A teenaged Montgomery and friends from school, trying out Wild Bill Davis and stuff from the radio, with a JA twist.

Quality US roots in extended mixes. More Relation started up in New York in 1977, backing the likes of Larry Marshall and Carlton Coffee.

A locomotive Ben E. King cover and some wistful Deadly Headley. Derrick’s singing is clear as a bell; Striker Lee works the throttle. One to stick next to DM’s Seven Letters.

HIs seminal LP, sixty years after its title track turned national anthem of JA independence celebrations; plus the remainder of his early recordings for Leslie Kong’s Beverley’s Records, originally released between 1961 to 1963.
The second disc focuses on Derrick’s return to Beverley’s during the rocksteady era, taking off from his Best Of album, first out on Doctor Bird in 1969.

Bringing together two sevens originally released in Jamaica on the Afro Black label, in the mid-seventies. Rootical domestics, soulfully delivered, over tight, funky playing. You Let Me Down is Wackies’ sublime Black Harmony rhythm, no less.
Collectors’ heaven, utilising Joe ‘Basement Session’ Morgan’s own imprint Fish Tea, going since the 1980s.

The ska originator in his 1964 prime; plus a knees-up Baba Brooks.

A double-header of booting, irresistible JA rhythm and blues.

Over several years, Far East Records in Japan has faultlessly reissued more than fifty classic Treasure Isle sevens. Expert selections; impeccably restored labels, beautifully colour-matched, often using metallic inks; and great sound.
Over & Done With is out here for the first time, and it’s murder. Riding a banging bottom-end, with thunderous drum rolls, and magnificent horns with superb soloing, Monty coolly lays out his dignified, devastating dissection of a break-up, with the cutting, expository verve of prime Lord Kitchener.
‘When you came to my rescue, I gave all that I could give. Now that your purse is empty, you’ve left me the same way you came. Loving you is useless, you’re a waste of time, you’ve got no love, no sympathy on your mind… My darling, it’s over and done with.’
Baba Brooks leads the way on the flip, which sounds a lot better here than the original pressing. Killer, tear-up ska.

These two early-eighties dub albums, plus a disc with nineteen dubs originally out on the Trojan subsidiary Attack.

His masterwork, from 1975. Great songs — a tough mix of mysticism, politics and philosophy — with Robbie Lyn from the Sound Dimension, Geoffrey Chung gently testing the reggae envelope, Clive Hunt from Wackies, a sprinkling of Black Ark, masterful drumming by Horsemouth… and PM’s compelling voice.

Wow… the triumphant comeback of the indomitable King Culture. Super-heavy, Radics-style, wrecking-ball rhythm; proper singing; tough dub. The mixing of the harmony singing is magical.

‘Close your eyes. What do you hear? Do you hear your own heartbeat? Do you hear the grasshopper which is at your feet?’ ‘Old man, how is it that you hear these things?’ ‘Young man, how is it that you do not?’
Musical Kung Fu care of Clive Hunt at the Black Ark.

‘Man must vank these money men / Who pay I and I to fight I bredrens / Just because I’m in hunger / Them hold I with them dunza / Penetrate man with them dunza… Oh, there shall be lightning and thunder / For the heathens who take advantage of sufferer / To gain their vanity of power / They shall reach their final hour / They will be cut off forever, yeah.’