One of our favorite albums ever from Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers – but a set that was unreleased by Blue Note for quite a few years! The set's one of two gems the group recorded in 1961, but which were held back until the end of the 60s – and it features a stellar version of the group with Wayne Shorter on tenor, Lee Morgan on trumpet, and Bobby Timmons on piano – all wonderful players who were really coming into their own at the time, and starting to bring a richness to the Messengers sound that would leave its mark in jazz for many years to come! The group is razor-sharp on the rhythms, but also really able to take new chances with their phrasing and timing – on a host of wonderful tracks that include "Those Who Sit & Wait", "The Witch Doctor", and "A Little Busy" – all real classics from this special group. LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A killer classic from grooveman Don Downing – the kind of indie disco record that really broke big in the 70s – but which hardly ever got the longer-term fame it deserved! The grooves here are straight and simple – the best early east coast club modes of the mid 70s – more tight funk than commercial disco, especially when topped by some of the deeper soul moments of Don Downing – who can come across like Johnny Taylor on his Columbia cuts in a similar setting! Backings are great – handled by studio giants like Pat Rebillot on keyboards, Bad Bascomb on bass, and Jimmy Maelen on congas – and titles include "Dream World", "Sugar & Spice", "Doctor Boogie", "Love Doctor", and "Half Past Love". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from Dandy – one of the key figures in the Jamaican musical community in London during the second half of the 60s, and an artist who was really important in helping the UK forge its own version of music from Kingston! The set begins with Dandy's classic album for the Giant label – a masterpiece of well-done rocksteady, with production and instrumentation that are nice and lean – shifting the groove from the previous ska generation, while also allowing for some great horn work, especially on saxes, to flesh things out next to Dandy's great vocals! There's a nicely different vibe to the set than most Jamaican material, but also none of the cliches that might later mark some London recordings – a really fresh vibe that's totally great, served up on tracks that include "Keep Them Fretting", "Turn Your Wheel", "You're No Hustler", "Rhythm Of The Rain", "Sock It To Me", "Soul Power", "Play It Cool", "People Do Rock Steady", and "Turn On Your Lovelight". This massive 2CD set adds in 31 bonus tracks, for a total of 43 tracks in all, 32 of which appear here on CD for the first time ever – with great notes, sound, and a wonderful package! CD

Not 100 years of recorded dub music, but a set of work that's bound to be as crucial in the 2070s as it was when first recorded back in the 1970s! The package is a stunning tribute to the talents of Joe Gibbs in the world of dub – and it not only brings together key cuts, but also features 30 number of the 48 in the package that appear here on CD for the first time ever – a great illustration of the way the Doctor Bird label digs even deeper than most other reggae reissue imprints, to come up with essential material like this! The 2CD package is overflowing with gems we've never heard before, all as wickedly sharp as Joe's bigger tracks – and not only is the sound quality great, but the whole thing comes with very detailed notes on the music too. 48 tracks in all – with titles that include "Roots Kunta Kinte", "Memory By The Score Version", "Keep On Dubbing", "War Is Over", "Bubbler In Money", "The Winner", "Broom Stick", "Black September Version", "Informer Version", "I Need Dub", "Bwoy It Rough", "No Bones For The Dogs", and lots lots more! CD

A massively expanded version of a legendary album – presented here as a 2CD set, with 22 tracks that appear on CD for the first time ever! At the core is the original Dubbing With The Observer album, the first-ever dub album from Niney The Observer – based around rhythms he'd cooked up for Dennis Brown, Max Romeo, and Delroy Wilson – all transformed completely in the studio by King Tubby! The sounds here are often very abstract – light years away from the originals – and given these spacey, repetitive cycles that seem to trip out even more than conventional dub! A landmark little record, and one that sounds even darker all these many years later – with cuts that include "Casanova Dub", "Rebel Dance", "Jam Down", "Parade Dub", "Turntable Dub", "Corn Man", "Mister D Brown Skank", and "Youth Man". The set then goes way way deep, with 37 more bonus tracks, that really take off as a magnificent demonstration of Niney's skills in the studio – all presented here with very detailed notes that really get at this important moment of genius in the history of dub! CD

