Reggae — CDs  

A mighty strong late effort from U-Roy – a record that features a solid roster of legendary and contemporary guests – and one that shows that The Originator can still deliver a fresh, timeless original record even this late in the game! U-Roy is classic-era toaster who sounds perfectly at home in a contemporary setting, so it stands to reason that the mode here would be mix of classic and new rhythms. It works really, really well and The Originator is fine and fresh form! Includes "Love Questions" with Marcia Griffiths, "Pray For Di People", "Border Line" feat Chezidek, "Call On Jah" feat Harrison Stafford, "Cheating Girl" feat Ernest Wilson, "Ebony Eyes" feat Winsome Benjamin, "Pumps And Pride" with Tarrus Riley, "Reason With Jah" feat Horace Andy, "Ungrateful Girl" with Richard Robinson and more.

An amazing little record – not just for the music itself, which is inherently great – but also for its straight jazz presentation of players you might know in more of a reggae-based setting! The album's a smoking set of hardbop numbers, played with plenty of soul – by a combo billed as the Jamaican Jazz Crusaders – featuring Roy Bubbles Burrows on trumpet, Ernst Ranglin on guitar, Roland Alphonso on tenor, Aubrey Adams on piano, Harold Williams on bass, and Carl McLeod on drums. The format's a bit unusual, in that the album's bracketed by interviews and introductions from Jamaican jazz DJ Nevil Willoughby – but in the core are some great performances, with very inventive arrangements, especially in the way Ranglin's guitar is used – on titles that include "The Highest Mountain", "On Green Dolphin Street", "Split Kick", and "Round Midnight".

A hearty collection of The Originator at his most influential – the mighty mid 70s period when he was defining the DJ landscape of Kingston and beyond! U-Roy toasts or otherwise reworks Delroy Wilson, Cornell Campbell, Johnny Clarke and many more – on cuts produced for the most party by Bunny Lee in the heart of the 70s. Includes "Call On Me", "You Never Get Away", "Every Knee Shall Bow", "Gorgon Wise", "Hold On", "Joyful Locks', "Cool Down Your Temper", "Stick Together", "King Of The Road", "Creation Rebel". CD has 2 bonus tracks: "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" and "I Shall Not Remove".

Words of wisdom from I Roy served over a steady backdrop of rhythms and heavy bass groove. The bass carries through a pretty heavy rumble on these numbers, paired so very nicely with I Roy's voice – which is charismatic and soulful, with some gritty growls when the words beckon for that approach. This Clocktower collection of includes "Satta", "Alright", "Tea Pot", "Never Go Wrong" "Roots Man Time", "African Talk", "Hypocrite Backout", "Musical Injection", "Don't Touch I Man Locks", "Crisis Time", "Equality And Justice", "What About The Half", "Jah Jah Our Savior", "Never Go Wrong" and more. 14 in all.

Solid contemporary reggae from Senegalese singer Meta Dia and his Cornerstones Group – and a genuine effort, to boot – recorded at Tuff Gong! Meta Dia has long done well with 70s reggae influences, but he takes them deeper and truer here – with appearances by Capleton, U-Roy and Damian Marley. Includes "Roaring Lions", "Mayan River", "Price Of Everything", "Tijahni" with Capleton, "Loneliest People", "Beloved Africa" from Damian Marley, "Rooftop" with U-Roy, "Bahia", "Bound To Glory", "Mankind", "Ancient Power" and more.

