A classic compilation – and we can't get enough of Horace Andy's sweet falsetto keening over these chugging, fat rhythms! A tremendous set of sides Andy cut in the mid-70s, packaged together with a few of the cuts in dub versions – all from a period when Horace was really hitting new heights in his music. While Andy cut many seminal sides for Coxsonne Dodd's Studio One – this work, some of it in collaboration with the great Bunny Striker Lee, stands among his best – and also often features Horace with firm creative control. Titles include "Serious Thing (a serious version)", "Skylarking (a better version)", "Reggae Rhythm (it's gone internationally)", "Youths Of Today (Jah Youths)", "Don't Let Problems Get You Down (No Problem)", "Mr Bassie (discomix)", "Pure Ranking (discomix)", "Good Vibes (dub vibes)", "Ital Vital (Ital Ites dubwise)", and "Control Yourself (version under control)". LP, Vinyl record album

A stellar collection of singles by one of the great voices of Jamaican music – Dennis Brown, The Crown Prince Of Reggae – singles from the early 70s to mid 80s! The vinyl version features 12 standout tracks – with backing by The Taxi Gang, The Professionals, Derrick Harriott & Crystalistes, Aggrovators & Roots Radics. Titles include "Promise Land (Extended Mix)", "Whip Them Jah Jah", "Song My Mother Used To Sing", "Created By The Father", "Rebel With A Cause", "Words Of Wisdom", "Voice Of My Father", and "Children Of Israel (Special 12" Mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

A real sleeper, pure modern soul and disco niceness wrapped up in an unassuming package! Butler's name may be on the lesser known list of Jamaican keyboardists, and even lesser known on the sweet soul scene, but this amazing set from '78 should go a long way towards correcting that! Butler takes the finest session men in Kingston, a batch of great reggae singers and crafts an album that stands right up next to the best of Leroy Hutson or anything you might hear out of Sigma Sound during the same time period, from the more laidback tracks that wouldn't be out of place on a breezy summertime evening to the more uptempo dance floor oriented numbers. There's one or two cuts that lean towards a rootsy island vibe, but overall this is a smoothly stepping modern outing! 13 tracks in all, including "Long Hot Days In The Summer" with Pam Hall, "Beautiful World" with Prilly Hamilton, "Book Of Life" with Pam Hall & Orville Wood, "Let True Love Be" with Ernest Wilson, "Love Forever" with Cynthis Schloss, "One Step Ahead" with Beres Hammond and Butler's own "Yes Music" and "Symphony To A Friend". CD

Cornell Campbell's essentially saying that he's a stalwart – something we can completely agree with, given his strong legacy in Jamaican music – and the sublime sound of a 70s classic like this! Cornell's got a higher range than some of his contemporaries, but never in a way that makes his music sound too light or airy at all – because there's a sense of soul going on that maybe stands as a Jamaican counterpart to 70s Marvin Gaye, especially in the way that Campbell inflects his notes on the sweeter tunes on the set! Most of the production is handled by Bunny Lee or Joe Gibbs – and titles include "The Gorgon", "The Stal-A-Watt", "The Investigator", "Hypocrite", "Two Face Rasta", "Two Timer", "Boxing Around", and "Bandulu". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work from Johnny Clarke – one of the younger Jamaican vocalists to emerge in the 70s – given that he started recording at a time when the music had already crossed the Atlantic and was making some big global waves – leaving it to singers like Johnny to bring the whole sound back to the roots! Clarke's got this moody, almost mysterious way of singing – yet a vibe that's every bit as soulful as some of the more straightforward vocalists of the generation before – and that moody approach makes for a perfect blend with the gritty production work of Bunny Striker Lee, which often has the bass end of the speakers blasting out as much as the higher, warmer waves of sound from Johnny. This double-length collection might be the best we've ever seen on Clarke from the classic years – and it features great notes and detail, in the top-shelf 17 North Parade style. Titles include "Enter Into His Gates With Praise", "Age Is Growing", "Peace & Love In The Ghetto", "Fire & Brimstone A Go Burn The Wicked", "African People", "King In The Arena", "Blood Dunza", "Dread A Dread", "None Shall Escape The Judgement", "Jah Jah Bless Joshua", "Commercial Locks", "Move Out Of Babylon Rastaman", "Top Ranking", and "Roots Natty Congo". 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". This amazing 3CD package features the full album, the rare Lee Perry original mix of the album, and 10 more bonus tracks that include "Congoman (12" mix)", "Congoman Chant", "Solid Foundation (Disco Cork mix)", "Foundation Dub", "At The Feast", "Don't Blame It On I", "Neckodeemus", "Fisherman Dub", "Noah Sugar Pan", and "Bring The Mackaback". CD