Two classic Lloyd Charmers productions – back to back on CD, with lots of bonus tracks too! Delroy Wilson steps up strongly with Sarge – a set that's got an unassuming cover and a very deep vibe – this mellow groove that always seems to work great with Delroy's style – and lets him really push over the top with all sorts of warmly crackling energy, stretching things more than some of his contemporaries who were maybe just content to kick back in the rhythm. The set's definitely one to remind you that Wilson was one of the more soulful Jamaican singers of his time – and titles include "My Conversation", "I'm Still Waiting", "My Cecilia", "Ain't That Loving You", "Everybody Needs Love", "Got A Date", and "The Last Thing On My Mind". On Boothe Unlimited, the great Ken Boothe is featured strongly on vocals, but the set also features a fair bit of instrumentals too – that balance between soulful lyrics and dubby instrumentals that you'd usually find on a 7" single, carried out here as a showcase for some stunning production from the great Lloyd Charmers! Titles include "Ain't No Sunshine", "Look What You've Done For Me", "You've Broken The Guitar", "Out Of Love", "Missing You", "To Get Rhythm", and "Second Chance". CD features 13 tracks on CD for the first time ever – and also includes 12 bonus tracks, all discomixes of titles on the albums! CD

A stunning amount of music recorded in just the space of two short years – all standing as a mighty strong testament to the production genius of Niney The Observer during the roots reggae generation! The package features a fair bit of tracks that have never been on CD before, and as stated, includes a host of rare 7" singles originally issued on the Observer, Third World, and other labels – sounding far better here than on some crackly, mispressed, or recycled vinyl! The clarity of the package makes both the vocals and subtler elements of production come out strongly, while also giving plenty of grounding to the rhythms and their sweet dubby touches around the edges. The 49 track package is a who's who of hipper reggae singers of the time – with work from Gregory Isaacs, Junior Byles, I Roy, Horace Andy, The Soul Syndicate, Jacob Miller, Big Youth, Leroy Smart, Dillinger, and others – including Niney himself. CD

Really cool work from the UK reggae scene of the early 70s – a set of obscure early albums from the hands of British producer Dennis Bovell – issued in a series of unassuming packages that were done to appear as obscure Jamaican imports – from the stripped-down packaging to the stripped-down sound in the grooves! The feel here is a bit looser and more laidback than some of the other UK productions of the time – roots work that has some occasional dub-style production at points, or a more straightforward groove at others – on many instrumental cuts that are perfect for blasting over a larger soundsystem! These records were a slight mystery at the time, and haven't been reissued much over the years – and together here in a single set, with fantastic notes from the Doctor Bird label, they are finally brought together as a whole! The set features four full albums – Ah Who Se Go Deh, Leggo A Fe We Dis, Scientific Higher Ranking Dubb, and Yuh Learn – plus 8 related bonus tracks too. CD

A pair of great records from the production hands of Prince Jammy – back to back on a single CD! First up is Bitter Sweet – one of those key records that helped Sugar Minott earn the sweet reputation that really echoed his name – as the set's got these easygoing grooves that are perfect for his warmly crackling vocals – richly expressive, but without every sounding overdone – all set up in these great instrumental elements produced and arranged by Prince Jammy! The groove is different than some of the sharper modes that were creeping in during the digital generation – very casual, with a quality that has the easygoing vocals from Minott stepping out nicely on cuts that include "I'm Not For Sale", "Give The People", "Never Too Young", "Be Careful", "Right Track", "Can't Get Over", "Save The Children", and "This World". Reggae On Broadway is a gem from Johnny Osbourne – hardly the kind of album with polish and glam that you'd expect from a Broadway title, and instead this mellow, laidback session that really showcases the genius of Prince Jammy in the studio! Given the date of the recording, things could be a lot more commercial, or a lot cleaner in a digital way – but Jammy keeps the proceedings casual and cool, which lets those magnificent vocals of Osbourne flow out in a really great way. Titles include "Let Me Your Chopper", "Live Right", "Folly Ranking", "Water Pumping", "Reggae On Broadway", "Mr Walker", "Sing Along", and "Can't Leave Jah". Great Doctor Bird package – excellent sound, and very detailed notes! CD

