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 of special inflection and inversion of source material, especially when mixed with original inspiration – and served up in a classic Kingston setting that features the great Lloyd Charmers on piano and organ, as well as production of the entire set! But it's the soulful style of Boothe that really makes the whole thing great – as he presents the tunes with one of the most unique voices in 70s Jamaican music – almost a Caribbean trill at points, but mixed with raspier soul at other times. Titles include "Speak Softly Love", "Everything I Own", "Evil Girl", "Crying Over You", "Sad & Lonely", "Impossible Dream", "You Will Reach Your Goal", "Time Passage", and "My Kid". LP, 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 the British reggae scene. Focusing on Bovell's early work, this collection brings some of his heaviest productions out for the first time since their original release in the mid-seventies, all propelled by his chubby bass playing and rounded out by his deft touch on the console. 16 tracks in all: "The Grunwick Affair", "Harmoniser Dub", "Dominion Dub", "Rowing (12" version)", "Zombie Zones", "Zion Dub", "Higher Ranking", "Ranking High", "Scientific", "Shi-cago", "None Jah Jah Children (Melodica version)", "Uganda Crisis", "Ah Fi Wi Dis", "Entebbe", "Blood Ah Go Run" and "Dub'er". As always, a wonderful package, with new liner notes and photos! LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant soul album! That's right, we said SOUL album! Bowie was at the height of his Ziggy Stardust fame when this one was recorded – a drastic left-turn in styles, forged during a point in his American tour when he could take a break, head to Philly, plug in at the Sigma Sound Studios, and come up with some fantastic little soul tunes, thanks to help from Luther Vandross! The album sparkles with the best sound of Luther's early work – and you'll hear more than a bit of Luther's work on his own, and his tunes with Gregg Diamond on the set. Features the sublime tracks "Win", "Fascination", "Right", "Somebody Up There Likes Me", and "Can You Hear Me" – as well as the hits "Young Americans" and "Fame". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing sounds from the righteous Roy Brooks – a drummer who worked strongly in the soul jazz mainstream of the 60s, then stepped out into even headier territory here in the 70s! The album's a spiritual masterpiece all the way through – an album on par with early 70s Impulse sides from Pharoah Sanders or Archie Shepp, or the best from Strata East – cut with a similar blend of righteous rhythmic undercurrents, freewheeling solos, and vocalizations that really help underscore the message in the music! The lineup is filled with players as powerful as Brooks – Joe Bonner on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet, Sonny Fortune on tenor and soprano saxes, and John Stubblefield on oboe – plus vocals by Dee Dee Bridgewater, who's easily at her most righteous here. The album features the long "Black Survival" suite – with passages that include "Here & Now", "Prologue", "Sahel", and "Relief". LP, Vinyl record album

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 the tracks are put together – often with these subtle funky drums from Santa Davis, which provide this cool little kick underneath the heavy dub and echo used in the production – keeping the rhythms focused while Barry Brown lets his voice do all these amazing things! At times, you almost feel as if Barry's living in the world of fuzz and tripped-out sounds that make up the music – riding the waves and having a tremendous time in the process – on cuts that include "Fittest Of The Fittest (parts 1 & 2)", "Natty Rootsman (parts 1 & 2)", "Step It Up Youthman (ext)", "Look How Long", "Give Thanks & Praise (lion mix)", "Give Thanks (part 3)", "Creative Vibes (xylophone)", "From Creation", "Look How Long Dub", and "We Can't Dub Like This". LP, Vinyl record album

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 titles include originals by the artists who provide the vocals, plus some great covers too – on titles that include "Loving Girl" and "Come On Back To Me" by Bob Davis, "Have You Ever Loved Someone" by Delroy Washington, "Summertime" by Domino Johnson, "Traveling Man" by Eugene Paul, "I'd Rather Go Blind" and "Higher & Higher" by Carl Bert, "You Said You Love Me More & More" by Gene Rondo, and "Rock Your Baby" by Anne & Annis Peters. LP, Vinyl record album

Rootsy noise sweetened by raggedly alluring melodicism from Califone – still one of the most vital and idiosyncratic groups of their time! We can no long heap the experimentalist tag on Califone – if we ever really could. They've got quite a sonic blueprint laid down after 8 or so albums, but they do continue to surprise us. Roots And Crowns is a strange and compelling blend of crackling, somehow rural sounds & percussion, strummed and sometimes chugging guitars, pastoral found-sound atmosphere and singing that's no more or less part of the ether than any other element. A timeless piece of work! Tracks include "Pink & Sour", "Spider's House" (which references Brian Wilson at his furthest out stage), "The Eye You Lost In The Crusades" (which references Nick Drake a bit in the guitar), "A Chinese Actor", "Our Kitten Sees Ghosts", "The Orchids", "Black Metal Valentine", "Rose Petal Ear", "3legged Animals", "If You Would" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A really bold step forward for Chicago tenor genius Isaiah Collier – and maybe the first record to showcase his emergence as a multi-instrumentalist instead of just a spiritual jazz musician! There's clearly a lot of improvisation going on here – not just from the larger ensemble, which includes Corey Wilkes on trumpet, Julian Reid on keyboards, and Michael Damani on guitar – but also from Collier, who effortlessly shifts between saxes, flute, vocals, and keyboards without any overdubs or additional production at all! A few moments are tight and funky, others are much more experimental – a blend that that's really great, and which continues the unique spirit into which Collier has evolved in recent years. The record also features some key vocal contributions from the great Jimetta Rose – and titles include "Never Back Down", "Eggun", "Village Song", "Retreat", "Parallel Universe", and "The Last Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost slice of work from the mighty John Coltrane – and a set that features the equally great Eric Dolphy up on stage with Trane at the Village Gate! These never-issued recordings are every bit as wonderful as the Village Vanguard material recorded during the same year – with the group moving with boundless energy, maybe even at a level that they wouldn't show on studio recordings for a few years later – bold piano from McCoy Tyner, superb bass from Reggie Workman, and unbridled drums from Elvin Jones – all given further inspiration by the presence of Dolphy, who blows bass clarinet and flute on the record! Trane is already really taking off with the soprano sax, which gets plenty of beautiful solo space here – on tunes that include a rare live take on "Africa", plus an early reading of "Impressions", and "My Favorite Things", "When Lights Are Low", and "Greensleeves" – the latter of which is done in a sublime modal style. LP, Vinyl record album

