‘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.

Ace, vibesing, early seventies new-jazz album by this New Orleans drummer by way of the NYC loft scene, and musical cohorts there like Leon Thomas, Lonnie Liston Smith and Strata East.

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.

Pure fire, from start to finish; killer after killer.
Expert, deep digging — including a dubplate mix of Last Call — leavened with a couple of all-time classics, for good measure.
Truly a cornerstone collection.

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.

Staggering. Beautifully paced and varied, this classic compilation hasn’t aged a bit. Killer after killer, including numerous sides out here for the first time.

‘Vol 1 was mighty fine, presenting rare and deep recordings from Studio One’s mid-70s heyday. Hard to believe the Vol 2 is even better… As with all Soul Jazz material, the vinyl is heavyweight, with fine packaging and good liner notes. Reggae music doesn’t get much better than this: buy immediately and play loud’ (David Katz, Fact).
‘This will be hard to beat in the Studio One series in my humble opinion, amazing stuff. Too many good tunes on here to pick. Check this out you will not be disappointed’ (RYM).
‘Soul Jazz still crank out the best. Non-completist, non-purist, but always 100% killer’ (Mojo).
‘If anything, Studio One Roots 2 is even better than the first volume and has some superb (and rare) tracks’ (Record Collector).

‘The Soul Brothers possess a Crystal Clear Sound. Obviously it would be better to Cut the Chatter and Spin the Platter.’
A knockout selection of instrumental scorchers by the awesome Studio One house band led by Jackie Mittoo and Roland Alphonso, 1965-67.

‘You said he was your cousin, oh but I found out that he was wasin’... Two cousins don’t kiss, especially not like this…’