Reggae — All Formats  

Carribbean rhythms meet psychedelic soul – courtesy of The Dynamites! A pretty chunky guitar sound, some thick organ groove, heavy bass and nice drums from producer's Clancy Eccles esteemed early 70s players. The King Tubbys version does a great job of bringing in the atmospheric echoes without overshadowing the group instrumentation.

Smooth sailing with the legendary Freddie McGregor – and a pretty sweet late career cruise with a Jamaican musical legend! Breezy, easygoing and the right mix of contemporary and classic craft. Includes "Move Up Jamaica", a sweetly grooving Caribbean cover of The Beatles classic "You Won't See Me", "Africa", "Rainbow Country", "My Story", "There You Go", "Standing Strong" with "Love Ballad", "Jah Love Di Whole A Wi", "A House Is Not A Home", "Equal Rights" and more.

This is definitely not your father's calypso – no living room limbo or Harry Belafonte cliches – and instead, a smoking batch of Caribbean grooves from The Mighty Sparrow! Sparrow was very much on the edge of the best styles in the 60s and early 70s – and although his basic groove might be termed calypso, he also brought in plenty of Cuban, Haitian, and Jamaican rhythms to his music too – as well as an occasional does of American soul! Like some of the best early sounds from Kingston, the grooves here often echo a deeper R&B sensibility, turned towards island rhythms – and really hit home strongly by Sparrow's wonderful vocals – as catchy, compelling, and charming as some of the best US singers of the time – with touches of the wit of Oscar Brown Jr, the warmth of Lou Rawls, the swing of a young Marvin Gaye, and the spookiness of Screamin Jay Hawkins! This massive collection is the first to really dig through his older records to pull out the best tunes – just the kind of special focus we'd expect from the Strut label, with a wicked track selection and great notes too! Titles include "Bongo", "Calypso Boogaloo", "Zinah", "Fool Fool Fool", "Ah Diggin Horrors", "Jook For Jook", "Sparrow Come Back Home", "Slave", "She's Been Gone Too Long", "Congo Man", "Ten To One Is Murder", and "Kennedy & Kruschev".

This is definitely not your father's calypso – no living room limbo or Harry Belafonte cliches – and instead, a smoking batch of Caribbean grooves from The Mighty Sparrow! Sparrow was very much on the edge of the best styles in the 60s and early 70s – and although his basic groove might be termed calypso, he also brought in plenty of Cuban, Haitian, and Jamaican rhythms to his music too – as well as an occasional does of American soul! Like some of the best early sounds from Kingston, the grooves here often echo a deeper R&B sensibility, turned towards island rhythms – and really hit home strongly by Sparrow's wonderful vocals – as catchy, compelling, and charming as some of the best US singers of the time – with touches of the wit of Oscar Brown Jr, the warmth of Lou Rawls, the swing of a young Marvin Gaye, and the spookiness of Screamin Jay Hawkins! This massive collection is the first to really dig through his older records to pull out the best tunes – just the kind of special focus we'd expect from the Strut label, with a wicked track selection and great notes too! Titles include "Bongo", "Calypso Boogaloo", "Zinah", "Fool Fool Fool", "Ah Diggin Horrors", "Jook For Jook", "Sparrow Come Back Home", "Slave", "She's Been Gone Too Long", "Congo Man", "Ten To One Is Murder", and "Kennedy & Kruschev".

Dub rarities from Lee Perry at Black Ark studio – rumbling riddims and hazy atmosphere that is as hypnotic and incredible as ever – a wealth of material rarely heard outside of sound system dances collected by the unbeatable Pressure Sounds label! A steady, if often seedy rhythm holds this magical dub plate mixes together – with more tripped out touches on the outer edges – be it a trippy use of echo, clattering bits of percussion or harder to explain vibes. Amazing stuff featuring Lee & The Upsetters with Augustus Pablo, Keith Rowe, Winston Right, Clive Hylton, Junior Murvin and others. Includes "Dub Plate Pressure" by Lee Perry, "Lama Lava Mix One" by Agustus Pablo & The Upsetters, "Groove Dubber", "Groove Rider", "Jucky Skank", "Zeal Of The Lord", "Dub Of The Lord" and more by The Upsetters, "Bushdub Corntrash" by Winston Wright & The Upsetters, "Roots Train Number Two" by Junior Murvin & The Upsetters, "Living Dub" by Keith Rowe & The Upsetters and more. 20 tracks in all.