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 of differing reissues and versions of the record! Yet the core sound is always very much in place, no matter what the setting – very spiritual lyrics from the group themselves, set to nicely stripped-down rhythms and instrumentation that are a great contrast to the wave of more polished international reggae releases that were garnering mainstream attention at the time. The lasting power of the set is proof that maybe when it comes to roots, you've got to really go to the roots to get it right – as you'll hear on classic tracks that include "La La Bam Bam", "Fisherman", "Congoman", "Children Crying", "Open Up The Gate", and "The Wrong Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the most majestic album from this very majestic group – a righteous combo of musicians whose sound is far more than the simple "cookers" name might imply – as they really reach for the skies with a masterful blend of talents from an all star group! Trumpeter David Weiss leads the group, but also gives plenty of space to the giants alongside him – a lineup that includes Billy Harper on tenor, Donald Harrison on alto, Eddie Henderson on trumpet, George Cables on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – all musicians who maybe sound better here together than they sometimes do on their own! And despite the status of these players, there's no ego involved – as the unified passages come together beautifully, the unfurl into solos that really stake some individual territory Titles include "Destiny Of Yours", "The Mystery Of Monifa Brown", "Somalia", "Aka Reggie", "Traveling Lady", and "Mutima". LP, Vinyl record album

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 to bring a more human, youthful quality to his presentation of the message-oriented lyrics – all backed with production from Prince Jazzbo, who keeps things nice and lean in a mix of rhythms, basslines, and keyboards! Titles include "Tranquilizer", "Tickle Me", "Hunts Bay", "Slave", "Gazuma", "Great Stone", and "Sensi Addict". LP, Vinyl record album

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 feels as if they're leaning a bit more heavily on sweet soul modes from the early 70s too – coming across with the warmth of a harmony vocal record on the lyrics, while still also reveling in the best sort of slow-stepping, dub heavy rhythms in the music! Dan Klein handles the vocals, always with a great sense of echo – and Chuck Patel adds lots of great organ and keyboards to the music – including some great spacey effects. Victor Axelrod did a superb job with production – and titles include "30 56", "You Still", "Profilin", "Expectations", "Tuesday", "Always", "Maybe Isle", and "Why Does It Feel Like A Curse". LP, Vinyl record album

A lean little groover from the Nigerian scene – an Edo funk set that's got a vibe that's more stripped-down than most – really focused on the rhythms, with a stark, spare quality that's very different than bigger groups of the decade before! There's almost an influence here going on from both post-punk and reggae – darker production with some echoey edges, heady basslines that often come across with a slightly spooky sound, and use of horns and guitars in ways that really have a sharpness that's unexpected – funky but lean too – on titles that include "Gaskya Kace", "Ekhueghamunu", "Onughara", "Aikemienaru Nanorunomwan", and "Bi Enu Ba Sahun". LP, Vinyl record album

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 than the latter – and Marcia's got this proud, righteous approach that's very different than her style of just a few years before – set to great grooves that have sharp core instrumentation with Lloyd Charmers on piano and organ, and Willie Lindo on guitar. Almost more of a female funky soul record on most cuts – with tracks that include "Here I Am Baby", "Children At Play", "I'd Rather Be Lonely", "Sweet Bitter Love", "There's No Me Without You", "Everything I Own", "Green Grasshopper", and "Gypsy Man". Also features a full album of rare bonus tracks – including "Play Me", "The First Cut Is The Deepest", "Melody Life", "Don't Let Me Down", "Band Of Gold", "I See You My Love", "It's Too Late", "Baby If You Don't Love Me", "Love Walked In", and "Working To The Top". LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant collaboration between vibist Bobby Hutcherson and reedman Harold Land – the first Blue Note album to feature the talents of the pair together, and a stone classic from the very first note! Hutcherson had already been making big waves for the label with his earlier sides – some avant, some soulful, all great – but adding Land's magical tenor and flute to the mix really opens his sound up a lot, and unlocks a lyrical quality in Bobby's music that really points the way to his flourishing years in the 70s! Yet all is not totally sweet – as both Land and Hutcherson maintain an edginess on the record that makes it more of a progression from the "new thing" years than a break – and pianist Chick Corea is on hand, moving through a very similar path in his own music too. Other players include Reggie Johnson on bass and Joe Chambers on drums – and the tracks are nice and long, with that free-wheeling soulful sound that Land seemed to nicely bring to Hutcherson's playing. Titles include "Herzog", "Same Shame", "Maxtrix", "Total Eclipse", and "Pompeian". LP, Vinyl record album

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 most tracks, but they're blended with a warmer modern soul style too – easygoing, in true lovers rock style – and given some great vocals from lead singers Michael Gordon and Lorenzo Hall. Titles include remakes of "Close To You" and "How Could I Let You Get Away" – plus originals "Run Away Child", "Marley's Gone", "Baby I Am Yours", "Turn Out The Light", "Living In A World Of Magic", and "Woman I Need Your Loving". LP, Vinyl record album

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 still come through – but in a very different way than on his later hits! The rhythms are provided by the Revolutionaries – a perfect choice for the record – and titles include "Slave Master", "Story Book Children", "Get Ready", "Set The Captives Free", "Hand Cuff", "Storm", "Sacrifice", and "Smile". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums ever cut by reedman Rudolph Johnson – a hell of a saxophonist, and one with a great ability to combine the spiritual with the searing – a bit like Joe Farrell at his CTI best, but not as freewheeling – nicely focused, and a little bit funky in all the right parts – in ways that make this album one of the real standouts on the legendary Black Jazz label! The groove is nice and hard, and plenty dark – with lots of sharp edges around the offbeat rhythms, and a "bite" that makes the album one of the heaviest titles on the label. Other players include John Barnes on piano, Reggie Johnson on bass, and Ray Pounds on drums – and titles include the great "Diswa", which has sort of of a tight jazzy hip hop sample feel to it, plus "Mr TJ", "Little Daphne", and "Spring Rain". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the most intense work we've ever heard from composer/reedman Darius Jones – a set of longer works, recorded live in Vancouver – with a style that mixes core jazz instrumentation with some added string elements that really send things over the top! There's plenty of free improvisation going on here – and the alto of Jones sounds especially nice next to the skittish drums of Gerald Cleaver – as the duo find strong interplay with the work of Jesse and Josh Zubot on violins, Peggy Lee on cello, and James Meger on bass! All the string instruments are hardly any sort of string quartet – and instead, they come across with those freer improv modes unlocked during the loft jazz generation of the 70s – really exploding here with a sense of united majesty and individual expression. Titles include "Zubot", "Damon & Pythias", "Rainbow", and "Fluxus V5T 1S1". LP, Vinyl record album

A really funky set from the UK scene of the 70s – an album that mixes West African roots with some of the hipper elements going on in London at the time – a city where Remi Kabaka had been lending his talents to a variety of different records over the years! The set was issued by Island Records, and has the kind of cross-cultural groove the label did so well – and at some level, the record's sort of a second chapter in some of the African-influenced funk that was bubbling over on the London scene in the early 70s – maybe a bit sharper and tighter overall, but no less funky! The basslines are especially nice – nice and deep, with maybe an influence from Jamaican music, even though there's no reggae at all on the set. Titles include "Future Of 1000 Years", "All Black Festival", "African Hustle", "Blue Lagos", "Meteorite", "Sure Thing", and "Kabaka". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the hippest albums ever from the team of Harold Land and Bobby Hutcherson – and a set that's even more open than some of their other records on Blue Note or Chess! This set's a bit more electric than some of the other records from the pair – with these drawn-out Fender Rhodes lines from Bill Henderson – who comps and vamps with modal energy that really draws out some searing, searching solos from Land's tenor! Bobby's vibes are maybe a bit more restrained, but offer a key element in the overall soundshape of the record – and the rest of the lineup includes Reggie Johnson on bass, Ndugu and Woody Theus on drums, and Harold Land Jr on additional piano. All tracks are long – and titles include "Black Caucus", "Our Home", "Up & Down", and "Choma". LP, Vinyl record album