A stellar set of surviving 70s Black Ark productions by Lee Perry – with rare and unreleased cuts plus pivotal, if long-buried sides by Junior Byles, U Roy, Delroy Butler, Tinga Stewart, The Upsetters, The Flames, The Ethiopians, Jah T and more – Perry-produced gems for Kingston's cultural rebels and sufferers! The Sound Doctor compilation is really an essential, perfectly-collected batch on Pressure Sounds – the UK label that once again proves to be among the finest and most respectful of Sound Doctor devotees. Among the exceptional rarities are the unreleased "Army Of Love" by Junior Byles, an exclusive dub plate mix of the Upsetters "Horny Train", the raw original mix of U Roy's "006" and many more – stirringly soulful Black Ark singles and dub versions including "Sound Doctor" by Bobby Floyd, "Do Good" by Al Maytone", "Different Experience" by Brother Ray", "Smiling Faces" by Tinga Stewart, "It’s Impossible" by The Ethiopians, "Grandfather Land" by Jah T, "King Of Kings" by Pat Francis, "Be Prepared" by Keith Poppin, "Key Card" by Lee & Jimmy, "Start Over" by The Gatherers and more.

A mad selection of soulful reggae from Jazzie B! Trojan taps the man behind some of the finest 80s soul to select a set that's guaranteed to ram the dance in the same way that Soul II Soul ruled dancefloors and radio with their bumping modern grooves. Jazzie B hits hits some familiar chords with some of his selections, but there's quite a few tracks even we didn't have on disc and the set plays wonderfully from start to finish, aptly living up to all the title promises! 18 number in all, including "Screw Face" and "Point Blank" by I Roy, "Slave Master" by Gregory Isaacs, "Jump Up" by Admiral Bailey, "Ready Done" by Nitty Gritty, "Natty Dread A Wah She Want" by Tapper Zukie & Horace Andy, "Shine Eye Girl" by Barrington Levy & Jah Thomas, "Getting Cozy (ext mix)" by the In Crowd, "Warrior" by Junior Delgado, "Ain't That Loving You" by ALton Ellis and "Point Of View" by Matumbi.

A sprawling set that commemorates the Reggae Golden Jubilee– one that's beautifully put together by VP – and featuring 100 pivotal tracks from the early 60s to the late 00s! Selector Mr. Seaga does a pretty terrific job on the tracklist – which focuses as much on tracks that proved to be among the most trailblazing as it does on big hits. It touches on the styles and subgenres from throughout reggae's history – from ska, to rocksteady, reggae, dub, deejay, dancehall and beyond – with bellwether material by Theophilus Beckford, Higgs & Wilson, Skatalites, U-Roy, Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, Yellowman, Third World, Dennis Brown, Maxi Priest, Sugar Minott, Beres Hammond, Sizzla, Shaggy and many, many more. "Dumplins" by Byron Lee & The Dragonaires, "They Got To Go" by Prince Buster, "Bring Home" by Justin Hines & The Dominoes, "Rough And Tough" by Stranger Cole, "Hypocrite" by The Heptones, "Occupation" by Don Drummond & The Skatalites, "Wear You To The Ball" by U-Roy & The Paragons, "The A Fi Get A Beatin'" by Peter Tosh, "Police And Thieves" by Junior Murvin, "Right Time" by Mighty Diamonds, "Uptown Ranking" by Althea & Donna, "Over Me" by Yellowman, "Pass The Dutchie" by Musical Youth, "Try Jah Love" by Third World, "Wild World" by Maxie Priest, "One Blood" by Junior Reid, "Murder She Wrote" by Chaka Demus & Pliers, "Putting Up Resistance", by Beres Hammond, "You Don't Love Me (No No No)" by Dawn Penn, "Untold Stories" by Buju Banton, "Black Woman And Child" by Sizzla, "Gimme The Light" by Sean Paul, "Pon De River, Pon De Bank" by Elephant Man, "Welcome To Jamrock" by Damian "Jr Gong" Marley, "The Harder They Come" by Jimmy Cliff and more.