Conducted and arranged by Sebesky, with featured soloists including Edddie Daniels, Alex Foster, Ken Sebesky, Jimmy Pugh, Sue Evans, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Smooth jazzy soul from Lonnie's mid 80s years, recorded when Lonnie was heavily under the sway of Guru Sri Chinmoy! If you've ever heard Chinmoy as a musician, you know that he's not very good – and fortunately, Lonnie keeps him away from the instruments on the record, and only lets him provide spiritual guidance. The style of the sets is surprisingly nice – a smooth extension of Lonnie's work for Columbia, with vocals by Donald Smith, bass by Marcus Miller, sax by David Hubbard, and work by other musicians who are very much in keeping with Lonnie's style. Titles include "A Garden Of Peace", "Divine Light", "The Love I See In Your Eyes" and "Dreams Of Tomorrow". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most obscure Trojan Records collections of the 70s – maybe in part because it looks more like an airline promotional album than it does a collection of rare reggae nuggets! Yet the set is definitely the latter – a Trojan LP that brings together earlier singles recorded by Alvin GG Ranglin at a time when he was a key tastemaker on the Kingston scene – work that's right in the cusp of rocksteady/early reggae work, from a time when Ranglin was really at the top of his game! Tracks include a mix of vocal and instrumentals, solo singers and groups – with titles that include "Joan" by The Tidals, "Marie Song" by Fitz Major, "Sitting On The Sidewalk" by Ansil Linkers, "I Need Your Love" by Gregory Isaacs, "The Same Folks" by Rainy Davis, "Atlantic One" by Ansel Collins, "Hurricane Fifi" by GG Allstars, "Musical Coma" by Ranking Magnum, "Sensuous Woman" by The Maytones, and "Open Up Your Door" by Freddie McKay. This great 2CD set adds in 32 bonus tracks, most on CD for the first time ever – with work from The Starlites, GG Allstars, Keith & Dennis, Meditations, U Roy, Maytones, Vince Powell, Glen Washington, Elpedo & The Marveltones, Austin Campbell, and others – all served up with the usual high quality Doctor Bird notes and production! CD

A righteous batch of 70s reggae tracks, all produced by Niney The Observer – including 15 tracks that haven't been in print since their original Jamaican release back in the day! The cover and title are a play on a famous American film of the late 60s – but the music here is pure Kingston, and has Niney working with some of the top talents of the scene, and as a lead act on his own – serving up both instrumentals and vocal tunes, all in a wonderfully soulful mix of modes! There's definitely some key classics on the set, but those are also mixed with some great rare numbers too – a rich array of cuts that were originally only issued as 7" singles, presented here with great sound and very detailed notes. There's a whopping 49 tracks in all – with work from Big Youth, Earth & Stone, Ken Boothe, Sang Hugh, The Observers, Hubert Lee, Winston Wright, Delroy Wilson, Denis Brown, U Roy, Glassford Manning, Junior Delgado, Roman Stewart, and Niney himself! CD

Super-heavy reggae from the early days of Trojan Records – something that might come as a surprise if you just look at the image on the cover! That photo is from the cover of the first set on here – the Reggae Reggae collection, issued by Trojan in 1972, and a killer batch of work from producer Alvin GG Ranglin – who also handled all the material on the second collection, Pipeline – as both are presented here, along with a huge amount of bonus tracks, many of which appear on CD for the first time ever! There's a really wonderful overview of sounds and styles here – both vocal and instrumental tracks, and a few key numbers that really show the shifting sounds of reggae as the 70s were moving forward. Doctor Bird present both records in a much richer setting than the original vinyl – really focusing on Ranglin's work in the notes, and adding in 27 bonus tracks as well – for a whopping 51 titles in all. Includes work by Shorty Perry, Lloyd & Carey, GG All stars, Del Williams, The Maytones, Billy Dyce, Gary Ranglin, John Holt, U Roy, Dennis Brown, Bongo Herman, Max Romeo, Dennis Alcapone, The Untouchables, Cat Campbell, The Ethiopians, and others. CD

