Byron Lee & The Dragonaires —
Disco Reggae ... LP Mercury, 1975. Near Mint- ...
$4.99
Lee, ever the entrepreneur, looks to capitalize on the huge stateside disco trend with this album, though there's little disco here, and mostly workman like reggae, that's not particularly outstanding. The sole disco effort is a take on "The Hustle", and the rest of set includes "Roc ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Tippa Lee's a Jamaican talent from the old school, one whose biggest fame was in the 80s – but he steps out here in a great setting that's maybe even more retro than his original work – served up in a roots reggae mode that feels like some lost Kingston classic from the 70s! The lyrics ... read moreCD
A seminal set from the great Hopeton Lewis – and a record that not only firmly put the rocksteady sound on the map, but also paved the way for a rich tradition of reggae to come! The groove is nice and mellow – rhythmic on all numbers, but much more relaxed than the ska of a few years ... read moreCD
Willie Lindo —
Far & Distant ... LP Federal/Dub Store (Japan), 1974. New Copy (reissue)...
$21.9922.99
Wicked guitar work from Willie Lindo – spun out here over an all-instrumental set that almost feels more like Jamaican records of the late 60s than you'd guess from the mid 70s date of the album! The grooves are definitely more 70s – certainly with a strong reggae current – but ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Dubby funk with plenty of Jamaican undertones, but not exactly a reggae set – and instead the sort of wonderful criss-crossing of modes we've come to expect from The Lions! The group definitely owes a lot to the sound of 60s and 70s Kingston – yet their approach is different, too ... (Deep Funk, Reggae)read moreCD
Fantastic sounds from Dandy Livingstone – one of the leading lights of the UK ska scene in the 60s, and an important artist who helped England really find its own way to contribute to a Jamaican tradition! The music here is all from Dandy's important Trojan years – including key early ... read moreCD
The Lone Ranger rides again inna dancehall style! A tasty selection of bouncing Studio One riddims get chatted up by one of the more underrated DJ's on the scene, the Lone Ranger, then get served up in fine dub style, plus this reissue adds an extra helping of tracks for nearly twice as much music! ... read moreCD
Vintage sounds from calypso turned reggae soulful ska singer Lord Creator – Vincent "Randy" Chin productions from the height of the ska era! Breezy, laidback and charming ska, much of it from the most pivotal period. Lord Creator's vocals are are wonderful as can be, as is the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Please note: the back cover lists 3 bonus tracks from the CD edition not included with the vinyl.)
9 tracks, plus the intro, almost all produced by KRS-One: "Double Trouble", "Nine On My Mind", "Own Destiny", "Crazy", "Bad Luck", "Real Ting", "Body & Shape", "Baby Father" and "Stop Dat Sh*t". (Hip Hop, Reggae)LP, Vinyl record album
Maybe the best place to start if you're looking to dive into the short but incredible legacy of music left behind by Bob Marley – as the album marked a real global turning point for the singer, and includes a number of tracks that are still his standout classics after all these years! The ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
One of the best-selling albums ever from Bob Marley – a classic collection of work from his all-too-short career – and one that's gone onto become as famous as Marley's individual records themselves! The collection really allows all the classics to resonate strongly, in a track order ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Very cool limited version – on red, yellow, and green vinyl!)
Not the Bob Marley of the famous Island Records years in the 70s, but instead the originator from a few years before – heard here on an excellent collection of early work with The Wailers! The style here is maybe more in line with some of the soul-inspired harmony trios to emerge in Kingston ... read moreCD
A sweet set of sides cut by the Wailers under Lee Perry's production. Crucial early roots versions of some of Marley's strongest material, like "Mr. Brown", "Soul Rebel", "Duppy Conqueror", and "400 Years" rendered in a raw Kingston soul style! Give us this ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A classic double live album from Bob Marley & The Wailers – presented and packaged at a level that's really a cut above the usual set of that nature from the time! The group's in excellent form in a concert setting – and there's more than enough magic here to warrant the extended ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Great package – heavy vinyl, and a design that replicates the die-cut style of the original record and inner sleeves!)
Bob Marley & The Wailers —
Catch A Fire ... LP Island, 1973. Very Good ...
$19.99
The first Bob Marley album on Island Records – and the start of a really legendary run that would not only transform reggae in the 70s, but the rest of popular music as well! Chris Blackwell's partially at the helm on production, but the album was mostly recorded in classic Kingston studios ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Bob Marley & The Wailers —
Early Music ... LP Calla, 1977. Near Mint- ...
