An incredible compilation of classic era dub work from King Tubby's – played by producer Bunny Lee's legendary Aggrovators band and showcasing the mixing skills of Tubby, Prince Jammy, Scientist and others! This is prime era hypnotic dub of the finest caliber – originally issued on ... read moreCD
With Delfeayo Marsalis on trombone, Wendel Ferraro on guitar, Hassan Shakur on bass, Rolando Alphanso Wilson on drums, and others. Tracks include "Africa Unite", "No More Trouble", "Forever Lovin' Jah", "Trench Town", and "Chant Down Babylon". (Jazz, Reggae)CD
(Out of print, promotional stamp on CD.)
Ahmed Ben Ali —
Subhana ... CD Habibi Funk (Germany), Mid 2000s. New Copy ...
$14.99
A really cool hybrid of styles – reggae, but recorded in Libya – which makes for all sorts of twists and turns in the music that are nicely different from mainstream modes! The rhythms still have echoes of Kingston, but the vocals have a special sort of phrasing, and the keyboards ... (Global Grooves, Reggae)read moreCD
A strong debut effort from one of the finer British roots acts – the mighty Aswad, a group who were big on the UK shores, but never got the same sort of international circulation as their peers Steel Pulse! Like many UK groups of the time, Aswad are nicely self-contained, different than the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A hell of a record from bassist Aston Barrett – best known for his work behind Bob Marley during the classic years, but stepping out here as a powerful force on his own – away from the late Great One, and recording here either under his own name, or with The Wailers! As the title ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
The debut album from the second lineup of Black Uhuru, with Duckie Simpson, Michael Rose and Errol Nelson. Produced by Prince Jammy, this is a tremendous slice of rootsy rockers, even if it doesn't quite top the later version of the group with Puma Jones and Sly & Robbie's production. This ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Samuel Blaser —
Routes ... CD Enja (Germany), 2024. New Copy ...
$14.9916.99
Trombonist Samuel Blaser pays tribute to the legacy of Jamaican music – but in a way that also resonates strongly with some of his more jazz-based releases too! The record's mostly instrumental – but does have vocals from Carroll Thompson on two tracks, and Lee Scratch Perry on two ... (Jazz, Reggae)read moreCD
A soaring set from Afro reggae trailblazer Alpha Blondy – and one of his best! The blend of Jamaican influlences and African heritage combine as passionately as ever on a batch of songs that includes "Afriki", "Jah Houphouet", "Apartheid Is Nazism", "Idjidja ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(US pressing on Shanachie. Cover has some edge wear and is bent a bit at the spine.)
A very cool set from the 70s – one that's part reggae, part sweet soul, and part funky jam – all served up with a nicely mixed up vibe that really makes the whole thing shine! The group hail from Barbados, and there's some great Caribbean funk on the record at times – especially ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
You gotta love Ken Boothe – a guy who can take familiar pop tunes like "Impossible Dream" and "Theme From The Godfather", and turn them into surprisingly soulful reggae classics! Yet that kind of magic is exactly what makes a great reggae album so great – the kind ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Pressure Sounds does it again, with another fine collection of mighty, mighty dub! A much needed Blackbeard retrospective collecting 16 hard to get cuts from British dubmeister Dennis Bovell, rare dubs and instrumentals, plus a couple of outstanding vocal tracks from the man at the epicenter of ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Never-issued work from Jamaican singer Al Brown – tapes that were thought to be lost for years, then were recently rediscovered and brought back to life by the talents of Paolo "Dub Files" Baldini! The work has a righteous quality at the core – very soulful vocals from Al, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Barry Brown —
Praises ... LP Pressure Sounds (UK), Late 70s. New Copy 2LP ...