The mighty second chapter of the great Lloyd Charmers – a set that features his rare Moody & Blue album for Trojan, plus rare singles too – including 26 tracks that appear here on CD for the first time ever! The whole thing is wonderful – with Charmers continuing that great run of slow-stepping, soul-drenched vocals that moved him from the rocksteady years to become a key early singer in reggae – one who always had an amazing approach to the music, even if he never got the fame of some of his bigger contemporaries! The grooves are great – nicely easygoing, so that Charmers is really able to open up and flow – and this 38 track package comes with the usual high-quality presentation we love from the Doctor Bird label – alongside cuts that include "Darker Than Blue", "Run Joe", "Skin Tight", "Hello Africa", "Sweet Organ", "Save The People", "Harmony", "Play Me", "Bring Back The Love", "Dreaming As One", "Straighten It Out", "Rock On", "My Own Version", and "Dreadful Piano". CD

With Tom Harrell on trumpet and flugelhorn, Mike Richmond on bass and piccolo bass, Jeff Williams on drums, Badal Roy on tabla, percussion, and vocal, Abdullah Maghrib on conga and percussion, Lois Colin on harp, with Bonnie Mattlick and Reverend John Gensel providing narration, and Annete Sanders and Shamira Azad on vocals. LP, Vinyl record album

Warmly wonderful early work from William Bunny Clarke – billed here under a different name, but the same singer who'd rise to great fame a few years later as Bunny Rugs in Third World! The vibe here is different than his hits with that group – more laidback and mellow, with great production from Lee Perry – who knows more than enough to let Bunny shine in the lead when he wants, even while bringing in some sweet Scratch touches from time to time! The set features the wicked funky number "Kinky Fly" – plus lots of mellow rockers, including a version of "Use Me", and the cuts "What's The Use", "Big May", "Let Love Touch Us Now", "Second Avenue", and even versions of "Sweet Caroline" and "I Am I Said" – which have Bunny and Perry making sweet magic from the songs of Neil Diamond! Plus, this version has 8 more bonus tracks too – titles that include a great cover of "Be Thankful For What You've Got" – plus "Move Out Of My Way", "Dubbing In The Back Seat", "Freedom Fighter", "Iron Wolf", "Bushweed Corntrash", and "Cally Butt". CD

Smooth jazzy soul from Lonnie's mid 80s years – recorded when Lonnie was heavily under the sway of Guru Sri Chinmoy! If you've ever heard Chinmoy as a musician, you know that he's not very good – and fortunately, Lonnie keeps him away from the instruments on the record, and only lets him provide spiritual guidance. The style of the sets is surprisingly nice – a smooth extension of Lonnie's work for Columbia, with vocals by Donald Smith, and a nice soulful sound overall. Titles include "Summer Afternoon", "Warm", "City Of Lights", "Once Again Love", and "Just Us Two". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer collection of cuts from a time when the new wave of Jamaican dancehall was really taking off – and a time when the music was shifting from a reworking of older styles and rhythms to a completely new style of expression overall! The package is overflowing with key creations from the Mighty Two team of Joe Gibbs and Errol Thompson – 22 of which appear here on CD for the first time ever, and much of which were issued as rare singles that hardly saw much global circulation back in the day – which makes the whole thing a really crucial grass roots look at the way dancehall was changing on the Kingston scene at the end of the 70s! Many of the singers are working in that mode that would really begin to explode in the 80s, as dancehall reached a larger audience in the US and UK – but the approach here is much more down to earth, and has nice ties to the grittier productions of the dub generation too. The set features 46 tracks in all – with work from Ranking Joe, Errol Scorcher, Cornel Campbell, Kojak & Liza, Welton Irie, Lui Lepke, Barrington Levy, Prince Mohammed, Junior Murvin, Danny Mangaroo, Sammy Dread, Echo Minott, Joe Tex & U Black , Eek A Mouse, and many others! CD