$9.99
We'd be willing to wager Marley is perhaps the artist whose work has been released and re-released, repackaged and reformatted more than any other. This set features work recorded under Coxsone Dodd at Studio One: "Wings Of A Dove", "It Hurts To Be Alone", "I'm Still ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A breakthrough album from Bob Marley – a set that was recorded equally in Kingston and London, and which has a globe-spanning vibe to match! Marley's star had already been rising by the time of this set – but this album helped cement both his lasting power, and the worldwide influence ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A righteous classic from the legendary Bob Marley – and a set that really pushed the roots reggae sound strongly into the mainstream – almost making the mode the defining global understanding of Jamaican music, thanks to the power and presence of the album! All the Marley Tuff Gong ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A righteous classic from the legendary Bob Marley – and a set that really pushed the roots reggae sound strongly into the mainstream – almost making the mode the defining global understanding of Jamaican music, thanks to the power and presence of the album! All the Marley Tuff Gong ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Bob Marley & The Wailers —
Survival ... LP Island, 1979. Very Good+ ...
$14.99
One of the sharpest, most righteous albums from Bob Marley – in case you couldn't guess from the title, which is his response to a recent assassination attempt! The whole thing's got a very classic vibe – and the lyrics have even more of a political current than some of Marley's other ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has peeling on the front & along the spine on the back.)
Tommy McCook —
Reggae In Jazz ... CD Pressure Sounds (UK), Mid 70s. New Copy ...
$14.9915.98
Masterful reggae instrumentals from the great Tommy McCook! Reggae In Jazz does indeed have some jazz-steeped solos augmenting the vibe quite nicely, but it's perhaps not the full on reggae/jazz hybrid the title suggests – which is a good thing, actually! The rhythms are strongly rooted in ... read moreCD
Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus —
Rastafari Dub ... CD Roir, 1972. Used ...
$9.99
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 ... read moreCD
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 ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Late 70s material from Derrick Morgan – a singer who first rose to fame during the early ska years of the 60s – but who continued to add his talents to plenty of fine records in the following decade! This set has Morgan working with Bunny Lee – in a mode that's a bit of an update ... read moreCD
Late 70s material from Derrick Morgan – a singer who first rose to fame during the early ska years of the 60s – but who continued to add his talents to plenty of fine records in the following decade! This set has Morgan working with Bunny Lee – in a mode that's a bit of an update ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Nitty Gritty —
Turbo Charged ... LP Greensleeves/Shanachie, 1986. Very Good ...
$19.99
Pure sing jay delight over seminal digital rhythms! This expanded edition of Nitty Gritty's solid Turbo Charged album for Jammy's features the heavyweight 80s posse from Jammy's in full effect – Steely and Clevie plus Wayne Smith and of course, Jammy himself. There's a ton of crucial 80s ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Augustus Pablo at his trippy best – blowing the melodica over a host of sweet dubby rhythms all produced by Bunny Lee! In the hands of Pablo, the instrument seems like it was made to be used best in dub – as the "wind piano" has this sound that's as personal and mystical as ... read moreCD
A spiritual classic from Augustus Pablo – and a set that some consider his masterpiece! The album has Pablo completely in charge – producing, arranging, and really getting a chance to make the kind of music that showcases his righteous vision – instrumentals that have his own ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A spiritual classic from Augustus Pablo – and a set that some consider his masterpiece! The album has Pablo completely in charge – producing, arranging, and really getting a chance to make the kind of music that showcases his righteous vision – instrumentals that have his own ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a cut corner & some minor staining on the bottom left corner.)
A spiritual classic from Augustus Pablo – and a set that some consider his masterpiece! The album has Pablo completely in charge – producing, arranging, and really getting a chance to make the kind of music that showcases his righteous vision – instrumentals that have his own ... read moreCD
Mellow easy rockers from Horace Swaby and the Rockers International crew! Instrumental tracks highlighting Pablo's ghostly melodica as it darts in and out of the dancing rhythms, but with less of the dubbier moments of some of his other LPs, this album shines beautifully more in the mode of the ... read moreCD
Some of the deepest, trippiest sounds from the Jamaican scene in the 70s – a classic collection of dubbed-up cuts from Agustus Pablo – who throws in loads of sweet melodica lines to the rhythms, at least in between hits of the pipe he's smoking on the cover! Pablo took the laidback ... read moreCD
Some of the deepest, trippiest sounds from the Jamaican scene in the 70s – a classic collection of dubbed-up cuts from Agustus Pablo – who throws in loads of sweet melodica lines to the rhythms, at least in between hits of the pipe he's smoking on the cover! Pablo took the laidback ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Lloyd Parks —
Time A Go Dread ... CD Pressure Sounds (UK), Mid 70s. New Copy ...