A nice compilation of tracks pulled from Blood & Fire's fantastic reggae reissue series. While this is the sort of collection labels put together to introduce you to their catalog, it plays really well from beginning to end – a wonderful testament to the deep digging the folks at Blood & Fire have done to bring together some sought after roots tracks! 17 cuts: Linval Thompson & U Brown "Train to Zion (discomix)", Vivian Jackson & the Prophets "Fire In A Kingston", Impact All Stars "Easy Come Dub", Junior Byles & Rupert Reid "Chant Down Babylon", Johnny Clarke "Love Up Your Brothers & Sisters (extended)", King Tubby "Bag A Wire Dub", Max Romeo "Valley of Jehosaphat (extended)", the Chantells "Natty Supper", Inner Circle & the Fatman Riddim Section "General Amin", Cornell Campbell "Two Face Rasta (extended)", Trinity "Tradition", Linval Thompson "Jah Jah the Conqueror", Sylford Walker "Babylonians", Big Youth "Mama Look", Gregory Isaacs "Slave Master",the Tamlins "Baltimore" and Leroy Smart & I Roy "Jah is My Light/Wicked Eat Dirt".

One of the deeper collections we've seen from Pressure Sounds – great stuff and largely overlooked numbers from the vaults of the Micron Music label – with crisply chopping rhythms, steady harmonies, and echoey dub from Junior Byles, I Roy, Bobby Ellis, Tommy McCook and many more! Micron isn't among the more famous Jamaican enterprises of the period but the tunes more than live up to the pedigree of its better known peers – with Pete Weston in the production booth for many of the tunes, and a couple with Bunny Lee and Lee Perry at the controls. There's an impressive range of artists and styles, and a number of tunes that have more than a little bit of Motown sounds in the mix, which we totally love. Titles include "Conference At Waterhouse" by Jah Sticah, "Lorna Banana", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" and "Last Of The Love Songs" by Junior Byles, "Message From The Top" by I Roy, "Revolution Is For The Chinaman" by Pete Weston & The Flames, "Ska Baby" by Bobby Ellis, "Black Organ" by Blacker Black , "Our Rights" by Defenders, "Tribute To Muhammad Ali" by Tommy McCook and more. 20 tracks in all.

A double disc set of mighty, mighty rockers and steppers rhythms, blessed by the vocals of the top artists of reggae's golden age, the mid 70s. 29 tracks in all, and though many of them are classic numbers, there's not as much overlap between this set and other collections out there, as is so often the case with Jamaican compilations these days. Includes Observer All Stars "African Language", and "Time Version", Dennis Brown & Ranking Buckers "Tenement Yard/Landlord (ext mix)", Leroy Smart "We Want To Go Home", Johnny Clarke "African Roots", Ronnie Davis "Jah Jah Jehoviah", King Tubby & The Aggrovators "Jah Jah Version", Leroy Smart & I Roy "Jah Is My Light/Wicked Eat Dirt (ext mix)", Johnny Clarke "Blood Dunza", Horace Andy & Sticks "Zion Gate (ext mix)", the Rockstones "Oh Jah Man", Johnny Clarke & U Roy "Every Knee Shall Bow (ext mix)", Cornell Campbell "Follow Instruction", Reggae George "Trodding Along", plus many, many more!

An excellent lost session from the Black Ark! Tracked by Perry with Upsetters in 1975, these stripped down dubs feature some of the dopest, funky rhythms Scratch ever cut, while others have a super spare, loping Jamaican groove. The sound is crisp and tight, without the giant thunderclaps and echo drops you'd here in a Tubby mix, but chirping guitars and sublimely funky bass ducking in and out of the mix. From the same sessions that gave us the Kung Fu Meets The Dragon set, you know it's right with titles like "Last Blood", "Deathly Hands", "Dragon Slayer", "One Armed Boxer", "Fists Of Vengeance", "Samurai Swordsman" and "Final Weapon", plus the CD includes 2 bonus tracks, "Experience" with Delroy Butler and the extended mix of "Living My Life".

