ska” (Keetch 6003)
• Claus Ogerman & His Orchestra = “Summer Ska” (RCA 47-8417)

[*Editor’s Note:  “Come On and Ska” written by “Tommy” Dowd, former Manhattan Project participant who would later become audio engineer extraordinaire for the Atlantic label.]

“Here are a few more non-Jamaicans joining in on the very brief ska craze in the US. I add them only because I think we’re getting near to exhausting the ’64 US ska records.

• Toni Fisher = “The Train Of Love/ The Springtime Of Life” (Signet 664)
• Jimmy Griffin = “Try/ You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You” (Reprise 0304)
• Cambridge Strings = “Charmaine” (London 9683)
• The Rhythm Kings = “Latin Ska” (Tollie 9014)
• Frederick Fennell and His Symphonic Winds = “76 Trombones Ska” (Mercury)
• Toni Wine = “A Boy Like You/ Funny Little Heart” (Colpix 742)
• Lester Lanin = “West Indies Ska” (Philips 40217)
• Baja Marimba Band = “Baja Ska/ Samba De Orfeu” (Almo 211)
• Jerry Kennedy = “Blue Beat” (Smash 1907)
• Woody Herman Orchestra = “C’mon And Ska” (Philips 40213)

“Apparently, at this time, in addition to Prince Buster and Byron Lee & The Ska Kings, Atlantic signed the Blues Busters (who had already released a single on Capitol in 1962), Stranger and Patsy, The Charmers, and The Maytals.  Ahmet Ertegun went to Jamaica and made some recordings, intending to release a dozen or more singles (see Billboard, May 23, 1964).  I think they ended up releasing only one album with these artists, “Jamaica Ska” (SD 8098), and three singles, plus a couple by Millie Small.  Too bad.  Also, I’m pretty sure it’s The Maytals you hear near the end of “Oil In My Lamp” by The Ska Kings.

“As far as US releases of Jamaican artists go, up through 1965 there was only:

• The Blues Busters = “There’s Always Sunshine/ Donna” (New Orleans 727, 1962)
• The Blues Busters = “Tell Me Why/ Behold” (Capitol 4895, also from 1962)
• Millie Small = “My Boy Lollipop/ Sweet William” (Smash 1893, 1964)
• Millie Small = “Sweet William/ What Am I Living For” (Smash 1920, 1964)
• Millie Small = “Don’t You Know/ Tom Hark” (Smash 1946, 1964)
• Millie Small = “I’ve Fallen in Love with a Snowman” (Atlantic 2246, 1964)
• Millie Small = “Bloodshot Eyes/ Tongue Tied” (Atco 6384, 1965)
• Millie Small = “My Street/ Mixed Up, Fickle, Lonely, Self-Centred, Spoiled Kind Of Boy (Brit 7002, 1965)
• Byron Lee/Ska Kings = “Jamaica Ska/ Oil In My Lamp” (Atlantic 2232, 1964)
• Byron Lee/Ska Kings = “Watermelon Man Ska/ Last Night Ska” (Atlantic 2236, 1964)
• Byron Lee = “Jamaica Ska (Bye Bye)/ Jamaica Ska (Sammy Dead) (Capitol, 1964)
• Ezz Reco = “Little Girl/ King Of Kings” (Capitol 5158, 1964)
• Carlos Malcolm = “Royal Ska/ Ska Ramouche” (Amy 907, 1964)
• Prince Buster = “30 Pieces Of Silver/ Everybody Ska” (Amy 906, 1964)
• Prince Buster/Ska Busters = “That Lucky Old Sun/ Don’t Make Me Cry” (Atlantic ’64)
• Danny Davis & Byron Lee + “Ska Dee Wah/ Night Train from Jamaica” (MGM ’64)*

[*Editor’s Note:  Guitar army commando, Billy Mure, is the arranger on the last 45 listed, as well as composer of “Ska Dee Wah”]

“It turns out there were more ska records released in the US than I ever suspected.  Why then no Maytals or Jimmy Cliff?  Monty Morris [of the Ska Kings] got two!  I guess the whole thing just didn’t last long enough.  It really rode the popularity of only one record, Millie Small’s “My Boy Lollipop.”   The Ska Kings got to #98 in Billboard with “Jamaica Ska,” Millie’s next record didn’t break into the Top 40, and it was over.  But it’s amazing how many records were made and released within a few weeks of Millie’s brief success.  This also coincided with the top Jamaican artists performing at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York.  Official embassies of dancers were also sent by the Jamaican government to New Jersey and Philadelphia to teach and promote the new dance.  Prince Buster tells what this meant for Jamaica in “Everybody Ska” (Amy 906).

“Here are a few from 1967:

• Prince Buster = “Ten Commandments/ Don’t Make Me Cry” (Philips 40427)
• Prince & Princess Buster = “Ten Commandments From Woman To Man/ Ain’t That Saying A Lot” (RCA Victor 47-9114)
• Princess Buster & Her Jamaicans = “Ten Commandments (From Woman To Man)/ Byron Lee and The Dragonaires, “Papa Jack” (King 45-6090)
• The Blues Busters = “How Sweet It Is/ Wings Of A Dove” (United Artists UA 50136)
• The Blues Busters = “I’ve Gotta Get There/ Irreplaceable You” (Capitol 5959)
• Jimmy Cliff = “Give And Take/ Aim And Ambition” (Veep 1265)

Old Oak adds:
“‘Ten Commandments’ was actually a hit, reaching Billboard #81 (Pop), #17 (R&B).  RCA and King competed with two versions of the follow-up answer song (same lyrics, different singers), but neither charted.  As with all novelty songs, you might enjoy it the first time, but you never want to hear it again.”

UPDATE (March 3, 2020)

Zero to 180 just discovered a Columbia ska 45 that “bubbled under” Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart, peaking at the #134 spot on July 25, 1964 — “Shrimp Boats (Jamaican Ska)” by Jerry Jackson:

Netherlands 45 — 1964 (reissued in 1973)

45 also released in Jamaica, Costa Rica & Austria