$26.9933.99
An incredible set, and one that will definitely have you heaping praises on Barry Brown – as the singer was one of the most inventive of the late roots reggae years in Jamaica – and maybe gets his best presentation ever on the tracks on the set! There's a splashy brilliance to the way ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
18 tracks in all – including "Have You Ever", "Cosmic Force", "The Prophet Rides Again", "Tribulation", "Revolution (part 1)", "Liberation", "So Long Rastifari", and "Love Has Found Its Way". CD
A pair of King Jammy sets, both making their CD debut – and presented here with bonus tracks too! First up is The Exit – a stunning set from Dennis Brown, and the kind of record that shows why he was one of the most soulful singers of the early digital scene! King Jammy put the set ... read moreCD
Errol Brown & The Revolutionaries —
Tip Top Dub ... CD Doctor Bird (UK), Late 70s. New Copy 2CD ...
$16.9924.99
A stunning double-length collection of work from dub producer Errol Brown – a massive 42 tracks in all, each of which definitely live up to the "tip top" promised in the title! The work here is from the years 1977 and 1978 – all originally issued on the High Note or Sky Note ... read moreCD
Clement Bushay —
Dread In Session ... LP Summertime/Lantern (Italy), 1976. New Copy (reissue)...
$29.9934.99
There was definitely a dread in this session from producer Clement Bushay – but one who also brought in a strong influence from American soul – at a level that creates this mighty nice blend between roots reggae and lovers rock modes! The set trips along in an easygoing mode, and ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Two rare instrumental albums from Lloyd Charmers – both from that early moment when he was moving from work as a singer, to a strong role as a producer and keyboardist! Reggae Is Tight is a set that seems to answer both the Tennessee instrumental sounds of Booker T & The MGs in Memphis, ... read moreCD
A classic slice of Jamaican roots – and an essential record from the godlike hands of Lee Perry! The set was produced by Perry at Black Ark – and instantly became the stuff of legend, even though the initial version of the album got very limited exposure – which has led to years ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
The first album in many years from this legendary studio project from On-U Sound and Adrian Sherwood – and one that makes us feel as if the passage of decades hasn't happened at all! Sherwood's production is still wonderful – and, if anything, maybe less showy, or more soulful, or less ... read moreCD
The first album in many years from this legendary studio project from On-U Sound and Adrian Sherwood – and one that makes us feel as if the passage of decades hasn't happened at all! Sherwood's production is still wonderful – and, if anything, maybe less showy, or more soulful, or less ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Surprisingly great later work from the legendary Desmond Dekker – a set that should have been a sloppy cash-in during the ska revival, but material that shows Desmond still very much at the top of his game! The production and backings show a bit of a late 70s British touch, but Dekker's ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Portuguese pressing. Cover has some gloss separation at the spine, partially unglued bottom seam, and yellowing from age in back.)
Dobby Dobson & Dean Fraser —
Words (voc, vers) ... 12-inch Revolutionary Sounds (Jamaica), 1980s. Very Good+ ...
$1.99
Earth & Stone —
Kool Roots ... LP Pressure Sounds (UK), Mid 70s. New Copy 2LP ...
$29.99
Great duo vocals from the team of Albert Bailey and Clifton Howell – recording here with some excellent rhythms from Sly & Robbie and the rest of the Channel One crew! The music is mostly mellow, with a stepping groove that works great for the harmonies of the pair – and there's a ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Jackie Edwards —
20 Super Hits ... CD Sonic Sounds, Late 1960s/1970s/1980s. Used ...
$8.99
Eek-A-Mouse's early 80s classic – and the benchmark meeting between the wildly unique deejay and vocalist with producer Henry Junjo Lawes! The Mouse is out front of stellar rootsy backing by The Roots Radics Band. Titles Include "Ganja Smuggling", "Long Time Ago", "O ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
The American debut of The English Beat – aka the UK group The Beat, who'd been making some big waves with import 45s on the 2Tone label, the burst forth on our US market with a slight shift in name, due to another group hogging their original moniker on our side of the Atlantic! That bit of ... (Rock, Reggae)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A rocksteady classic from The Ethiopians – but a set that also has plenty more going on as well! The duo work here as a Jamaican counterpart to American soul groups – one of the first and best to hit the Kingston scene – but they also open themselves up to lots of other ideas in ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Numbered limited edition of 750 copies – on gold vinyl!)