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". This great 3LP set features bonus tracks that include "Congoman (12" mix)", "Congoman Chant", "Solid Foundation (Disco Cork mix)", "Foundation Dub", "At The Feast", "Don't Blame It On I", "Neckodeemus", "Fisherman Dub", "Noah Sugar Pan", and "Bring The Mackaback". LP, Vinyl record album

Essential! The mighty debut album from African disciples Culture pairing up with the Mighty Two, Joe Gibbs and Errol Thompson is one of the landmark sets of roots reggae, a defining moment of the genre dropped during the year when two sevens clashed. And though the apocalypse didn't rain down from the skies in '77, this album was certainly a world-changing event, one of the finest moments in Kingston's rich musical history! Gibbs provides the trio with a set of uplifting rhythms over which to harmonize, and Culture comes correct on every track, combining a tightly harmonized approach with a rawer, rootsier sound. 10 tracks in all, including "I'm Alone In The Wilderness", "Pirate Days", "Two Sevens Clash", "Caling Rastafari", "I'm Not Ashamed", 'Get Ready To Ride The Lion To Zion", "Black Starliner Must Come", "Jah Pretty Face", "See Them A Come", and "Natty Dread Taking Over". Very special edition – with 11 bonus tracks that include ""Natty Dread Taking Over/Invasion" by Culture & Roy, "Natty Gone Clear" by Joe Gibbs & The Professionals, "Fulfillment" by The Mighty Two, "I'm Not Ashamed/Under Tight Wraps" by Culture & I Roy, "See Them A Come/Mask Mi Mask" by Culture & Prince Weedy, "Informer" by Culture, "Natty Pass His GCE" by Shorty The President, "State Of Emergency" by Joe Gibbs & The Professionals, and "Informer Version" by The Mighty Two. LP, Vinyl record album

Joe Gibbs and Errol Thompson moe than live up to their title as the Mighty Two just as this heavy compilation more than lives up to the title of nothing but scorchers! Gibbs and ET showcase their mastery of all styles here, veering from hard and heavy roots to sweet lover's numbers and even a few bouncing tracks aimed a the dancehall! Top notch singers and dee jays are all featured over throbbing rhythms at the hands of Gibbs' Professionals crew, with 40 tracks in all, including "Two Sevens Clash" by Culture, "Money In My Pocket/Cool Runnings" by Dennis Brown and Prince Mohammed, "Babylon Too Rough" by Gregory Isaacs, "Cool Out Son" by Junior Murvin, "Boxing Around" and "No Man's Land" by Cornell Campbell, "Just Like A River" by the Mighty Diamonds, Left With A Broken Heart" by George Nooks, "Su Su Pon Rasta/Heavy Manners" by Dolphin Naggo Morris and Prince Far I, "Funeral" by Prince Alla, "I'm A Natty" by Jacob Miller, "Rockers A Nuh Crackers" by Glen Washington, "Jah Bring I Joy In The Morning" by Bobby Melody, "Burn Babylon" by Sylford Walker, "Stop Picking On Me" by Max Romeo, "Keep On Knocking" by Jaco Miller, "Virgin Girl" by Eek-A-Mouse, "Hello Carol" by Enos McLeod, "My Princess" by Sammy Dread, and "Uptown Ranking" by Althea & Donna. CD

