The return of Ramon Judah (from the first ever Tuff Scout).

Instrumentals in ska, mento and other Caribbean styles recorded in 1966, at the threshold of rocksteady. The only one of his eight Federal albums to feature ska. Super-fine LP from Dub Store.

Fire! The Federal musical director walks it like he talks it. Blazing horns and jazzy brilliance all round.

The best of Ern’s sixties LPs. A lovely bunch of rocksteady instrumentals, featuring a cool and deadly Summertime, bumping versions of Hold Me Tight and Flamingo, a moody Story Book Children, some bluesy honky-tonk, and the far-eastern stylings of Sling Shot, to close.

Brilliant jazz lyricism, in the style of Kenny Burrell, by the thirty-three-year-old, at an impromptu 1965 session in the Federal Studio, with pianist Leslie Butler, drummer Carl McLeod and bassist Stephen Lauz.

Stanley Bryan was a jack of all trades at Channel One in its heyday. As an engineer, he mixed the Eek-a-Mouse classic Wah Do Dem, for instance. If a drummer dropped out of a session, Stan was the man to step in. And into the night, Ranking Barnabas worked the mic for the Channel One Sound System, often toasting over rhythms that he had recorded himself in the studio. Though Barnabas mixed countless dubs during these years, The Cold Crusher is the only LP released solely under his name, as a limited edition in the US.
Very well presented by the Italian label Jamming, with new notes, and expert sound restoration at Dubplates & Mastering. The terrific cover photo is by Beth Lesser.
Dub fans, don’t dilly dally. This won’t stick around.

With a storming Tubbys.

With Dennis on the flip, Home Sweet Home.

An upful, radiant, chugging version of the McFadden & Whitehead, by way of Harry J, strung out on flute and Syndrums.