A smoking set of late 70s 12-inch disco mixes from Lee Scratch Perry – some of the very best of Black Ark productions from the period, actually – in a 2CD set from Trojan! Disco Devil features numbers that Scratch produced, mixed and tripped out from 1977 to 1979 at Black Ark – elongating some truly stellar material for slow cooking, mostly 7-9 minute workouts of recordings by Max Romeo & The Upsetters, George Faith, The Congos, Junior Delgado, Junior Murvin & Dillinger, Watty Burnett, Lee Perry himself and others. One of the finer selected compilations of prime 70s reggae we've seen from Trojan in a little while! Includes "Norman" by Max Romeo & The Upsetters, "Bad Weed" by Junior Murvin, "Disco Devil" by Lee Perry & The Full Experience, "Roots Train" by Junior Murvin & Dillinger, "Open The Gate" by Watty Burnett, "Neckodeemus" by The Congos, "Party Time" by The Heptones, "Garden Of Life" by Leroy Sibbles and more.

Key tracks from a really important time in Jamaican music – the wonderful rocksteady years of the late 60s, when the Kingston crowd were really coming with a unique groove of their own! The music here isn't really reggae, but kind of a rougher precursor – and one that still shows plenty of influence from American soul of the time – albeit the deeper, more laidback styles that were having an undeniable influence on Jamaica. Production is wonderful – often dark and echoey, but not yet dubby – and titles include "Live It Up" by The Natives, "Over & Over Again" by Stranger & Gladdy, "Will You Ever Be Mine" by Delroy Wilson, "On A Saturday Night" by Justin Hinds & The Dominoes, "Lip & Tongue" by The Viceroys, "Somebody's Baby" by Pat Kelly, "Do It Now" by The Consomates, "Leaving On That Train" by Keith & Tex, "Red Bum Ball" by Lloyd & Devon, and "Gypsy Woman" by The Uniques.

The first-ever dub album from Niney The Observer – based around rhythms he'd cooked up for Dennis Brown, Max Romeo, and Delroy Wilson – all transformed completely in the studio by King Tubby! The sounds here are often very abstract – light years away from the originals – and given these spacey, repetitive cycles that seem to trip out even more than conventional dub! A landmark little record, and one that sounds even darker all these many years later – with cuts that include "Casanova Dub", "Rebel Dance", "Jam Down", "Parade Dub", "Turntable Dub", "Corn Man", "Mister D Brown Skank", and "Youth Man".

A legendary piece of reggae history that should be better remembered – a rare live set recorded at the Turntable Club – originally released on Trojan and hard-to-find since! It's incredible stuff – produced by Niney The Observer and featuring numbers by Dennis Brown, Alexander "Bottlehead" Portious, Delroy Wilson and Big Youth – all backed masterfully by the Soul Syndicate Band! Recorded on a single evening at the club, it was the first ever live session captured at the iconic nightspot – and it still sounds great! Includes "Cassandra", "Rock With Me Baby" and Give A Helping Hand" by Dennis Brown, "Everything I Own" and "Love Overdue" by Alexander Portious, "I'm A Happy Man", "It's A Shame" and more by Delroy Wilson, "Dread In A Babylon" by Big Youth and more. The stage intros for each act are left in the recording, given the whole thing an air of importance and geniune sense of it's place in Jamaican music history. Nice!

A lost Jamaican harmony classic! By the late 70s, vocal harmony groups were beginning to fade from the Jamaican scene, as Dee Jays and dub plates ruled the scene, and the dawning of the dancehall era was just around the corner. But Prince Jammy was still working with some remarkable groups, and this classic LP of rootsy vocal harmony numbers was cut at the same time as Jammy's seminal work with Black Uhuru. Somehow this choice set of sweetly voiced harmony got lost in the cracks, but thanks to the Pressure Sounds crew, it's been brought to the light of day once again. Fans of their great Royals reissue will this nice set, another wonderful Jamaican soul set! 16 numbers in all, including "Black Black Minds", "Know Yourself", "Jah Gave Us This World", "Peace & Rest", "The Girl I Left Behind", "Tell Me Why","How Long", "Poor Man Cry" and "Keep On Trying".