Never-heard work from the legendary Keith Hudson – material recorded with the Wailers Band at Tuff Gong studios shortly before his too-early death – finally seeing the light of day after all these years! This set features dub tracks from the sessions, with studio work from King Jammy – less lead vocals from Hudson, but some amazing production that really stretches things out – and wicked rhythms from Aston Barrett on bass, Junior Marvin on guitar, Tyrone Downie on keyboards, and Carlton Barrett on drums – on titles that include "Rites Of Dub", "Dub Africa", "Run The Version", "Rasta Dub", "Rites Of Version", and "Star Dub". LP, Vinyl record album

The crowning achievement of the legendary Keith Hudson – a landmark album of instrumental dub that started out in very small circulation, but soon grew to become one of the most important albums of the genre! The sound here is spare, stark, and simple – but in the best way possible – as Hudson takes the music right down to its core, yet seems to create even more powerful flow in the process – revising the 60s Jamaican love of American soul into a more cosmic mode for the next decade – but all with a raw approach that makes each element come across with a great deal of focus. Titles include "Black Heart", "Pick A Dub", "Don't Move", "Blood Brother", "Michael Talbot Affair", "In The Rain", and "Satia". Also comes with the bonus related Pick A Vocal album – with vocals by Agustus Pablo, Horace Andy, and Delroy Wilson – alongside some more instrumental tunes. Tracks include "Still Water", "Addis Ababa", "Fight On Fight On", "I'm All Right", "Depth Charge", and "Don't Think About Me". CD

Never-heard work from the legendary Keith Hudson – material recorded with the Wailers Band at Tuff Gong studios shortly before his too-early death – finally seeing the light of day after all these years! The set features 6 core tracks that were recorded by Hudson, and very much in the same top form of his classics – with amazing vocals, and a really righteous message that's maybe a bit more hard-hitting than some of the more commercial Tuff Gong projects – given simple, subtle backings that really fit the groove! Titles include "I Know My Rights", "White Africa", "Run Run Run", "Rebel Rasta", and "Star Light". Added to these are 6 more dub tracks – billed as Jammy's Dub Encounter – with less lead vocals from Hudson, but some amazing production in the studio that really stretches things out – and wicked rhythms from Aston Barrett on bass, Junior Marvin on guitar, Tyrone Downie on keyboards, and Carlton Barrett on drums – on titles that include "Rites Of Dub", "Dub Africa", "Run The Version", "Rasta Dub", "Rites Of Version", and "Star Dub". CD

The uber-classic Observer Book Of I-Roy – the masterful collection of mid 70s material, which collected, add up to some of the very finest recordings that great Jamaican deejay I-Roy recorded with writer, arranger, producer Niney The Observer! The album is essential a top notch round-up of singles that I Roy voiced for Niney in '76 and '77 – unbeatable versions of roots reggae classics! Includes "Jah Come Here", "Step On The Dragon", "Cam Road Skanking", "Sister Maggie Breast", "Water Rate", "Jamaican Girl", "Wicked Eat Dirt", "Roots Man" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Four heavy tracks, pressed up here on a limited green vinyl single – with Jah Walton doing a great take on the groove of Freddie McGregor – and the Roots Radics offering up a version of "Drifter" by Dennis Walks! 12-inch, Vinyl record

The Mighty Diamonds pass the knowledge – but they also pass the kouchie on the first track on the record – an indication of the way these guys can serve up wisdom with a laidback vibe that makes their message so wonderfully down to earth! The Mighty Diamonds are kind of a second chapter to the earlier trio mode that first sprang forth in Jamaican music during the rocksteady years – more roots-oriented here on most of the tracks, which are pulled from singles on labels that include Impact, Thunder Bolt, Hot Heat, and Channel One. Titles include "Right Time","Cat-O-Nine", "Jail House", "Pass The Kouchie", "Bodyguard", "Pray Unto Thee", "Mr. Chin Slippers", "Morgan The Pirate", and "Struggling". LP, Vinyl record album