Really moody magic from the great Yusef Lateef – an artist who was definitely using his time on the Impulse label to open up some new territory in his music! This set might well be the most experimental that Lateef had recorded to date – still filled with the exotic touches of his previous records – including work on a wide range of global reed instruments – but handles with a deeper fascination with sound and shape, so much so that Lateef sometimes steps away from straight swing to some very creative moments. A key part of this sound is pianist Mike Nock – who joins Lateef here, and really opens up his own sound too – playing at a level that's light years past many American pianists, and really setting the stage for some of his work to come as a leader. The rest of the group is great too – an unusual quartet with Reggie Workman on bass and James Black on drums – and titles include "Try Love", "Soul Sister", "Love Waltz", "Warm Fire", "Gee Sam Gee", and "Listen To the Wind". LP, Vinyl record album

One of those 90s albums that really made people sit up and take notice of saxophonist Joe Lovano – a musician who'd been appearing on records since the 70s, but who finally got the due he deserved when Blue Note let him open up like this! The album's got a relatively loose, open vibe – almost free, but still swinging at most points – as Joe blows tenor, soprano, and straight alto sax in a trio with the great bassist Dave Holland, the the legendary Elvin Jones on drums! In some way, the record's an extension of that vibe that Jones had in the early 70s – when he's really let a strong reed player take the lead, while also egging him on with his boundless energy – interplay that definitely happens here, on titles that include "New York Fascination", "Eternal Joy", "Villa Paradiso", "Days Of Yore", "4 On The Floor", and "Studio Rivbea". LP, Vinyl record album

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 look! Hugh Maddo takes things nice and easy, as do the rhythms – so that there's no too-full dancehall rhythms for the dancefloor, and instead this vibe that recalls much more of the 70s spirit of Kingston, especially work from the smaller labels. Titles include "Give Me The Sensie", "Everywhere You Go In This World", "Take Bribe", "Budget", "Baby Don't Go", "Country Girl", "Pop Style", and "Jah Jah". LP, Vinyl record album

The never-issued second album from Main Source – and a set that's a very worthy successor to their classic Breaking Atoms! As with that record, the production here is superb – Large Professor at his best, with all the right sort of early 90s jazz influence in the samples, balanced with the group's trademark bite and wit in the lyrics – all at a level that makes for a record that shoulda been a classic back in the day! The set's got a fair bit of interludes, maybe to space out the vocal tracks for the full length release – but given the production, and great ear for found spoken bits, they seem to further the delightful quality of the record, as on an early De La set. Titles include an uncut version of "Looking At The Front Door", an unreleased version of "Fakin The Funk", and the tracks "Hellavision", "How My Man Went Down In The Game", "Time (part 2)", "Raise Up", and "Bootlegging". LP, 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 – Randy's, Dynamic, and Harry J's – and retains the same vibe as some of Marley's earlier work, but with more of the forward-thinking vision he brought to his time at Island. Bunny Livingston lays down some excellent percussion on the set – and rhythm is from the team of Aston and Carlton Barrett on bass and drums. Titles include the classic "Stir It Up" – plus "Slave Driver", "Kinky Reggae", "High Tide Or Low Tide", and "Concrete Jungle". Very cool 3LP/12" edition – comes in a box, with new notes and rare photos! LP2 features a rare live set recorded in London at the Paris Theater in 1973. LP3 features more unreleased tracks – eight from the sessions, including Jamaican alternative and extended versions of "Slave Driver", "Stop That Train", "No More Trouble", "Stir It Up", "400 Years", and "High Tide Or Low Tide" – and the bonus 12" single features three more unreleased live tracks from 1973! LP, Vinyl record album

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 – or this tight – a fantastic criss-crossing of rhythms that's often nicely stripped-down, and which seems to set fire to the vocal interplay between Toots and the rest of the group – in a way that's as vocally explosive as the instrumentation at the core! Sure, these guys can harmonize as well as the rest of their contemporaries – but they've also got an even greater talent for trading back and forth, which seems to make every one of their tunes an instant groove. Titles include "Pee Pee Cluck Cluck", "Loving Spirit", "Dr Lester", "Gold Silver", "Koo Koo", "Revival Reggae", "Thy Kingdom Come", "One Eyed Enos", "A Time To Love", "9 O'Clock", "Know Me Good", "Got To Feel", "Feel So Good", and "Give Peace A Chance". LP, Vinyl record album

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 to underscore the message in the music, with a gentle intensity that really makes the whole thing resonate strongly after all these years! Titles include two versions of "Stranger" – plus "I Am What I Am", "Burning In Fire", "Suffering", "Dread Man Freedom", "Moving To Zion", and "Jah Children". LP, 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 at home in Trinidad! There's a nicely rattling vibe to the record that really matches the sharpness of the vocals – an important current of politics, social commentary, and personal brag – all of which had a huge impact on later sounds and styles of music. The saxophone lines really keep things soulful – and titles include "The Village Ram", "Martin Luther King", "I'll Be Around", "You Don't Love Me", "Castro Eating Banana", and "Tour Of Jamaica". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer funky organ – and 100% Dynamite! Jackie Mittoo is one of the all-time great organists – as essential to Jamaica as Booker T was to Memphis, or Jimmy McGriff was to New York. He's legendary these days as the player who completely transformed the Hammond sound with his unique Jamaican instrumental style during his early years with the Skatalites, and on his later solo recordings for Studio One. This set's probably the first time Mittoo's work has been properly packaged and remastered – and the folks at Soul Jazz have done an amazing job of selecting just the right tracks for such a project. The whole thing wails along with a stone rocksteady groove – with plenty of nice drum parts and funky rhythm bits underneath Jackie's soulful organ. If you dug the label's 100% Dynamite series, you'll really dig this one – and the whole thing's very much in the same vein. Tracks include "Drum Song", "Reggae Rock", "Hot Tamale", "Killer Diller", "Black Organ", "Stereo Freeze", "Wall Street", "Darker Shade Of Black", "Juice Box", and "Killer Diller". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Lee Morgan albums, and one of his least known – a set recorded in the crucial last five years of his life, and a sparkling mix of hard bop, soul jazz, and slight bits of modernism – that magical mix that Lee was hitting as he reached farther and farther with his music – an amazing legacy in jazz that has us loving every Morgan session from 1965 onward! Lee's playing in very comfortable territory, with a group that includes Bennie Maupin on tenor, Cedar Walton on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – but that doesn't mean that the proceedings are relaxed at all, because the interplay between the players is flawless, and they use their familiarity as a great springboard to soar off into rich new territory. Lee wrote all the tunes on the record – like "Caramba", "Suicide City", and "Soulita". An excellent record throughout, and one that we'd never part with! LP, Vinyl record album