With Grady Tate on drums, Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar & Milt Hinton on bass. LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning look at the early years of the Jamaican music scene – tracks from the years before ska, rocksteady, and reggae really took over – but which really helped set the scene for years to come! All the work here is from the hands of Duke Reid – soon to be known for his famous mid 60s productions on the Treasure Isle label – already here with his ear to the ground, capturing the unique shifts in the island's culture – some in mento and calypso, some in jazz, and others in modes that are very similar to the sounds to come! You'll recognize more than a few names here from important later work – and the huge 84 track package features dozens of titles that appear here on CD for the first time ever – countless great gems from artists who include Derrick Morgan, Roland Alphonso, Cosmo & Dennis, The Prodigals, Derrick & Patsy, Laurel Aitken, Chuck & Dobby, Basil Gabbidon, Hortense Ellis, The Moonlighters, Eric Morris, Frank Cosmo, Monty & Roy, Rico Rodriguez, Jiving Juniors, Alvin & Cecil, Lord Power, Laurel Aitken, and even Duke Reid himself. CD

An unusual collection of mento material from Jamaica – a later document of sounds that were initially the first on the path towards rocksteady and reggae! Back in the late 50s, Bermuda had calypso and Jamaica had mento – a style that was similar, but which had a slightly different rhythmic pattern – one that was fused with influences from American soul as the decade moved on, as the blueprint for ska, rocksteady, and later styles too! These recordings are all from the 70s – handled by producer Sonia Pottinger for her High Note label – and show that even in the era of dub and roots, mento was still going strong in Jamaica – although definitely with more contemporary touches that show the growing influence of reggae back on the older form of music. The set's a great look at this moment in the style – done with the usual huge booklet of notes we love from Doctor Bird, filled with rare images and label scans too – and the 2CD set features 46 tracks in all – full albums by King Vupp, The Jolly Boys, and The Prince Brothers – plus more by Sugar Belly, Count Lasher, Baba Brooks, The Dingle Brothers, Marva Moore, and others. CD

Beautiful and underappreciated 70s soul from Ted Taylor from his stint with Ronn Records – great series of singles and slew of excellent unissued tracks! Ted was a huge talent with a soaring voice, better remembered for his earlier work at Okeh, but still in incredible form and served well by the 70s style southern soul sound! It includes some early 70s singles that would have sounded at home on Hi Records, some mid 70s duets with Little Johnny Taylor, and a treasure trove of newly unearthed numbers. Titles include4 "Farewell", "Call The House Doctor", "Sweet Lovin' Pair", "A Lick And A Promise", "Why Do I Have To Suffer", "Got To Have A Woman", "She's Got A Munchy Tunchy" "Cry It Out Baby", "Funky Ghetto" and more with Little Johnny Taylor, "Cummins Prison Farm", "Let Me Fix Up Your Feelings" and more. 24 tracks in all. CD

With "Stars Fell On Alabama", "Our Monday Date", "Casanova's Lament", "Doctor Jazz", "After You've Gone", "If I Could Be With You", "The Shiek Of Araby", "Beale St Blues", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "Hold Me Now" & "Doctor! Doctor!" LP, Vinyl record album

Features tracks from Doctor Ross, James Cotton, Willie Nix, Rufus Thomas, Jimmy DeBerry, Sammy Lewis and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool package – one that's shaped like a 7" single, includes a big booklet of notes, and serves up 70 killer tracks from the 70s! The collection was put together in the UK, and has a nicely different take on the decade than American compilations – as it already does a good of featuring titles that are more obscure than big chart hits at the time, even though they are by bigger names in rock – and also comes at things from a perspective that's a very fresh change from the way US label might put together the tracks – showing that even in the mainstream, there's still plenty of great music to discover in the 70s! The collection is way more than guilty pleasures – and there's no guilt at all about the sense of wonder and discover you'll experience – as you make your way through tracks from Pilot, Alessi Brothers, Jim Gilstrap, Starbuck, Cory Wells, Denne & Gold, Browning Bryant, Clout, Doctor Father, Pickettywitch, Dollar, Frankie Valli, Gerry Rafferty, Roger Voudouris, Rupert Holmes, Liverpool Express, Lynsey De Paul, Brian Protheroe, Andrew Fairweather Low, David Essex, and others – many of whom are presented here by tracks that are less familiar than their bigger hits. CD