A sweet set from the digital generation, but one that shows that the best spirit of the roots reggae years were alive and well in the music of a singer like Horace Ferguson! Horace has this gently grooving style that's mighty nice – up in the higher range of the spectrum, which almost seems ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Robert Ffrench —
Wondering ... LP Blue Mountain/333 (UK), 1985. New Copy (reissue)...
$23.9926.99
A sweetly soulful set from Robert Ffrench – a completely self-produced set, which seems to give the whole thing a very down to earth vibe – especially given its release in the middle of the digital dancehall generation! There's certainly elements in the music that link it to that ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A sly little set from the hands of British producer Dennis Bovell – a record that was done to appear as an obscure Jamaican import – from the stripped-down packaging to the stripped-down sound in the grooves! The feel here is a bit looser and more laidback than some of the other UK ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Frightnrs —
Always ... CD Daptone, 2022. Used ...
$11.99
Really heady sounds from Frightnrs – a group who've changed up their sound slightly since their last full length release – at a level that makes them even more interesting than ever before! The group still draw heavily from older rocksteady and soulful reggae modes – but it also ... read moreCD
Really heady sounds from Frightnrs – a group who've changed up their sound slightly since their last full length release – at a level that makes them even more interesting than ever before! The group still draw heavily from older rocksteady and soulful reggae modes – but it also ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Limited edition red with blue splatter vinyl pressing – with download!)
A massive amount of radical records from the great Joe Gibbs – a producer who forever changed the face of Jamaican music with a legendary run of dub albums in the 70s! Joe was no stranger to the scene by the time of these tracks – but the sessions had him really burrowing in to very ... read moreCD
Fantastic work from Marcia Griffiths – the Jamaican singer who first rose to fame in the duo of Bob & Marcia – but who already sounds very much her own woman on this classic set from the 70s! The groove is as much funky soul as it is reggae – in fact maybe more the former ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A pair of charmers from legendary producer Lloyd Charmers – served up here with lots of bonus tracks too! First up is the classic Sweet Bitter Love from Marcia Griffiths – a set that helped cement her reputation as one of the most soulful female singers in Jamaican music at the time ... read moreCD
Derrick Harriott may sing Jamaican reggae, but he does so here with plenty of help from American soul – as half the record features songs from the US 60s scene, including some Motown and southern soul gems – all retooled nicely for the sound of young Kingston! Derrick produced the set ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
The title certainly gets it right – as Derrick Harriott serves up a wonderful mix of sounds that owes plenty to American funk and soul of the early 70s – some cool Kingston covers of famous US tunes, and some other originals that are equally groovy overall! The set's one of the best ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A massive package – the full rare Undertaker album from Derrick Harriott & The Crystalites, plus an insane amount of bonus tracks too! The core album is instrumental – a wicked set of rhythms from The Crystalites, a group who have a vibe that's right up there with the best of the ... read moreCD
A soulful classic from The Heptones – easily one of the greatest trios to emerge from the Jamaican scene in the late 60s – and one of the few who were really able to evolve their style as the years went on! The style here is to earlier Heptones material as the early 70s Impressions ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Numbered limited edition of 750 copies – on orange vinyl!)
One of the most unusual entries in this amazing set of releases from the Habibi Funk label – a set that's definitely what's promised in the title – in that Ibrahim Hesnawi delivers a really unique take on the sound of Kingston! The music is certainly in a rhythm that echoes ... (Global Grooves, Reggae)read moreCD
One of the most unusual entries in this amazing set of releases from the Habibi Funk label – a set that's definitely what's promised in the title – in that Ibrahim Hesnawi delivers a really unique take on the sound of Kingston! The music is certainly in a rhythm that echoes ... (Global Grooves, Reggae)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Im & Dave/Jackie Mittoo/Lloyd Williams —
Money Maker ... CD Studio One, 1970. New Copy ...
