From 1967 Ras Michael occasionally sat in on recording sessions with Jackie Mittoo and the Soul Vendors at Studio One. Instead of getting paid for his work, he requested studio time for his own Zion Disc recordings as the Sons of Negus Churchical Host…
‘Reggae is a vision. Reggae is the word that hits at the heartstrings the mind can’t control. I and I get the message of Rastafari out through reggae. It is the black music line of message to the world. It is the black Rastaman line of message to the world. It is the metaphorical Black Star Line’ (Ras Michael).

With Junjo and Soldjie at Channel One. Including the smash Diseases, in which Jah licks trouser-wearing women with ‘elephantiasis… the other one is the poliomyelitis… arthritis and the one diabetes.’

Beautifully stark and intense steppers cut of the Heptones classic, complete with two dubplate mixes. All previously unreleased.

‘Special dedication to all the people who live inna House… Ain’t no house like Waterhouse… Ain’t no house like Firehouse.’
From the Sleng Teng era but played live. Total, heart-lifting class.
Altogether now…

Total murder.
Bernard Brown, Carlton Gregory, and Noel ‘Bunny’ Brown (from the Chosen Few), originally on the April imprint out of NYC in 1978.
Steppers paranoia par excellence.

Superb Caribbean disco by the same Trini bros behind the West End boogie classic Touch Your Life. Lithely grooving; expertly arranged.
Presumably the same Glen Miller who did Whey No Dead and How Can You Mend, for Studio One.

Four songs and their dubs — lovers, bubblers, rockers, and well-charge dub, with great playing and Sugar brilliantly focussed throughout — originally a 1983 picture-sleeved ten-inch on his own Black Roots imprint.

Two knockout Wackie’s 12” sides, paired together for maximum pressure. Each originally appeared on separate twelves, around ‘85 and ‘80. The A-side is another deadly Sugar shot, one of so many for Wackie’s. Backed here with the more obscure Zion Land, a stunning, shimmering roots chant. Both sides extended mixes.

Sugar’s debut LP, from 1978: inspired, crafted voicings of all-time classic S1 rhythms, banger after banger, insouciantly announcing the rebirth of the greatest reggae label of all time, with vibes and panache to the max.
Hotly recommended. Crucial Studio One.

‘Coxsone Boy’ showed Mr. Dodd how to lick over Studio One’s vast armament of foundational rhythms for the dancehall era to come (and claim them back from Channel One). He knew them all backwards from singing over them on his sound.
Killer selection.

An LP’s worth of vintage Studio One rhythms (and Coxsone productions), vocals plus dubs, all unavailable elsewhere.

Top-quality, previously-unreleased Sugar, in fine voice at Joe Gibbs. Strong rhythm, too, rich and moody.