The Mighty Diamonds pass the knowledge – but they also pass the kouchie on the first track on the record – an indication of the way these guys can serve up wisdom with a laidback vibe that makes their message so wonderfully down to earth! The Mighty Diamonds are kind of a second chapter to the earlier trio mode that first sprang forth in Jamaican music during the rocksteady years – more roots-oriented here on most of the tracks, which are pulled from singles on labels that include Impact, Thunder Bolt, Hot Heat, and Channel One. Titles include "Right Time","Cat-O-Nine", "Jail House", "Pass The Kouchie", "Bodyguard", "Pray Unto Thee", "Mr. Chin Slippers", "Morgan The Pirate", and "Struggling". It's a generous collection to say the least – with 40 tracks on 2CDs – plus a bonus DVD of the Mighty Diamonds performance at the 1992 Reggae Sunsplash festival! CD

An astounding collection that brings together work from a roots reggae legend! Niney's productions stand as some of the strongest benchmarks for golden era roots reggae, with his ability to fuse heavy rhythms with righteous messages and some of the better vocal performances that these singers would turn in for any producer. This great double LP set pulls together some of his biggest numbers as well as great versions, dubs, discomixes and a few hard to get alternate versions for a hefty showcase of one of the elite in Kingston's roster of master producers. Backing is by the Soul Syndicate, the Aggrovators, the Revolutionaries, the Cimarons and Steely & Clevie, with 28 tracks in all, including "Blood & Fire" by Niney, "Whole Lot Of Fire" by Big Youth, "Rascal Man" by Delroy Wilson, "Rasta No Born Yah (ext)" by Sang Hugh & The Lionaires, "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner/Clap The Barber" by Michael Rose, "I Need Your Loving" by Slim Smith, "Rock On" by Gregory Isaacs, "Silver Words" by Ken Boothe, "Warrior" by Johnny Clarke, "Chant It Down" by Freddie McGregor, "No More Will I Roam (ext)" by Dennis Brown, "Materialist" by Horace Andy, "Moses" by Jacob Miller, "Temptation, Botheration & Tribulation" by the Heptones, "Lover's Race" by Sugar Minott and "Thank You Mama" by Barry Brown. CD

A stellar 4CD set of classic and hard-to-find mid-to-late 70s deep roots albums produced by Winston Holness, better known as Niney The Observer – Deep Down by Dennis Brown, I-Roy's Observer Book Of I-Roy, Better Days by The Heptones and Observation Of Life Dub by Page One & The Observers – collected in this great little box, courtesy of 17 North Parade! Deep Down is a total treasure, just a great album that goes deeper than the hit singles Brown & Niney were recording together during the period, and featuring some of Dennis Brown's best ever cuts. Includes "So Long Rastafari", "Travelling Man", "You're No Good", "Shame", "Tribulation", "If You're Rich Help The Poor" and more. Likewise, Observer Book Of I-Roy features some of the finest recordings that great Jamaican deejay I-Roy recorded with writer, arranger, producer Niney – including"Jah Come Home", "Step On The Dragon", "Cam Road Skanking", "Sister Maggie Breast", "Water Rate" and more. Roots veterans The Heptones team up with Niney for Better Days, the tracks "Suspicious Minds", "Crystal Blue Persuation", "No Bread On My Table", "Better Days", "Jah Guide" and more. Finally, Observer Of Life Dub" credited to Page One & The Observers– which is a dub companion to the Better Days album, featuring "Jah's Children In Style", "Ready For It", "Way Of Life", "Persuasion", "Africa's Time Now" and more. Each disc comes in a cardboard LP replica style sleeve. CD