Top notch instrumentals from the loose collective dubbed Third World All Stars – recorded in the mid 70s at London's Chalk Farm and EFM studios – and featuring both London-based and visiting Jamaican legends in the mix! The production is billed to Count Shelly, and it features some base rhythms cut for Errol Dunkley's Sit And Cry Over You Record – released on Shelley's label. The rhythms are indeed impeccable, and there are all these unique soulful layers added to them that really give it a worthwhile life of their own as a soulful reggae instrumentals set. Players include Michael Bammy Rose on sax, Lester Sterling on trumpet and sax, Tyrone Downie, Gladdy Anderson and Winston Wright on keys, Jackie Jackson on bass and Winston Grennan on drums. Beautiful, timeless and soulful rhythms that are on par with the finest Carribbean music of the period – whether it was recorded in Kingston, London, or anywhere else. Essential! Includes "Rebel Rock", "Repatriation Remedy", "Our Dream World", "Patricia's Love", "Soothing In The Mind", "Black Moon", "For All Ways", "Just For You", "Train To Skaville" and "Moog In Blues".

Top notch instrumentals from the loose collective dubbed Third World All Stars – recorded in the mid 70s at London's Chalk Farm and EFM studios – and featuring both London-based and visiting Jamaican legends in the mix! The production is billed to Count Shelly, and it features some base rhythms cut for Errol Dunkley's Sit And Cry Over You Record – released on Shelley's label. The rhythms are indeed impeccable, and there are all these unique soulful layers added to them that really give it a worthwhile life of their own as a soulful reggae instrumentals set. Players include Michael Bammy Rose on sax, Lester Sterling on trumpet and sax, Tyrone Downie, Gladdy Anderson and Winston Wright on keys, Jackie Jackson on bass and Winston Grennan on drums. Beautiful, timeless and soulful rhythms that are on par with the finest Carribbean music of the period – whether it was recorded in Kingston, London, or anywhere else. Essential! Includes "Rebel Rock", "Repatriation Remedy", "Our Dream World", "Patricia's Love", "Soothing In The Mind", "Black Moon", "For All Ways", "Just For You", "Train To Skaville" and "Moog In Blues".

Part soul music, part Caribbean sounds – and a much-needed look at the lover's rock genre in reggae – that unique blend of Jamaican rhythms and American soul that took place in the British scene of the 70s and 80s – and created some pretty amazing records overall! There's definitely echoes here of the reggae styles you'd know from big Kingston recordings of the 70s – but there's also a mellower, more laidback mode as well – yet one that's warmed up a bit by more soul-styled production – creating a sound that's almost linked to some of the American midtempo soul that was playing big on the steppers scene. Once again, our hat's off to Soul Jazz for doing such a great job with the project – pulling together excellent work from overlooked recordings – and finding a way to help send it all home with great notes and track selection. Titles on this second vinyl volume include "Stop & Think It Over" by Full Wood, "Caught By Love" by Christine White, "Paradise" by Jean Adebambo, "People Make The World Go Round" by The Cool Notes, "Thinking Of You" by Candy McKenzie, "We've Got One" by Wendy Walker, "Even Though You're Gone" by Louisa Mark, and "Goodbye My Love" by The Sadonians.

A set of roots reggae from the immediate post rocksteady years – great late 60s and early 70s reggae with more earnestly soulful vocals and sweet Caribbean rhythm! Includes numbers by Johnny Clarke, Cornell Campbell, Linval Thompson, Horace Andy, Barry Brown, Leroy Smart and more. 16 tracks on the CD: "Roots Natty Congo" by Johnny Clarke, "Bad Minded People" by Leroy Smart, "Skylarking" by Horace Andy, "Declaration Of Rights" by Johnny Clarke, "Trying Youthman" by Barry Brown, "Politricks" by Cornell Campbell and more.

A set of roots reggae from the immediate post rocksteady years – great late 60s and early 70s reggae with more earnestly soulful vocals and sweet Caribbean rhythm! Includes numbers by Johnny Clarke, Cornell Campbell, Linval Thompson, Horace Andy, Barry Brown, Leroy Smart and more. 14 tracks on the LP: "Roots Natty Congo" by Johnny Clarke, "Bad Minded People" by Leroy Smart, "Skylarking" by Horace Andy, "Declaration Of Rights" by Johnny Clarke, "Trying Youthman" by Barry Brown, "Politricks" by Cornell Campbell and more.