Lee Morgan on the hippest side of his 60s talents – working here in a style that's really stretching out, and in the same territory as similar unreleased gems from the time – like Tom Cat or Sonic Boom! The group here is very inventive – Jackie McLean on alto, Larry Willis on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums – players who really represent the left side of Blue Note, but not as out as the "new thing" crowd – with a really creative approach to both the rhythms and the solos, commanded by Morgan's rich imagination at this point in his career. All tunes are great, and titles include "Zip Code", "Infinity", "Miss Nettie B", "Growing Pains", and McLean's fantastic "Portrait of a Doll". LP, Vinyl record album

Pianist Roberto Olzer is great here, but the album also really sparkles with the excellent basswork of Yuri Goloubev – not just an accompanist, but also a creative force who's helped arrange part of the record and deliver a few tunes as well! Olzer's got this sense of tone and timing that's almost virtuostic, and the bass balances things out really well – so that there's a subtle soul to the record, encouraged by the drums of Mauro Beggio – which lets Roberto take off on some really expressive passages, but still swing at all the right moments. Titles include "Ferragosto", "Dreamsville", "Beau Piece", "Novembre", "Morgen", "Maybe Next Time", "The Oldest Living Thing", and "Unlikely Taiko". LP, Vinyl record album

We've gotta hand it to pianist Roberto Olzer – a player who can combine references from classical music and more straightforward jazz trio modes – all at a level that's very different than earlier work from players like Jacques Loussier and Eugen Cicero, who worked in similar territory! Olzer is clearly a jazz musician first, and the tunes here are often his own, and have a great sense of open, fluid energy – but he's also clearly a master of the keyboard, and can manage to swing the odd tune from Chopin, Purcell, and Mendelssohn – which are included here nexst to the original material! The trio features stunning work on bass from Yuri Goloubev and drums from Mauro Beggio – and titles include "Milano Rain", "Notturno", "Andante Con Moto", "Images", "Touchdown", "Dido's Lament", and "Eveline". LP, Vinyl record album

Lee Scratch Perry's funky reggae party, put together at the Black Ark, with Boris Gardner, Mickey Boo, Sly Dunbar & Winston Wright. A nice batch of crackling Jamaican funk, with the requisite Black Ark smoke blowing throughout. Includes a bunch of classic Perry-isms, with Scratch dropping verses with his own unique perspective, like "Yu Squeeze My Panhandle", "Roast Fish & Cornbread", "Soul Fire" & "Free Up The Weed" LP, Vinyl record album

A host of rare gems from the early years of Lee Perry's legendary Black Ark studios – material recorded by Scratch himself, on some cuts featuring The Upsetters, others some close contemporaries – but all nicely unified here by contributions from Lee at just about every level! As with other Pressure Sounds collections, the approach here is wonderful – way past the entry-level reggae collections you might get elswhere, but also not overwhelmed with trainspotter attention to rareness over quality – as the cuts here are all pretty darn great, and feature many gems from the early reggae years that really show Perry's diversity past his own recordings. The set includes a number of Upsetters version recordings of vocal tunes – and titles include "Set Yourself Up" by The Upsetters, "Brotherly Love" by Henrick Nicholson, "Roots Train (previously unreleased dub plate mix)" by Junior Murvin, "Woman Gotta Have Love (previously unreleased dub plate mix)", "Say A Little Prayer (12" mix)" by Eric Donaldson, "Mr Cravin" by Junior Murvin, "Such Is Life (version)" by The Upsetters, "Nu Fi Run It Down" by Danny Clarke, "Ska Baby" by Bobby Ellis, and "Such Is Life" by Lord Creator. LP, Vinyl record album

Rare and unreleased Lee Perry dubplate mixes – brilliant productions from the creatively fruitful, boundary busting 70s years – with the mighty Upsetters and numbers featuring Junior Murvin, Candy Mackenzie, Leo Graham, Jimmy Riley, George Faith, Jack Lord and The Silvertones! This is the second Sound System Scratch compilation from the deep treasure diggers at Pressure Sounds – who have again assembled staggeringly adventurous and hard to find Scratch productions from an amazing period at Black Ark. A number of the tracks are previously unreleased, others are exclusive dubplate mixes, all incredible – be it smoked out, hazy dubs and surprisingly accessible and soulful reggae. Includes "Righteous Rocking" by The Upsetters, "Get Ready (Bongo Mix) by Junior Murvin & The Upsetters, "Kis Me Mix" by The Upsetters, "I've Got The Dub" by George Faith & The Upsetters, "Enter The Upsetter" by Lee Perry & The Upsetters, "Darkness In The City" by Jimmy Riley & The Upsetters, "Rejoice Jah Jah Children" by The Silvertones and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album from John Prine – his Atlantic debut, done at a time when he was emerging from the second generation of the Chicago folk scene – with a style that set the tone for countless singer/songwriters in years to come! The record has immediate appeal to ears tuned towards hip country, folk, and the more personal side of rock at the time – as Prine sings his material with a wry wit that's simultaneously heartbreaking, with support from the great Reggie Young on guitar and Bobby Emmons on organ – plus work on two tracks from scenemate and soon-to-be-star Steve Goodman on guitar. Titles include the seminal "Hello In There" – a tune that's hard to believe was written by a 24 year old – plus "Six O'Clock News", "Sam Stone", "Donald & Lydia", "Illegal Smile", "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore", and "Far From Me". LP, Vinyl record album

It's hard to get more powerful and progressive than the message this title – an indication that the record is one of the boldest in the Tribe Records catalog from the 70s – which is saying a lot, given the force of the legendary Detroit label! Trombonist Phil Ranelin is at his best here – not just as a soloist, but also as a guiding spiritual force – as he works here with a very progressive ensemble who are somewhere between Sun Ra's Arkestra and some of the loft jazz groups to come – effortlessly mixing free instrumental solo passages with more rhythmic pulsations – adding in electric elements in just the right way, to almost create a cosmic tension in the acoustic core of the performance. Keith Vreeland is listed as the pianist – and we're not sure if it's him who plays the weird and wonderful keyboards on the record, but they're totally great – mixed with Ranelin's work on trombone, plus Wendell Harrison on tenor, Marcus Belgrave on flugelhorn, Charles Moore on trumpet, and Harou El Nil on alto – plus strong work from two drummers, George Davidson and Bili Turner, each in one side of the mix – and bass from John Dana or Reggie Fields. This is message-oriented spiritual jazz at its best – and titles include "13th & Senate", "Black Destiny", "Time Is Running Out", "He The One We All Knew", and "The Time Is Now For A Change". LP, Vinyl record album