$14.9915.98
The first full-length collection we've ever seen to focus on the work of Lloyd Parks – one of the hipper, more righteous artists on the Kingston scene of the 70s – a singer responsible for some mighty hip singles at the time! Lloyd previously sang as part of the Termites duo, and also ... read moreCD
A pair of classics from the mighty Lee Perry! First up is Scratch & Company Chapter 1 – pivotal Black Ark material from Lee Perry – with brilliantly tripped out echoey dub production – and scorching instrumentation laid down by the mighty Upsetters! Split roughly in half ... read moreCD
If you're not ready to go for the whole hog and invest in the 4 volumes with 2 CDs each of the Complete Singles sets, this 2CD set collects some of the best bits for a great snapshot of Perry's insanely huge body of work. Funky, tight reggae jams from the earlier part of his career, this set is ... read moreCD
An early gem from The Pioneers, and one of the first records on the Trojan label too – the kind of head-nodding, late rocksteady sounds that made the imprint a key bridge between the scenes in Kingston and London at the end of the 60s! The Pioneers have a bit more complex vocal interplay ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Numbered limited edition of 750 – on orange vinyl!)
A pair of dub reggae-steeped numbers on this great Cold Busted split single by Poldoore & Emapea! Poldoore's "This Road" instrumental has a nice, spacey haze floating over the bassy rhythms and cool sax solo towards the end. Emapea's "Rudeboy" on the flip is a really cool ... (Funky 45's, Reggae)read more7-inch, Vinyl record
Prince Far I —
Psalms For I ... CD Bond Export, 1975. New Copy ...
$12.9914.98
Fantastic early work from Prince Far I – already a mystical force in reggae, with a sound that definitely lives up to his name! The Prince serves up a very righteous brew of lyrics – spoken and toasted over the top of some wicked dubby rhythms – grooves that are often as much a ... read moreCD
Prince Far I —
Psalms For I ... LP Bond Export, 1975. New Copy (reissue)...
$18.9920.98
Fantastic early work from Prince Far I – already a mystical force in reggae, with a sound that definitely lives up to his name! The Prince serves up a very righteous brew of lyrics – spoken and toasted over the top of some wicked dubby rhythms – grooves that are often as much a ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Two great later albums from guitarist Ernest Ranglin – back to back in a single package! Below The Bassline is an excellent "comeback" LP for Ernest Ranglin, though astute observers realize he never really went away in the first place! Ranglin was always able to move back and ... (Jazz, Reggae)read moreCD
Ernest Ranglin —
Boss Reggae ... CD Dub Store, 1969. New Copy ...
$14.9915.99
Boss reggae, but with a strong current of jazz, too – thanks to great guitar lines from the legendary Ernest Ranglin! Ranglin's gone on to do so much wonderful work in different styles in the decades since this early set – but even at the start, he's totally amazing – a musician ... read moreCD
Ernest Ranglin —
Jazz Jamaica ... LP Federal/Dub Store (Japan), 1964. New Copy (reissue)...
$21.9922.98
One of the best jazz albums we've ever heard from legendary guitarist Ernest Ranglin – recorded quite early in his career for the tiny Federal label, and done with a fire that's missing from some of his other later records! The album's way more than just another instrumental outing with ... (Jazz, Reggae)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Ernest Ranglin —
Softly With Ranglin ... CD Federal/Dub Store (Japan), Mid 60s. New Copy ...
$10.9918.98
Softly with Ranglin, but soulfully too – a special set that really shows the Jamaican guitarist's strong roots in jazz – on a set of laidback instrumentals that also feature some nice Hammond in the background! Ernest is extremely expressive in this setting – playing with that ... (Jazz, Reggae)read moreCD
A major outing from Rico Rodrigues – one of the great Trombonists of the pre-ska era, who continued to lead the way with his horn throughout all the periods Jamaican music would morph through, but maintained a sound rooted in jazz. The group is pretty large, sort of a Jamaican all stars, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has wear, splitting, some moisture waviness & a cut corner.)
A dub landing of massive proportions – served up here on some classic early 80s work by Scientist, who's really making magic in the studio with the sounds of the Roots Radics Band! The tunes are stark, sharp, and very focused – and at some level, the mixologist is maybe keeping himself ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(45 rpm audiophile pressing – with bonus CD!)
Leroy Sibbles —
On Top ... LP Micron (Canada), 1983. Good+ ...
$4.99
A nice early 80s effort by Leroy Sibbles, former Heptone and Studio One stalwart. The lineup includes Flabba Holt and Robbie, Style Scott and Sly, and Bingi Bunny, plus harmonies by Marcia Griffith and Iron Rock. 11 tracks in all, including "Leroy's Gonan Fight", "Party Time", ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has some wear. Vinyl plays with clicks & crackles.)
