Barney ‘Blair’ Perry was the Blackbyrds’ guitarist for their first two albums. He wrote the mighty Walking In Rhythm. Here he is in 1978 with another killer piece of jazzed-up, how-we-roll, funky disco; massive on the two-step scene.

Her 1982 collaboration with Roy Ayers — classic disco boogie. One side is a full vocal; the other a flute-led instrumental, beefed up for the dancefloor by Ayers, at the mixing desk .

1966 rocksteady, elegantly heartfelt as Nat King Cole.

A fresh, deadly combination of rocksteady with funk and British Invasion.
With a Beatles on the flip.

Unflinching yet freewheeling and wildly poetic, Olivia Wyatt’s visually stunning film of thirteen Ethiopian tribes, complemented by a 136-page book of Polaroids and a CD of field recordings.

On a bubblers rework of Mudie’s Love Without Feeling.

Superb roots, tough dub. A dilly from Tilly. Larry nuh tarry.

Perfectly irresistible, bumptious girl-pop from Judy Mowatt’s group.

The Tartans — Prince Lincoln, Cedric Myton, Devon Russell and Berg Lewis.

Tasty rudeboy anthems from Cedric ‘Congos’ Myton, Devon Russell and co —  a dancehall tribute and a jailhouse portent. Double-bass in the place.

Bumping rocksteady — with a gospel, Toots flavour to the A; a little more booting rhythm and blues to the flip.

Lovely harmonising by Devon Russell, Prince Lincoln Thompson, Cedric Myton and Lindburgh Lewis, over a chunky rocksteady rhythm. Plus a sweetly imploring Tommy McCook instrumental on the flip, with deft guitar-work by Hux Brown, and a gently rocking brass section.

Sweet, uptempo rock steady from Henry Buckley, in 1968, with backing from The Gaylettes. A more rootsy, Biblical edge to the B-side, which was originally coupled with Roland Alphonso’s How Soon.

Featuring the Gamelan Semar Pagulingan — the ‘Gamelan of Love in the Bedchamber’ —playing instruments that no longer exist, in repertoire originally performed just outside the private residence of a raja during meals and quiet times… and when he was up to no good with one of his wives.

Kebyar with sung poetry, gambuh dance-drama, ancient ritual angklung, and solo flute.
Full English translations in the booklet.

Achingly subtle, erotic dance and dance-opera experiments, including the first recordings of female participants; with an extensive essay as a PDF, linked to 1930s silent films and photo library.