It's hard to get more powerful and progressive than the message this title – an indication that the record is one of the boldest in the Tribe Records catalog from the 70s – which is saying a lot, given the force of the legendary Detroit label! Trombonist Phil Ranelin is at his best here – not just as a soloist, but also as a guiding spiritual force – as he works here with a very progressive ensemble who are somewhere between Sun Ra's Arkestra and some of the loft jazz groups to come – effortlessly mixing free instrumental solo passages with more rhythmic pulsations – adding in electric elements in just the right way, to almost create a cosmic tension in the acoustic core of the performance. Keith Vreeland is listed as the pianist – and we're not sure if it's him who plays the weird and wonderful keyboards on the record, but they're totally great – mixed with Ranelin's work on trombone, plus Wendell Harrison on tenor, Marcus Belgrave on flugelhorn, Charles Moore on trumpet, and Harou El Nil on alto – plus strong work from two drummers, George Davidson and Bili Turner, each in one side of the mix – and bass from John Dana or Reggie Fields. This is message-oriented spiritual jazz at its best – and titles include "13th & Senate", "Black Destiny", "Time Is Running Out", "He The One We All Knew", and "The Time Is Now For A Change". Very cool 2LP pressing – with alternate takes of three tracks on the album! LP, Vinyl record album

Righteous sounds from Ras Michael and The Sons Of Negus – easily one of the most powerful groups of the rastafari years in reggae! The album's got a very deep feel right from the start – not just because the lyrics and vocals are very powerful, but also because the group features a strong ensemble of nyabinghi drummers, who help take the music back to pre-reggae roots with their performance – which is mixed here with more familiar basslines and guitar that mark the mid 70s recording of the tunes. Production is by Tommy Cowan, who keeps things stripped-down enough to really let the core spirit of the music show through – and the tracks have achieved legendary status over the years, thanks both to their political power and purity of spirit. Titles include "Truth & Right", "Mr Brown", "None A Jah Jah Children", "Mr Wicked Man", "Give Love", "Booma Yeah", "No Hoppers", and "Zion Land". LP, Vinyl record album

The stellar full length debut from Redman – who was just then breaking out solo after honing his craft as part of the EPMD Hit Squad clique – and rose pretty quickly to the upper echelon of early 90s MCs! The masterstroke of Whut Thee Album is the way that Redman balances a gritty, hard hitting approach to the mic and to the lyricism, while still leading a funky party rocking record. The Erick Sermon production is a big part of that balance, with beats that show a real love classic 70s funk – and looking back, it's amazing the number of 'hits' off this one that still hold up today – with "Time 4 Sum Akshun", "A Day of Superman Lover", "How To Roll A Blunt", "Blow Your Mind" (and rmx), "Rated R", "Hardcore", "Redman Meets Reggie Noble", "Tonight's Da Night" – 21 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

The debut album from Cynthia Schloss – a reggae singer who'd go on to bring a whole new level of soul to Jamaican music! In fact, the album's maybe half reggae, and half soul – delivered by Cynthia with a range that would have been right at home in American soul in the early 70s, especially given that the pace of most tracks is a lot more laidback than some of the disco work that was taking over America at the time! Yet the grooves aren't exactly the usual Jamaican style, either – as they've got a bubbling vibe and upbeat quality that almost reminds us a bit of crossover soul from the same time – a bit like some of the best work on RCA that would peak on AM radio, with a real universal appeal that's only furthered by Schloss' vocals. Titles include "Love Forever", "I Won't Cry", "There's A Fire", "Red Rose", "Winston B", "Guava Jelly", "Hurry To Me", and "Nightfall". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic funk from a totally obscure group – Portland's Shades Of Brown, a combo not to be confused with the Chicago group who recorded for Chess Records – but one who share a very similar sense of righteous soul! There's a heady groove to the record right from the start – carefully vamping rhythms laced with organ, riffing guitar, trumpet, and tenor – all in support of the superb lead vocals of Gregg Smith, a singer with an expressive style that really sends the whole thing home! The tunes are often laidback enough to really find their groove – longer than two minute funky 45 numbers, and infused with a very deep soul vibe overall. The set features four killer cuts – "Teasin Woman", "Girl In The Streets", "Black Woman", and "Searchin For Love". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album – one of our favorite Blue Notes ever! Despite the fact that the album's a spare quartet session, the record is one of Wayne Shorter's richest – and features his gutsy young tenor soloing insanely with a rhythmically intense combo that includes Herbie Hancock on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – a wonderfully free-thinking rhythm trio! Workman's bass is especially strong, and it underpins the cuts with a throbbing pulse that takes them past any simple hardbop conventions. Every cut's a winner – and this is one album we reach for time and time again over the years! Titles include "Adam's Apple", "El Gaucho", "Footprints", and "Teru". LP, Vinyl record album

Genius, pure genius! Like all of Wayne Shorter's Blue Note sessions from the mid 60s, this album's a beautiful blend of hard bop ideas with a modern spiritual soulful consciousness – as important in its own way as Coltrane's work of the time – an incredible precursor for sounds from generations to come! Shorter's tenor solos are the main focus here, and he plays with creativity and imagination that you don't often hear on his later works – a sharp, soulful approach – but one that's already light years ahead of some of his Blue Note contemporaries – reaching for new ideas, but without any sense of effort – none of the overly-tense notes you'd get later, and instead just a marvelously fluid feel that really makes sense from the very first note – tremendous listening for both the lifetime jazz fan or the newcomer. McCoy Tyner plays piano, and Reggie Workman and Elvin Jones complete the group – and titles include "House Of Jade", "Deluge", "Mahjong", and "Yes Or No". LP, Vinyl record album

Warm and mellow soul from Janet Silvera – a set that's a bit lovers rock, but with touches of American mainstream soul of the late 70s – especially the more laidback, easygoing styles! Familiar hits are mixed with originals in a nice way, and at a few spots, there's even some slight trace of clubby modes, which makes for a reggae disco style that almost seems to have Janet at her best! Production is by Peter Gordon Martin, and titles include "Small Talk", "It Wasn't Real", "Oh If I Should Lose Your Love", "Waiting In Vain", "Dancing To My Own Heartbeat", and "Say You Love Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A Nigerian group, but one who work in the best roots reggae modes of previous years in Kingston – recording here with a laidback vibe that really creates a sense of intimacy that's very different than much work of this time coming out in the 90s! Vocals are traded back and forth between Blackwell Jones and Delleo Freeman – and there's a gently stepping groove to the record that never pushes too hard, nor tries for any sort of too-commercial modes. The set's features six tracks in all – "Babylon Fall", "Black People", "Psalm 23", "African Children", "Dreadful Look", and "Wet My Whistle". LP, Vinyl record album