An excellent compilation that's very much in the spirit of the 100% Dynamite sets on Soul Jazz! This time, Soul Jazz dig through the vaults of the legendary Studio One catalog – some of the most important reggae and rocksteady ever recorded, virtually all of it produced under the tutelage of Clement "Coxone" Dodd. Much of this material has been floating around over the years, but we'd be hard pressed to think of a better collection of it – especially when considering the excellent fidelity of the set, which is way better than an of Dodd's own reissues of the material. Plus, the folks at Soul Jazz have gone out of their way to put together the tracks as an extremely well-thought out introduction to the music, not just a scattered batch of tunes that happened to be available. The set also includes a recent interview with Clement Dodd, plus loads of great rocksteady and early reggae tracks. Titles include "Surfin" by Ernest Ranglin, "Real Rock" by Sound Dimension, "Feel Like Jumping" by Marcia Griffiths, "Greedy G" by Brentford All Stars, "Village Soul" by Lennie Hibbert, "Ethiopia" by Cedric Brooks, "Crabwalking" by Prince Jazzbo, "Hot Milk" by Jackie Mittoo, "Badder Dan Dem" by Lone Ranger, and "Bobby Bobylon" by Freddy McGregor.

A brilliant tribute to the youthful talents of Barrington Levy – a set of sweetly soulful numbers that were mostly recorded when Levy was in his late teens! The package is overstuffed with goodness from these key Levy years – music that often moves through the groove with a really laidback vocal, yet still has this sharp bite underneath – that special mix that always made Barrington so great. And although young here, there's still a depth to his vocals that few other older acts can touch – a heartfelt, sometimes heartbreaking quality that really comes through. CD features a whopping 40 tracks in all – with titles that include "She Rob & Gorn", "Poor Man Style", "Rubber Man", "My Woman", "21 Girls Salute", "Collie Weed", "Bounty Hunter", "Walk 2000 Miles", "Mini Bus", "Black Hen Chicken", "Look Youthman", and "Wedding Ring".

A very promising single from Brit soul upstart Liam Bailey – a diverse talent with a love for myriad American, British & Carribbean soul music – here with a single on Truth & Soul with a love for stripped down reggae soul! Here Bailey is working with NYC funky soul torch carriers Truth & Soul Records, really letting these songs simmer in an honest, real and raw stew of vocals, organ, drums and bass. Word is that Bailey is working with Salaam Remi for a major label debut, and we're thinking there's major potential for a huge breakout when that comes out – Bailey's got the goods, that's for sure!

The crown prince of reggae meets the heir apparent to the dub throne on these two classic and hard to get late 70s dub LPs collected by the folks over at Blood & Fire on one nice reissue disc! Prince Jammy gets to work in the now famous Tubby's lab on some heavy duty Dennis Brown produced rhythms, honing the bouncing jams down to to their bare essentials, then spicing up the mix nicely with some tastefully executed dub sauce! 20 track sin all, with "Umoja", "Guidance", "Cry Of The Destitute", "Something Special", "Sons Of Dust", "Mercy For The Needy" and "Structure" off the Umoja Love & Unity set and "Cop's Spy", "Ting A Ling Style", "Thunder", "Dancing In The Streets", "Open The Gates In Rhodesia", "Robbery In The City", "Murder" and "Ragga Muffin Style" off 20 Century Debwise.

How this burningly bad set has remained under wraps for so long is beyond us, but thanks to the folks at Honest Jon's, it's been brought to the much needed light of day! An excellent set collecting work from throughout the career of Cedric Im Brooks, spanning a wide assortment of styles, but all with a deep spiritual approach that Brooks gathered from time spent in his youth in Philadelphia, where he fell under the influence of Sun Ra, almost joining the Arkestra before returning home to Jamaica. The set jumps from heavy, dark roots and Nyabhingi influenced reggae, including some nice dubbed out versions, to Jamaican jazz sides like his take on Horace Silver's classic "Song For My Father", to some tightly snapping disco influenced grooves and bouncing afrobeat rhythms that would make Fela proud! 19 tracks in all, including "Free Up Black Man", "Satta Massa Gana", "Jah Light It Right", "Lambs Bread Collie", "Salt Lane rock", "Rasta Lead On Version", "Sly Mongoose", "Africa", "Collie Version", "Rebirth" and "Sabebe".