Volume 12 in the higly recommended series of reggae dancehall compilations from VP Records. Like the title says, they include the best of the current crop of dancehall singles, including some hard to find titles. Keep in mind that the even-numbered volumes (like this one) feature the slower roots and lover's rock songs. Always some nice, smooth vocals and usually one or two versions of current pop/r&b hits. (The odd-numbered volumes feature the harder, more uptempo dancehall tracks.) This volume features: BERES HAMMOND "Doctor's Orders", CAROL GONZALES "Personal Delivery", SANCHEZ "Wherever I Lay My Hat", PINCHERS "Carpenter", MARCIA GRIFFITHS "I Shall Sing", GARNETT SILK "Kingly Character", MAXI PRIEST & TUMPA LION "Too Late To Turn Back Now", DAWN PENN "You Don't Love Me", JUNIOR TUCKER "Love Of A Lifetime", WAYNE WONDER "Baby You & I", COCOA TEA "Good Life", MIGHTY DIAMONDS "I Need A Roof", BERES HAMMOND & JOSEY WALES "Free & Single", SUGAR MINOT "Sprinter Stayer" LP, Vinyl record album

Funky nuggets from one of the greatest reggae labels of all time – a really wonderful collection that gets at some of the more hard-hitting material from Kingston powerhouse Studio One Records! Given the way that Studio One helped bridge the worlds of soul during the years of Jamaican ska and rocksteady, the funk is no surprise – and the package features both remakes of American funky numbers and plenty of homegrown cuts, all served up by some of the giants from the scene at the time. Titles include "Sidewalk Doctor" by Pablove Black, "007" by Soul Brothers, "Love Jah" by Sound Dimension, "Do Your Thing" by Leroy Sibbles, "Idleberg" by Cedric Im Brooks, "African Descendants" by Alton Ellis, "Reggae Feet" by Lloyd Williams, "Hang Em High" by Jackie Mittoo, "Beat Down Babylon" by Prince Frances, "Funky Broadway" by Delroy Wilson, "It's A Shame" by Alton Ellis, "Melting Pot" by Underground Vegetables, "Music Answer" by The Sharks, and a surprising remake of "Shaft" by the unlikely Cedric Im Brooks. CD

The legendary Studio One label recorded some of the hippest singers on the Kingston scene from the late 60s onward – and one of the ways they made them sound especially great was to use some of the city's coolest musicians on the sessions, and also give them some space to cut some key instrumentals of their own! The cuts here represent a time when Jamaican music was really hitting its stride with a really unique vibe – and these groups have really shifted from the sort of jazz, mento, or calypso that instrumental groups were cutting in the early part of the 60s – to work in ska, rocksteady, and early reggae modes that offer up a perfect blend of heavy rhythms and standout solo instrumentation! The package brings together 19 tracks from these glory days at Studio One – and titles include "Heavenless" by Don Drummond, "Bugaloo" by Soul Bros, "Black Up" by Karl Bryan & Count Ossie, "Still Calling" by Soul Defenders, "Namibia" by Liberation Group, "Sidewalk Doctor" by Jackie Mittoo & Brentford Rockers, "Heavy Rock" by Sound Dimension, "Money Generator" by Karl Bryan & The Afrokats, "Jericho Skank" by Jackie Mittoo & Ernest Ranglin, and "Ringo Rock" by The Soul Vendors. LP, Vinyl record album

Gary Burton takes on the music of Carla Bley – in a wonderfully sensitive set that opens up rich new colors in her music! The group here is a particularly well-chosen one for the effort – a quintet with Burton on vibes, Mick Goodrick on guitar, Steve Swallow on bass, and Bob Moses on drums – plus a young Pat Metheny on guitar, really shading in the tunes with his evocative tones. Burton's vibes are angular one minute, spare and spacious the next – and in a way, his treatment if Bley's tunes is some of the most sensitive we've ever heard. Titles include "Ictus/Syndrome", "Dreams So Real", "Intermission Music", "Doctor", and "Vox Humana". LP, Vinyl record album