Foundation is right, in more than one sense of the word! The Brentford Avenue stalwarts are showcased here on a nice double album compilation of classic and groundbreaking early ska and rocksteady tracks that would become the template for so much Jamaican music to follow. The team of Coxsone Dodd ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Original ska sounds from the originators themselves – 20 incredible numbers by the Skatalites & friends – with many of their most essential recordings, and rare stunners, to boot! The period in focus here is the initial few years of The Skatalites as a bonafide band, but the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Excellent work from the earliest years of The Skatalites – a time when the group were one of the sharpest things going in Jamaican music, and also added musical support to a number of singers as well! This killer collection brings together the hippest singles from the combo – work that' ... read moreCD
Nice 80s digital dub era grooves from Sly & Robbie! For years, We'd back and forth on how we feel about Bill Laswell's slick modern production – but we've really come around on it more recent years, especially considering how influential the 80s style turned out to be in post-millennium ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the original inner sleeve. Cover has a promo stamp and lightly bent corners.)
Millie Small is a singer who's unfortunately best remembered for one novelty hit – but the Jamaican vocalist is a much richer talent overall, with a huge amount of excellent 60s work to her credit! This huge 56 track set may be the first to ever give Millie her full due – as, in ... read moreCD
Funky keyboards and dubby grooves – a great little record that's as much inspired by Jamaican music as it is the longer legacy of American funky jazz! Soul Sugar first started giving us 45s about a decade ago, but their sound has really matured over the years – as leader/keyboard ... (Deep Funk, Reggae)read moreCD
Funky keyboards and dubby grooves – a great little record that's as much inspired by Jamaican music as it is the longer legacy of American funky jazz! Soul Sugar first started giving us 45s about a decade ago, but their sound has really matured over the years – as leader/keyboard ... (Deep Funk, Reggae)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
One of the numerous politically motivated singles aimed at South Africa's then apartheid government in the mid-80s, this one brought to you by Jerry Dammers' post Specials group featuring the English Beat's Ranking Rogers and produced by Elvis Costello, with an uptempo ska inflected groove! 12-inch, Vinyl record
An underground classic from the digital generation – produced by Herman Wright and Percy Chin with a laidback groove – and some strong backings from Jah Malla & Instigators, A Team, and the I Life Players! Scion Sashay is the real star, though – a young singer, but one with ... read moreCD
An underground classic from the digital generation – produced by Herman Wright and Percy Chin with a laidback groove – and some strong backings from Jah Malla & Instigators, A Team, and the I Life Players! Scion Sashay is the real star, though – a young singer, but one with ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A new issue of the lost "Meditation Dub" LP, produced by Winston Riley, and dubbed into deep space at Channel 1 and Dynamic studios, the sources of some of the heaviest Jamaican grooves of the 70s. Boris Gardner and Robbie Shakespeare lay the foundation with Sly on drums, while ... read moreCD
Linval Thompson speaks out on dreadlocks and a whole host of important topics for the mid 70s – all in a laidback style that sometimes belies the righteous quality of his lyrics! The music's a great illustration of Thompson's subtle power – the kind of understated approach that often ... read moreCD
Masterful early 70s reggae from Toots & The Maytals – released first in 1971, and first reissued with this killer tracklist a few years later into the 70s – and flat out classic! The reggae rhythms are steeped in raw soul and R&B for truly distinctive vibe. Breezy Caribbean ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Nice couple of cuts by Spanish reggae, funk, soul and classic sci fi and horror soundtrack inspired combo The Transilvanians! The group's got surefire talent in laying down steady, soulful rhythms, which comes in especially handy on their cover of Laurel Aitken's "Boogie In My Bones", ... (Funky 45's, Reggae)read more7-inch, Vinyl record
U Roy —
Natty Rebel ... LP TR/Get On Down, 1976. New Copy (reissue)...
$18.9920.98
U-Roy still riding high on the follow-up to Dread Inna Babylon – delivering another stone classic with Natty Rebel! Deep, steady rhythms courtesy Sly Dunbar & Lloyd Parks, background singers Barrington Spence and Flip Wilson bringing such a depth of aching, emotive soul, and U-Roy at his ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Nice mid-70s set from the Originator, toasting over the Soul Synicate dropping remakes of Treasure Isle and Studio One rhythms, one of the gold standards of Jamaican Dee Jay LPs. What more could you want? 10 tracks in all: "Listen To The Teacher", "Trench Town Rock", "The ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Classic sounds from Kingston and beyond -- roots, rocksteady, dub, dancehall, ska, and more!
Carlton Livingston/