$13.9915.99
The album may not have been much of a Money Maker for Studio One Records – given that it's one of the rarest in their catalog – but it stands as a key illustration of the label's genius, and just how far away they were from most of their contemporaries! The set's a bit of a split ... read moreCD
Pivotal early dub! Depending upon whose history of the Jamaican recording industry you subscribe to, this is can be considered by many to be the first dub LP – and whether that's proveable or not, it's certain among the first! History aside, it's a mighty set with some raw early dub style ... read moreCD
Crucial cuts from The Investigators – a UK lovers rock group, but one who borrow plenty from American soul as well – as you might guess from their look on the cover, which almost makes them appear like some east coast indie act from the early 80s! The rhythms are definitely reggae on ... (Soul, Reggae)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Gregory Isaacs kicks back with a spliff on the front cover – earning himself some well-earned relaxation after turning out this tasty set of tracks from the 70s! The record's not a collection of earlier singles, and instead features new recordings all arranged by Alvin Ranglin – with ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Gregory Isaacs —
Mr Isaacs ... LP Earthquake/17 North Parade, 1977. New Copy (reissue)...
$24.9925.99
Fantastic early material from Gregory Isaacs – captured here early in his career, and working in a deep roots reggae mode – recording at Channel One with great direction from Ossie Hibbert! The set's laidback and righteous, in ways that let all the soulful qualities of Isaac's vocals ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Not a live album, as you might guess from the title – but instead a wickedly sharp mid 70s set from one of the most soulful voices in reggae – a record that has Gregory Isaacs getting superb support from The Soul Syndicate, and production from the great Alvin Ranglin too! The vibe is ... read moreCD
Great work from one of the undisputed UK maestros of lovers rock during the 80s – producer Neville King, who serves up this totally sweet batch of overlooked gems from the time! The groove is nice and mellow – that fantastic blend of contemporary soul and reggae rhythms that really ... read moreCD
King Tubby —
Explosive Dub ... LP Clocktower, 1975. New Copy (reissue)...
$15.9918.98
If you're looking for a definition of dub, this album may well be it – and it's clear proof why Tubby could proudly wear the crown of a King! The set's beautifully bassy and muddy all the way through – a heady brew of bottom-level sounds – all layered wonderfully with lots and ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Scientist spins out on a dub-driven power boat – scanning the swamps to drive out the vampires and a host of other ghouls too – all while reinventing Jamaican music in the process! The record's filled with lots of cool electric elements – those weird production effects and ... read moreCD
Don't think "disco" as in the New York scene at Studio 54 – as these cuts are much deeper and dubbier – served up under the supervision of Bunny Lee by studio maestros Barnabas and Pat Kelly! Instrumentation is by the Aggrovators, but the magic comes equally from the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A beautiful book on the dancehall scene in Jamaica – one that's done in a different style than some of the other Soul Jazz books – which are often focused more on album cover art! This book's got a very different approach – and is more an art book with photos of the dancehall ... (Books, Reggae)read moreBook
A mighty righteous set of roots material – but maybe that's no surprise, given that Fred Locks titled the album after the shipping line started by Marcus Garvey to help African-Americans get back to the homeland! On vocals, Fred's got an approach that's every bit in spirit with his rasta ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Herman Chin Loy —
Musicism Dub ... LP Musicism/Pressure Sounds (UK), 1983. New Copy 2LP ...
Just Sold Out!
Some of the rarest dub work ever cut by this legendary Jamaican producer – music that originally appeared on two different records that only ever circulated in shabby TK Records 12" sleeves, often with the wrong information printed on the labels! Yet the set is every bit as seminal as ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Hugh Maddo —
Pop Style ... LP Jamaazima/333 (UK), 1987. New Copy (reissue)...
