Dynamite, previously unissued rocksteady version of the monumental Skatalites scorcher from a few years earlier.
Rollicking, mid-sixties, post-Skatalites ska thriller, led by Bobby Ellis and Roland Alphonso, with slightly different soloing to the original release.
Backed with a charming, forsaken, rare Summertairs: ‘I love you, Errol… come back today… but not too late… Errol, my dear.’
Stone cold murder. Archetypal, slow-mo, eastern-sounds post-ska from Jackie Mittoo, Dizzy Moore, Roland Alphonso and co, around 1965.
A terrific haul of Studio One essays in soul and funk, from the close of the sixties, and early seventies; stuffed with gems and rarities.
The Gladiators, Zoot Simms, Cedric Brooks, Sound Dimension… a killer lineup in sparkling renditions of Sly and The Family Stone, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Nina Simone, Gene Chandler, Tyrone Davis and co.
With a sweet Hamlins on the flip.
Scorcher. Ska at the threshold of rocksteady. Mittoo and Dizzy Moore do it to it.
A jewel-strewn glimpse of the couple of years it took this group to invent reggae, as the Studio One house-band from 1967 till the decade turned.
Mittoo and Robbie Lynn, Cedric, Horsemouth, Eric Frater (wielding a ‘Sound Dimension’ echo and delay), Sibbles, Ernest Ranglin and full crew.
Funkier than a mosquito’s tweeter.
A masterful, sublime cover of the Young Holt by the newly-formed Sound Dimension; backed with Roy Richards’ classic harmonica version of Summertime.
Ruggedly funky, tantalisingly rare do-over of Sly & The Family Stone, by Jackie Mittoo and the crew.
An uncompromisingly deep, rugged, rootical collection of dubs and instrumentals; funky to the max.
A terrific compilation. It’s a must.
No particular theme this time around… except scorchers only admitted.
A fresh, personal selection, stuffed with bangers and welcome strays and surprises; like getting a killer mix-tape from an old friend.
Jazzbo riding a vicious mix of Sidewalk Doctor, for example, and Spear’s majestic Door Peep Shall Not Enter… Wiggle’s Diggles by Noel Bailey the Hippy Boy… two sublime Sugars…
The broom to sweep the room!
Stuffed with staggering selections, comprising maybe our favourite compilation in this mind-boggling series. Deep, hypnotic, mystical music, often a bit wasted; featuring several extended 12” and 10” mixes, sparkling with electronic effects. Almighty sides like George Dudley’s Gates Of Zion and Lloyd Robinson and Devon Russell’s effervescently jazzy Push Push, sublimely channelling Curtis.
It’s a must.
A brazenly irresistible blend of unlikely secret weapons and stone cold classic killers, Soul Jazz style and fashion.
Deliriously creative wordplay overflowing some of the mightiest reggae rhythms of all time.
Surely a must.
An expert sampling of the original Studio One dub LPs, plus a couple of wild cards.
Chocka with scorchers.
Isaac Hayes, Booker T, Stevie Wonder, James Brown are in the house.
Some of the previously unreleased cuts are amazing, like the Jackie Mittoo spaghetti, The Sharks’ dread techno.