An early 70s gem from Captain Beefheart – not as wild-eyed and whacked out as the late 60s glories – but still a good stretch weirder than most of the post psych, blues-steeped rock of the time! Ultimately, it's still Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band, despite it being billed solely to Captain Beefheart on the cover (and his only album NOT co-billed with The Magic Band) – and we'd say it's their first album to go for a consistent mood from beginning-to-end, and we love it for that! If the Trout Mask Replica and Lick My Decals Off Baby records are the more feral early twin masterpieces – we'd say this one and Clear Spot are the wiser and more focused siblings, but no less classic! Tracks include "I'm Gonna Booglarize You Baby","Grow Fins", "There Ain't No Santa Clause On The Evenin' Stage", "Blabbern Smoke", "Alice In Blunderland", "The Spotlight Kid", and "Glider". Great 2LP version features lots of rare tracks – the never issued full length versions of "I'm Gonna Booglarize You" and "Pompadour Stomp" – plus the instrumental "Semi Multicolored Caucasian", and the tracks "Harry Irene", "Best Batch Yet (version 1)", "I Can't Do This Unless I Can Do This/Seam Crooked Sam", "The Witch Doctor Life (inst)", and "Two Rips In A Haystack/Kiss Me My Love". LP, Vinyl record album

All the great early albums from Creation Rebel – plus their excellent comeback too! The set begins with Dub From Creation – not just the debut album from Creation Rebel, but also a set that marks the first studio work from the young Adrian Sherwood – part of the long On-U Sound legacy to come, and a wealth of other wonderful music! There's a spareness here that's great – maybe a bit less dark than later Sherwood projects, but no less stark – with melodica and keyboards weaving nicely amidst the dubby rhythms! Titles include "Basic Principals", "Dub Fusion", "Liberation", "Rising Star", "Vision Of Creation", and "Creation In A Iration". Next is Close Encounters Of The Third World – an early part of the On-U Sound legacy, even if the set wasn't issued on the label – a key effort by Creation Rebel that features recording work done both in London and Kingston, layered together in a beautifully dubby way! The sound here is definitely underground – full of message-oriented lyrics from Crucial Tony, who sings in a style that definitely earns him his name – with great melodica and organ flowing through the mix next to Lizard's bass – topped with added horn work from The Arabs in all the right spots! The production is superb – flat on the drums, wide on the sides, which makes for a really wonderful groove – on titles that include "Know Yourself", "Conspiring", "Creation Fever", "Natty Conscience Free", and "Joyful Noise". Rebel Vibrations features early production genius from Adrian Sherwood – and a record that sets the tone for all the On-U Sound genius to come! The set's a huge step forward from even the previous excellent Creation Rebel album – as the way the sounds are layered together is incredible – almost modes learned from post-punk production, but used to deliver a pure, righteous dub album – one that drops out all the vocals, and allows you to concentrate even more on the totally wicked instrumentation! The set features stunning drums from Style Scott, heady bass from Lizard, and all sorts of very cool keyboard work from Clifton Morrison – used in these ways that float about like a swarm of sounds, especially when mixed with the melodica of Doctor Pablo. The whole thing's amazing – and titles include "Diverse Doctor", "Hunger & Strife", "Jungle Affair", "Rebel Vibration", "Black Lion Dub", and "Mountain Melody". Starship Africa is a brilliant Creation Rebel effort for On-U Sound from the dawn of the 80s – landing in the futuristic dub spacecraft that is their Starship Africa – percussion heavy and spaced out ingenuity from Adrian Sherwood & co! Tripped, echoey atmospherics that's cast as a soundtrack to movie that doesn't exist, the music is forward thinking, boundary busting dubby grooves exists out of time and sounds great to this day. Includes "Starship Africa" (Sections 1-5) and "Space Movement" (Sections 1-4). On Psychotic Jonkanoo, Crucial Tony is back in the mix for this righteous early 80s album from Creation Rebel – a set that has Adrian Sherwood only furthering his production genius as he layers together stunning instrumental work from the group! The presence of the vocals has the instrumentation slightly back in the mix – but there's still a great run of rhythms throughout, all driven by the mighty heady basslines of Lizard Logan! There's less keyboards than before, but still some nice electronic bits all over the place – and titles include "The Dope", "African Space", "Threat To Creation", "Highest Degree", "Mother Don't Cry", and "Drum Talk". From 2023, Hostile Environment is the first album in many years from this legendary studio project from On-U Sound and Adrian Sherwood – and one that makes us feel as if the passage of decades hasn't happened at all! Sherwood's production is still wonderful – and, if anything, maybe less showy, or more soulful, or less moody – just something that seems to let the work of the group come through with energy that's wonderfully warm and organic, while still resonating with plenty of touches that will make longtime label fans proud! Vocals are shared between Charlie Eskimo Fox and Mr Magoo, and the set also features guest appearances from Prince Far I and Daddy Freddy – on titles that include "That's More Like It" "Jubilee Clock", "Swiftly", "Stonebridge Warrior", "Crown Hill Road", "The People's Sound", and "Whatever It Takes". CD