$23.9928.99
There's nothing pop about this record – as the set's an obscure 80s digital date, recorded at Aquarius Studios, issued on a tiny American label, and a great reminder that there were still plenty of homegrown sounds during these years of big reggae success – as long as you knew where to ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
An incredible lost slice of music from the young Bob Marley – an unissued set of recordings done at the Capitol Studios in LA, at a time when the Wailers were just beginning to rise in global power! The session came at an unusual moment for the group – they had come to the US to tour ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Pre-Island Records material from Bob Marley and The Wailers – and a set that really focuses on the strong harmony modes that made the group so great! Bob's lead is still wonderful, but the way the voices come together is tremendous – echoing American soul styles, but with a righteous ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
The first Bob Marley album on Island Records – and the start of a really legendary run that would not only transform reggae in the 70s, but the rest of popular music as well! Chris Blackwell's partially at the helm on production, but the album was mostly recorded in classic Kingston studios ... read moreCD
(50th anniversary edition, includes 24 page booklet and bonus tracks!)
The first Bob Marley album on Island Records – and the start of a really legendary run that would not only transform reggae in the 70s, but the rest of popular music as well! Chris Blackwell's partially at the helm on production, but the album was mostly recorded in classic Kingston studios ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(50th Anniversary edition, includes 24 page booklet, bonus tracks, and features a cool etching on one of the LPs!)
Bob Marley & The Wailers —
Kaya ... LP Island, 1977. Near Mint- ...
$49.99
Sweet grooves from the great Bob Marley – a set cut at a time when Marley was really riding his international fame – and able to create the kind of music that reached out way more than conventional reggae! The Kingston roots of the sound are still very firmly in place – but there' ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Blue label pressing with Sterling stamp. Includes the heavy inner sleeve. Cover has a cutout notch.)
While we're not big on career retrospective best of's, especially artists like Marley, whose been collected over & over, this is actually a respectable set, and the deluxe edition includes a full CD of bonus tracks, all remixes from the 80s. Don't worry though, we know there's clubby remixes ... read moreCD
(Plain sticker over slipcover barcode.)
Bob Marley & The Wailers —
Survival ... LP Island, 1979. Near Mint- ...
$24.99
One of the sharpest, most righteous albums from Bob Marley – in case you couldn't guess from the title, which is his response to a recent assassination attempt! The whole thing's got a very classic vibe – and the lyrics have even more of a political current than some of Marley's other ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Mid 80s black label pressing with Sterling/SRC stamps. Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover is lightly bent at the sides.)
One of many, many posthumous compilations, but one with some nice rare bits. Comprised mostly of live recordings fromteh Wailers prime early 70s years, plus a few nice studio outtakes, and interspersed with snippets from a radio interview with Marley. Inlcudes "Talkin' Blues", "Burn ... (Cassettes, Reggae)read moreCassette
Stunning early work from one of our favorite reggae groups ever – the mighty Toots & The Maytals, a key link between the soul styles of the Jamaican scene of the 60s, and the righteous years to come! There's a groove to the Maytals music that nobody else seems to get this right – ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A key moment in the career of the legendary Freddie McGregor – easily one of the best-known voices in reggae in the post-Marley years! The set captures Freddie at his youthful best – coming off of time doing vocal group work, but really shining strongly as a lead singer on his own ... read moreCD
A legendary meeting of talents in the Studio One studios – the wickedly-grooving Soul Defenders and the heartbreakingly soulful Freddie McKay – both coming together here on an album that was an instant Studio One classic! The Soul Defenders have a slow-stepping groove with a nice ... read moreCD
The first-ever compilation of work by this overlooked 70s roots reggae group – a Dominican act, but one who have a sound that resonates with the best underground Kingston work of the time! The tunes have this quiet sort of urgency that's a bit of a surprise – wavering vocals that serve ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A calypso set, but not the sort that you'd know from big crossover records of the late 50s – as the Mighty Sparrow works here with that jazzy blend of horns and rootsy rhythms that kept a strong edge in his music, and made his sounds as important on the pre-reggae scene in London as they were ... (Global Grooves, Reggae)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Excellent Japanese pressing – much better vinyl than the original!)