A great mix of classic covers and original tracks – all served up with a mellow groove and plenty of influence from Jamaican music! Years back, Soul Sugar were more of a jazzy funk combo – but over the years, they've evolved into more of a reggae/rocksteady mode – one that's a perfect setting for the Hammond, Fender Rhodes, and other keyboards handled by Guillaume Metenier – a player who solos strongly on the instrumental tracks, then steps back a bit more on the few vocal numbers that grace the set! One of those, a sweet remake of the Curtis Mayfield classic "The Makings Of You", is worth the price of admission alone – and other tracks include "Black Byrd", "Happy Riddim", "Just A Little Talk", "Fly Away", and "Tubby's Ghost". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary Jamaican group finally get their time in the spotlight – as Sound Dimension backed up plenty of artists in the glory days of Studio One – singers who include Alton Ellis, The Heptones, Horace Andy, and dozens of others – while also getting the chance to cut some killer instrumental work on their own! The lineup is the stuff of legends – Ernest Ranglin on guitar, Jackie Mittoo on Hammond, Cedric Brooks on reeds, and Vin Gordon on trombone – plus other musicians who really help keep things soulful throughout, and make the music here a blinding set of instrumentals from the late ska years into early reggae rhythms! Titles include "Soul Shake", "The Thing", "Holy Moses", "Hail Don D", "Full Up", "Love Land", "Bitter Blood", "Baby Face", and "Man Pon Spot". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's gotta be one of the most righteous school band records ever – way more than just a bunch of students doing big band numbers, and instead a killer batch of spiritual jazz numbers, directed by the legendary Alvin Batiste! The record's one of a rare few 70s sets of this nature – one that shows a group of younger musicians really reaching out for bold new sounds – every bit as complex and soulful as work on labels like Strata East or Black Jazz, with a fiery power that signals a new generation of the jazz underground! And while Batiste is at the head of the group, there's plenty of other great younger players too – including Henry Butler on piano, Henry Scott on flute, Kirk Ford on tenor, Reginald Houston on baritone, Raymond Deggs on trumpet, Julius Farmer on bass, and Herman Jackson on drums! Side one features burning ensemble numbers that include "Music Came", "Tunjii", "Straight Life", and "North American Idiosyncrasy" – and side two features early material by the Henry Butler Trio, on titles that include "So What", "In My Solitude", and "Milestones". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great South African group from the early 80s – and one with a sound that's a lot funkier and clubbier than most of the music from their scene that was being sent out through the world music market! Instead, the vibe here is like some of the coolest club tracks of the time – both underground New York work from the electro scene, and some of the more keyboard-heavy tracks that were showing up in the more Cosmic Euro dancefloors – served up with an approach that often has vocals just egging on the instrumentation, instead of the other way around – as keyboards and basslines take the lead on titles that include "Keep On Moving", "Picnic", "Let's Go Dancing Boogie Boogie", "Starlight", "Jah Jay Love", and "Picnicing". LP, Vinyl record album

Inventive percussion and amazing bass work – plus a host of other interesting elements as well – all wrapped up beautifully in this unique collaboration between Isao Suzuki and Masahiko Togashi! Both players were some of the most creative of the mainstream Japanese scene of the 70s – Togashi a drummer who'd often go out, but still maintain a sense of soul – and Suzuki a bassist who often used variations of his instrument that were a bit unusual, and which did way more than simple rhythm work! Here, Isao's working with cello, piccolo bass, and regular bass – in addition to piano and percussion – and Togashi plays lots more percussion, and a bit of keyboards too – as both players mix up instrumentation in these sensitive shadings of sound and color that are almost a Japanese equivalent of the best ECM experiments of the 70s. Tunes are all as poetic as they sound from the titles – and titles include "A Day Of The Sun", "Birth Of Yellow Eggs", "Silvery Flash", and "Awakening Of The Fresh Green". LP, Vinyl record album

A set recorded in both Jamaica and Trinidad, and one that shows a great combination of both locations – with straighter reggae cuts at some points, and some more Caribbean flavored club at others! The music has some of the message that you'd guess from the cover and title, but the overall vibe is lighter and more aimed at the dancefloor – with some especially great cuts that almost lean more towards a jazz/funk sort of vibe than some of the other island disco records of the time! One of these gems is the wicked "Let's Party", which has a massive bassline and some cool keyboard bubbles – and other cuts include "Foreign Journalists", "Burning Eyes & Hungry Bellies", "Dancing", "Music Is Music", "Song Of Love", and "Power Struggle". LP, Vinyl record album

Wolf sounds almost pretty from the first few seconds of the intro, but soon after the soft opening, the gritty beat drops, the gravely/growling vocals kick in, and the wild mix of comical and caustic rhymes let you know good and well that Tyler The Creator's back. Guests include Hodgy Beats, Frank Ocean, Domo Genius, Earl Sweatshirt and other expected heads – plus some wildcards/surprises turns by Laetitia Sadier, Erykah Badu and others. Includes "Wolf", "Jamba" with Hodgy Beats, "Cowboy", "Awkward", "Domo23", "Answer", "Slater" and "48" with Frank Ocean, " "Partyisntover/Campfire/Bimmer" with Frank Ocean & Laetitia Sadier, "Parking Lot" with Mike G & Casey Veggies, "Tamale", "Lone" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The debut of U-Roy, and an album that paves the way for countless wonderful sounds to come! The album's an early one in the toasting approach – and has U-Roy calling out the tunes in this echoey style that's wonderful – somehow more urgent than reggae records of just a few years before, and almost dismantling the tunes as he works alongside them! Rhythms are cooked up by Duke Reid – and the album's the stuff that put both him, and the role of the DJ in reggae firmly on the map! Titles include "Your Ace From Space", "On The Beach", "Version Galore", "True Confession", "Tide Is High", "Things You Love", "The Same Song", "Happy Go Lucky Girl", "Rock Away", "Wear You To The Ball", "Don't Stay Away", and "Hot Pop". LP, Vinyl record album

Soul stirring rocksteady and deeply moving melodies from unfailingly great singer Slim Smith and the Uniques – just a beautiful compilation of late 60s material that's provides ample evidence for those of us that contend that Slim Smith and the Uniques are among the greatest and most soulful combos in the history of reggae vocals! Includes nice early production by Bunny Striker Lee throughout – and backing musicians including Lynn Taitt & The Jets and Bobby Aitken & The Carib Beats. Nice steady rockers and lover's tunes, with sweet harmony vocals. 14 tracks on the LP version: "Give Me A Love", "You Lied To Me", "People Rock Steady", "Facts Of Life", "This Feeling", "Trying Hard To Find A Home", "You Don't Care (You'll Want Me Back)", "I'm Lost", "Love & Devotion", "Where Do I Turn" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible first chapter of the solo career of Bunny Wailer – material recorded during the same time as the rise of the larger Wailers trio, but which has a special sort of vibe overall – a quality that maybe even predates some of the righteous sounds that Bob Marley would give the world a few years later! The tracks here were all issued as 45s as part of Bunny's Solomonic Productions imprint – a company that took its name from the Song Of Solomon in the Old Testament, which was a key spiritual direction for Bunny – in ways that made his influence so huge during the roots reggae years. And in fact, these cuts are prime roots material, but maybe even go things one better – as there's no sense of wider commercial appeal to the tracks, with a laidback sense of instrumentation and production – all handled by Bunny himself. Titles include "Tread Along", "Bide Up", "Searching For Love", "Armagideon", "Arabs Oil Weapon", "Pass It On", "Life Line", "Rasta Man", "Battering Down Sentence", and "Dream Land". LP, Vinyl record album