Early production genius from Adrian Sherwood – and a record that sets the tone for all the On-U Sound genius to come! The set's a huge step forward from even the previous excellent Creation Rebel album – as the way the sounds are layered together is incredible – almost modes learned from post-punk production, but used to deliver a pure, righteous dub album – one that drops out all the vocals, and allows you to concentrate even more on the totally wicked instrumentation! The set features stunning drums from Style Scott, heady bass from Lizard, and all sorts of very cool keyboard work from Clifton Morrison – used in these ways that float about like a swarm of sounds, especially when mixed with the melodica of Doctor Pablo. The whole thing's amazing – and titles include "Diverse Doctor", "Hunger & Strife", "Jungle Affair", "Rebel Vibration", "Black Lion Dub", and "Mountain Melody". LP, Vinyl record album

12 tracks, and 4 skits, with E Double's newer hot sound in the beats, and Keith Murray and the Funk Doctor Spock joining him on the mic, including "Countdown", "Full Cooperation", "Rhymin Wit Biz", "The Game (Freestyle)", "Can You Dig It?", "No Guest List" and "Def Squad Delite". LP, Vinyl record album

The first solo set that Dr Dre cut after leaving NWA – and a record that not only set the tone for his solo career, but also for a huge run of albums from other folks in the years to come! Dre's as much of a production genius as he is a frontman here – really pushing forward some of the best elements he brought to the music of NWA, and also providing a great showcase for the young Snoop Dogg too! And yes, there were so many other records that tried to hit this territory right afterwards, and ended up more in the realm of parody – but the doctor really stays ahead of the pack here throughout, with a record that holds up surprisingly well over the years. Titles include the cuts "F**k Wit Dre Day", "Let Me Ride", "Nuthin' But A G Thang", "Lil Ghetto Boy", "A N***a Witta Gun", "B!tches Ain't Sh!t", "The Chronic", "Deeez Nuts", and "Stranded On Death Row". CD

A really groovy little record – and one by a group who might well be better-named "Funky Duck", given all the heavy drums and sharp riffing on the tunes! These guys are definitely a rock group, but they've also got the sort of instrumentation that would be right at home on a funky soul session – massive drums from Paul Francis, who also handles a lot of percussion, plus wicked basslines from Mick Hawskworth, who works with Francis very hand-in-glove – while Roy Sharland delivers lots of organ and electric piano, and Graham White handles the sharp guitar and vocals too. Were this set issued in the US back in the day, it would have been the kind of crate-digging funky rock record valued by the true school generation – and cuts include "Time Will Be Your Doctor", "Mrs. Prout", "Just Look Around You", "Afternoon Out", "More Than I Am", "Country Boy", "In Our Time", and "A Word From Big D". LP, Vinyl record album