There's few folks more born to dub you than the great Augustus Pablo – an artist whose laidback work helped introduce dub music to a whole new generation in the 70s, then continued to remain at the top of the stack as the years went on! And although these cuts are rare material, not Pablo's classics, that only testifies even more strongly to the way that his 70s work can still blow away most of the competition – including any of the cats from the younger generation. The tracks here are all from the vaults of Gussie Clarke – and titles include "Classical Illusion (dub vendor 12")", "Origan Style", "Stardum", "No Entry (12" version)", "Born To Dub You", "Believe A Dub", and a nice two takes on the classic "Skylarking". LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual album, and one that features a host of recordings done by Lee Perry right before his Pipecock Jackson implosion in the late 70s – but presented by former partner Pauline Morrison, who deserves a lot of credit for putting together a host of great dub tracks that might have been lost otherwise! The record first surfaced in the UK around 1980, with the usual very spare set of packaging that seems to mark some of the best dub records from the time – so there's little in the way of actual details about the recordings, but the quality of the bassy, echoey tracks definitely resonates with the strengths of the Black Ark studios at their height Titles include "Cool Rockers", "Jah", "Rasta Man", "Camp", "Dreadlock", "Guidance", "In The Valley", and "Money". LP, Vinyl record album

King Jammy may have come to the reggae party a bit later than some of his famous predecessors – but the man's ears and studio talents helped provide a great way for the whole scene to move forward strongly – as you'll hear from these crucial productions from the key dancehall hears! Although the bigger version of that style meant chart crossover, and even a bridge to other musical communities – the sound here is nicely stripped-down, and very rootsy – definitely a bit digital in the production, but always with a richness that goes right back to the earlier dubplate years of the 70s. As with all Dub Store titles, the choice of cuts is wonderful, and the presentation is right up there with the best from Soul Jazz and 17 North Parade. Titles include "History" by Dennis Brown, "One Big Ghetto" by Half Pint, "Don't Take Your Gun To Town" by Al Campbell, "Crucial Boy (version)" by Prince Jammy, "Victim Of Babylon (version)" by King Jammy, "Love Light Of Mine" by Horace Andy, "Cry For The Youths" by Wackad, "Dangerous System" by Pad Anthony, "No Drugs" by Tinga Stewart, and "Move On" by Wailing Souls. LP, Vinyl record album

A searing set of early reggae tracks from the Randy's label in Kingston – all produced by the mighty Vincent Chin, and featuring 15 cuts that appear here on CD for the first time ever! Chin worked out of his legendary store – Randy's Record Mart, located at 17 North Parade (an address you might know from the contemporary reggae reissue label) – and was always very close to the ground in the Kingston scene, which is why these cuts were right on the cusp of key changes in Jamaican music in the late 60s! As with other Doctor Bird collections of this nature, the quality is great – even topping previous CD packages on Trojan from years back – on 27 titles that include "If I Needed Someone" by Joe White & The Gaylads, "I'm The One You're The One" by Randy's All Stars, "Lick It Back" by Winston Samuels, "Pepper Pot" by Count Matchuki, "Hold On Girl" by The Lyrics, "Rocking Chariot" by Tommy McCook, "Together" by Delroy Wilson, "Waterfall" by Randy's All Stars, "Me Want Man" by Nora Dean, "October" by Dave Barker, and "Someone To Love" by Joe White & The Gaylads. CD

Pivotal early dub! Depending upon whose history of the Jamaican recording industry you subscribe to, this is can be considered by many to be the first dub LP – and whether that's proveable or not, it's certain among the first! History aside, it's a mighty set with some raw early dub style workouts at the hands of Errol Thompson at the renowned 16 North Parade recording studio run by Randy's, with some deft production by Clive Chin. Needing virtually no introduction, the Impact All Stars drop some incredible rhythms, many which will be immediately recognizable as having been versioned from massive numbers for Augustus Pablo, Junior Byles and the Soul Vendors. Titles include "Java Dub", "Cheating Dub", "ET Special", "Ordinary Version Dub", "Hide Away Dub" and "Black Man's Dub". LP, Vinyl record album