A magical pairing of musicians – both of whom had come together in different formats, and who here showcase a great late meeting of their genius! The vibe is maybe similar to the Super Quartet that Lacy and Waldron were leading in the early 90s, but with a slightly different lineup – Mal on piano, Steve on soprano sax, Reggie Workman on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums – a very deft, fluid quartet who are able to shift easily between the different modes of the set! The performance begins with a bit of a nod to Thelonious Monk – always a key influence on Lacy's sound, even at the start – but Waldron's also bringing plenty of his ideas in too, and things really open up once the music gets going – with especially strong flavors that come from the territory that both musicians developed overseas in the decades before this performance. Tracks are all very long – and titles include "Variation Of III", "Longing", "Monk's Dream", "What It Is", "Epistrophy", and the long medley "Snake Out/Variations On A Theme By Cecil Taylor". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the deepest records of the roots reggae generation – a set that was so far ahead of its time, it never saw release until a decade after it was recorded! Sylford Walker has this very powerful way of putting over his words – part singing, part chanting – and often set to rhythms that are maybe a bit grittier than the usual Kingston studio modes of the late 70s – especially the percussion, which can have a very raw vibe alongside the basslines. Horns are nice and stark, too – and the whole thing almost feels as if someone took a trip back to the rocksteady years of recording, to put together a roots-oriented album. Glen L Brown produced and arranged – and titles include "Chant Down Babylon", "Lamb's Bread", "My Father's Homeland", "Eternal Day", and "Deuteronomy". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from the glory days of Virgin's Frontline series – a homegrown effort from UK singer Vivian Weathers – a really unique talent with a style that's very much his own! At some level, Vivian's got the warmth of the lover's rock generation, but mixes it with some of the deeper currents of contemporaries on the hipper side of the UK reggae spectrum – creating a record here that's stunningly soulful and deep, and very much at the highest level of British reggae for the period! This isn't crossover pop, but instead the kind of special, deeper current that only a rare few were crafting on the London scene – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Move Ghetto Children", "Hip Hug", "Gypsy Love", "Song Of Sufferation", "A Fool & His Baby", "The Way You Walk", and "Street Talk". Features a bonus track – "Hip Hug (12" mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

Delroy Witter's the producer, a key underground talent on the London scene during those big years of homecrafted reggae records – and he gets help here from a range of wonderful singers who really bring out the most soulful currents of the lovers rock promised in the title! The set's a well-done selection of obscure singles that were all initially done by Witter with his Success Sound System – and tunes include some great later lovers rock remakes of American soul tracks, plus a few original numbers too. The set's overflowing with mellow stepping gems – including "Ooh Baby Baby" and "Just For Your Love" by Sonia Ferguson, "Mind Blowing Decisions" and "Tell Me Why" by Tyrone David, "Happiness Togetherness" by Cassandra, "I Do Love You" by Janet Kay, "Little Girl" and "Natural Woman" by Heptics, "Loving Time" by Jackie, and "Don't Cry" by Sugar Minott. LP, Vinyl record album

Pure dynamite throughout – a really killer batch of cuts that easily steps between 60s and 70s styles in Jamaican music – shaking things up with soulful late 60s numbers, funky 70s gems, and some dubbier tracks from a time when production styles really opened up! As with other volumes in this excellent series, the choice of cuts is wonderful – really well-chosen tracks that go past the hits, but also feature some numbers that have become underground classics over the years – but all at a level that's got a lot more bite than some of the oft-played reggae that's been keeping dorm rooms running for decades. There's a total of 14 tracks in all – and titles include "Rocker's Rock" by Augustus Pablo, "No No No" by KC White, "Ring The Alarm" by Tenor Saw, "One Two" by Sister Nancy, "Woman Of The Ghetto" by Kim Harriott, "Heatwave" by Johnny Organ, "King Tubby Dub" by Tommy McCook & The Agrovators, "Earthquake" by Jackie Mittoo, and "Ready Or Not" by Johnny Osborne. LP, Vinyl record album

Reggae takes on Beatles tunes – both from the early and later years of the Fab Four – served up with vocals from a variety of different singers! There's a soulful vibe to the record right from the start – and the rhythms move between roots and lovers rock-styled pacing – but definitely change up nicely to fit the needs of the singers, which is a nod to the production and arranging styles of Clive Hunt, who put the whole thing together! Titles include "Taxman" by Nai-Jay, "Here Comes The Sun" by Barry Biggs, "Norwegian Wood" by Little Roy, "Revolution" by Yaniss Odua, "Michell" by Pierpoljak, "Help" by Gentleman, "You Won't See Me" by The Pioneers, and "With A Little Help From My Friends" by Tarrus Riley. LP, Vinyl record album

Righteous roots reggae from the digital generation – a whole host of tracks produced by the legendary King Jammy – a force who was really able to keep the spiritual fires of the 70s burning well into the following decade! The selection of cuts here is great – and if anything, the crispness of the production seems to bring out the message in the music even more – really emphasizing the power of the lyrics, in a mix of work by 70s artists still working at a very relevant level, alongside some of the up-and-comers that Jammy was so good at searching out! Titles include "Storm Is Coming" by Junior Delgado, "Why Should I" by Admiral Tibet, "Got To Be Strong" by Pad Anthony, "Up Full One" by Dennis Brown, "Only The Poor Man Feel It" by Kentucky, "World Inflation" by Junior Murvin, "Victim Of Babylon" by Admiral Tibet, "Cry For The Youths" by Wackad, "Stop The Violence" by Junior Delgado, and "Chain Grabber" by Johnny Osbourne. LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of rare grooves from the Italian scene – including plenty of cookers from those years when the Italians were just about the only one keeping the disco sound going! The work predates the big wave of Italo House to come, but has a vibe that's equally lively, and a nicely warmed-up take on some of the colder Euro club modes from up north. Titles include "Dinamite" by Patrick Samson, "Discoteca" by Gabriella Fava, "Vagabondo Non Sono" by Spataneri Sebastiano Aria, "Chi Sei" by Gloria Piedimonte, "Lasciati Amare" by Nuccio Di Vico, "Peggio Per Te" by Momo Yang, "Un Amore Anonimo" by Patrizia Caselli, and "Il Primo Appuntamento" by Franco Camassa. LP, Vinyl record album