Dub at Downing Street – a record that must have been quite a bold step during Thatcher's England! The classic UK dub outing is headed by producer Winston Edwards with grooves from the Wellpack Band – all echoing out with a spacey quality that makes you feel like they're broadcasting from the moon – thanks to lots of wild studio touches from Blackbeard! The whole thing's instrumental, with lots of long, snakey lines – and titles include "Downing Street Rock", "Behind Closed Doors Of The House Of Commons", "Shake Buckingham Palace Down", "White Hall Scandal", "Ronald Biggs The Great Train Robber", "Kensington Palace Confusion", "Fleet Street Cover Up", "Airport Smuggling", "Hyde Park Corner Investigation", and "Who Made The Prime Ministers Honour List Of 1975".

The 30-piece Jazz Jamaica All Stars big band – featuring a sprawling lineup of younger and older British jazz musicians under led by double bassist Gary Crosby! Here they seek to creative a balance between Caribbean music and classic American jazz and big band – and they pull it off quite well! The group includes vocalist Juliet Roberts, guitarist Alan Weekes, pianist Alex Wilson, alto sax player Soweto Kinch, tenor Denys Baptiste and many more – an army of trumpets, trombones and sax, sweet vibes, percussion and rhythm. The 2001 recordings are released on vinyl here for the first time ever! Includes "Balls Of Fire", "My Boy Lollipop", "Again", "Footprints", "Liquidator" and "Medley: (Love Theme From) The Godfather/Al Capone".

A brilliant tribute to the youthful talents of Barrington Levy – a set of sweetly soulful numbers that were mostly recorded when Levy was in his late teens! The package is overstuffed with goodness from these key Levy years – music that often moves through the groove with a really laidback vocal, yet still has this sharp bite underneath – that special mix that always made Barrington so great. And although young here, there's still a depth to his vocals that few other older acts can touch – a heartfelt, sometimes heartbreaking quality that really comes through. CD features a whopping 40 tracks in all – with titles that include "She Rob & Gorn", "Poor Man Style", "Rubber Man", "My Woman", "21 Girls Salute", "Collie Weed", "Bounty Hunter", "Walk 2000 Miles", "Mini Bus", "Black Hen Chicken", "Look Youthman", and "Wedding Ring".

This is sort of a Prince Jammy riff on the format of the popular Junjo Lawes-produced Scientist dub series. Nonetheless, he steps up to bat, and indeed defeats the evil planet munchers, with the able help of the Roots Radics rhytnm section. Recorded at Channel One and mixed at Tubby's – and how can you argue with that!? Fat, heavy rhythms dubbed into deep, deep outer space by the heir to the throne! 8 tracks in all, including "Conspiracy On Neptune", "Saturn Bombardment", "Attack on Ganymede", "Martian Encounter", "The Great Red Spot", "Life On Uranus", "Final Destruction" and "War In The Asteroid Belt".

Revolutionary rhythms and instrumentation by mighty Channel One house band The Revolutionaries – on this dub collection put together by Bobby Osbourne for Clocktower! The Revolutionaries roll call on this set includes Aston Barrett and Robbie Shakespeare on bass, Hoss Mouth (Leroy Wallace?) and Sly Dunbar on drums,Earl Smith on guitar, Ossie Hibbert on organ and Ansel Collin piano. 12 tracks on the vinyl version: "Rocking Dub", "Natty's Rude Dub", "Conquerors In Dub", "Egyptian In Dub", "Spliff Of Collie Dub", "Stealing In Love Dub", "A Cheater's Dub", "The Saviour's Dub", "Day Of Reckoning Dub", "Blouse and Skirts In Dub" and more.

Solid 70s dubs of John Holt – one of the great voices of Jamaican music from the mid 60s onward – and while there's plenty of tricked out, echoey dub atmosphere, John's voice is plenty prominent! Most of the cuts are culled from the prolific mid 70s period, particularly the Volts series of sets (1000, 2000 & 3000) – dubbed up nicely! Includes "Rock With Dub", "A Lonely Dub", "Get It While It's Dub", "Fell For Dub", "A Man Needs A Dub", "Spring Time Dub", "No Man Is A Dub", "You Are Wrong To Dub" and more. 2 CD bonus tracks: "Fancy Dub Make Up" and "Walk Away From Dub".