A set with a familiar title – similar to a Soul Jazz compilation of vintage work from Studio One – but a package that's nicely different, and which digs even deeper into the legendary catalog of the famous reggae label! The style here is nicely open – there's vocal and instrumental cuts, ska, rocksteady, and early reggae – and while there's certainly a theme of freedom in the music, there's lots of other righteous energy going on too! Many of these numbers are quite obscure – and titles include "Freedom Street" and "Funny Man" by Freedom Singers, "Wire Higher" by Jackie Mitoo, "Stay A Little Bit Longer" and "Rome" by Larry Marshall, "Lee Arab" by Ernest Ranglin, "Your Love Gets Sweeter" by Irvin Brown, and "Soul Food", "Midnight Soul", and "Mun Dun Gu" by Im & David with Sound Dimension. LP, Vinyl record album

A third healthy dose of music from the early years of the Jamaican scene – work that's a direct precursor to the trio group soul mode of the rocksteady years, and which provides a great bridge into the way that American soul music went on to have such a strong influence on reggae! The "doo wop" in the title is key here – as these tracks are definitely heavy on harmonies and lighter on instrumentation – very much tied to American expressions of the genre, and delivered by artists who'd both go on to later fame, and disappear in the shifting sands of time. Titles include "My Heaven" by Alton & Eddie, "Sweet As An Angel" by Jiving Juniors, "First Time We Met" by Annette & Shenley, "Dream Girl" by Ricketts & Rowe, "Don't You Know" by The Moonlighters, "I'll Always Call Your Name" by Belltones, "Never Go Away" by Wilfred Jackie Edwards, "Change Of Mind" by Higgs & Wilson, and "I've Done You Wrong" by The Blues Busters. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic sounds from the years before reggae became the international sound of Jamaica – music from the island nation's jazz scene, which was at the crossroads of so many different styles of music – jazz from the north, Latin rhythms from Cuba and Puerto Rico, and a fair bit of other Caribbean sounds too – all of which filter through the wonderful collection of music on the set! The title breaks down the different genres featured – but there's often a surprisingly unified feel to the whole record too – one that stands partly as a testament to the musical strengths of all the performers involved! In the days before Trojan and Studio One, Federal Records was an important Jamaican label – and did an especially great job of capturing some of the sounds that were part of that nation's club culture and resorts in the 60s. Titles include "Angelima" and "Like Falling In Love" by Ernest Ranglin, "Profile Cha Cha" and "Rhumbina" by Cecil Lloyd & The Starline Troubadors, "Estrellita" and "I Love Paris" by The Lennie Hibbert Combo, "Tis Wonderful" by Eric Grant, "Linstead Market" by Baba Motta & Ernest Ranglin, "Wheel & Turn Me" by Bertie King, "Go Fife Go" by Count Owen, "Mango Walk" by Bertie King & Ernest Ranglin, "String Of Pearls" by Auldey Williams & His Orchestra, "Solas Market" by Baba Motta, and "Monday Monday" by Winston Turner Quintet. LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of work from King Jammy's studios – all cuts recorded at the end of the 80s, with a definite digital feel – but a sound that's still a lot warmer and more soulful than bigger mainstream work of the time! As the title promises, there's plenty of dancehall in the mix – but many of the grooves are more laidback and mellow – bridging the space between the bigger global hits in the style, and a dubbier, rootsier generation of reggae too – which seems to bubble forth here on most tracks, and just get a slight digital reworking by Jammy. The 2LP set features a very well-selected batch of material from these years – titles that appeared on labels like Greensleeves, Superpower, and Unity Sounds, with titles that include "Icky All Over" by Wayne Smith, "In The Area" by Johnny Osborne, "The Exit" by Dennis Brown, "Don't Touch The Crack" by Little Kirk, "Dancehall Vibes" by Anthony Johnson, and "Jack Slick" by Junior Murvin. LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of rare soul tracks from the west coast scene of the 60s – one that has the Ace/Kent label returning to the territory of some of their earliest compilations, but with lots of fresh and unreleased material in the mix! The Kent and Modern labels trace their roots back to the initial outpouring of postwar R&B on the Los Angeles scene – and by the time of the 60s, the companies were in a great position to pick the hippest, coolest cats from their city's soul underground – often recording so much music, only a portion of it was ever released back in the day! That's definitely the case here – as 8 of the 14 tracks on the collection never saw release in the 60s – making the collection a fantastic mix of rare and released Northern Soul from the city of angels. Titles include "Wanting You (alt)" by Jimmy Bee, "Lay This Burden Down" by Arthur Wright & His Orchestra, "Love Is Gonna Get You" by Peggy Woods, "Can It Be Me" by Mel Williams, "Baby Without You" by Gene & Gary, "Nobody But Me" by The Other Brothers, "Make Me Yours" by ZZ Hill, "Hey Stoney Face" by Mary Love, "No Puppy Love" by Johnny Copeland, "This Man Wants You" by Wally Cox, and "Get To Steppin" by Jackie Day. LP, Vinyl record album

Aahh, sweet lover's rock, and all from Studio One no less! Whether you're looking to set the mood for a late night rub up, or just want to cool out to some mellow island vibes, this batch of easy rockin' lover's numbers cut under the supervision of Coxsone Dodd is just the ticket. You get sweet soulful numbers from Studio One stalwarts, plus a number of nice tracks by some lesser known stars in the Studio One galaxy, and as you'd expect from a Soul Jazz set, it's wrapped up quite nicely. 18 tracks in all, including "I Don't Know Why" by Delroy Wilson, "Touch Me Baby" by Myrna Hague, "Darling I Need Your Loving" by John Holt & The Paragons, "Ten To One" by The Mad Lads, "Reggae Magic" by Jackie Mittoo, "Too Long Will Be Too Late" by Freddy & Jenny, "Let Him Try" by Alton Ellis, "Don't Wait For Me" by Albert Tomlinson, "Got To Be Sure" by Horace Andy, "Ready To Learn" by the Heptones, 'We're All Alone" by Doreen Schaefer and more! LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent dip into the rootsier material from the Studio One catalog – the kind of reggae classics that have forever made the label one of the best Jamaican companies! The package is every bit as sublime as Soul Jazz's other reggae compilations – and it features a selection of tunes that far outshines most other reissues of Studio One material, and which includes some great rare gems that have a heavy soulful feeling. Titles include "Meditation" by The Cyclones with Count Ossie, "Set Me Free" by L Crosdale, "More Creation" by Lennie Hibbert, "Fear Not" by Winston Jarrett, "Blackish White" by Alton Ellis, "Far Beyond" by Leroy Wallace, "Addis A Baba" by Willie Williams, "Lumumbo" by Bunny & Skitter, "Africa Here I Come" by Freddie McGregor, and "Congo Rock" by Sound Dimension. LP, Vinyl record album