Soul Jazz Records’ ‘Space, Energy & Light’ is a collection of music by early electronic and synthesizer pioneers (from the 1960s through the 1970s), mid-1970s proto-new age gurus and 1980s guerrilla DIY cassette-era electronic artists, spanning in total over a near 30-year time frame. These artists used electronic advancements in music technology as a means of exploring not only space and the idea of the future but also of looking inwards to the soul and of creating music in harmony with the natural world.

From computer software and hardware experimentalists and sound pioneers such as Laurie Spiegel and Kevin Braheny, as well as Mother Mallard’s Portable Masterpiece Company - the first synthesizer ensemble created in collaboration with Robert Moog - through to the earliest musique concrète experimentation of Tod Dockstader, the album shows how technological advancements and creative artistic expression went hand in hand.

In the mid-1970s artists Steven Halpern and Iaxos were instrumental in creating proto-new age music, experimenting in both the healing properties of sound and its relationship with the natural world. These artists also pioneered a new self-contained and underground DIY approach to music, creating their own record labels, forming new distribution networks (with albums sold in meditation centres, health food stores and ashrams) far away from the commercialism of the mainstream music industry. In the early 1980s after the revolution of punk, these DIY attitudes and ideas appeared once more in the growth of the distinctly anti-commercial and underground cassetteonly careers of artists such as Germany’s Stratis and Carl Matthews in Britain.

Album artwork includes some of the earliest photography of the Plieades star cluster dating from the 1880s.

“Listening to ‘Space, Energy & Light’ in one sitting is a bit like experiencing constellations exploding within constellations inside your brain.” - Record Collector

TRACK LISTING

J.B. Banfi - Gang (For The Rock Industry)
Michael Garrison - To The Other Side Of The Sky
Iasos - Lueena Coast
Carl Matthews - As Above, So Below
Tim Blake - Midnight
Stratis - By Water
Laurie Spiegel - Improvisation On A ‘Concerto Generator’
Mother Mallard’s Portable
Masterpiece Company - Ceres Motion
Michael Stearns - In The Beginning
Beverly Glenn-Copeland - Ever New
Richard Pinhas - Variations VII Sur
Le Thème Des Bene Gesserit
Tod Dockstader - Piece #1
Kevin Braheny - Ancient Stars
Steven Halpern - Starborn Suite (Part 1)

18 years on from its original release, ‘Studio One Funk’ remains one of Soul Jazz Records’ most in demand Studio One titles.

‘Studio One Funk’ is made up of rare and unreleased reggae funk from the vaults of Studio One. Ever since the birth of funk in America, the sound has been an ever-present ingredient in the melting pot of Studio One’s musical output.

The music on this release is a combination of originals, US covers and versions of existing Studio One cuts. Jackie Mittoo shows his appreciation for Booker T and The MGs, the studio group at Memphis’ famous Stax Records, with ‘Hang ‘Em High’, itself a cover of a film soundtrack by Dominic Frontiere. Incredibly this version has never before been released. Booker T’s super funky ‘Melting Pot’ is also covered by the little-known Underground Vegetables.

Other versions include Isaac Hayes’ classic Blaxploitation soundtrack ‘Shaft’, again by Cedric Im Brooks, another unreleased gem, straight from the tape master. Motown gets a look in with Alton’s stripped-down version of the Spinners classic, ‘It’s A Shame’, written by Stevie Wonder and Syreeta.

James Brown is apparent in spirit with the JBs-inspired groove on the super rare cut, ‘Now’, by Lee Arab. Lloyd Williams similarly does a fine Kingston-style version of the hardest-working man in showbusiness on ‘Reggae Feet’.

Version-wise, we have ‘Idleberg’, Cedric Im Brooks’ tough instrumental cut on Horace Andy’s seminal ‘Skylarking’. The little-known Prince Moonie gives us a rare DJ cut of another Horace Andy classic, ‘See A Man’s Face’.

Pablove Black’s cut of Sidewalk Doctor (aka Poco Tempo) is one of a handful of Studio One releases featuring Augustus Pablo’s trademark instrument, the melodica, played by Black himself.

Add to these original cuts from Studio One’s heavyweight session players, including Leroy Sibbles, Jackie Mittoo, Leroy Sibbles, Eric Frater, Leroy ‘Horsemouth’ Wallace, Richard Ace, Vin Gordon and more, and you have one of the finest selections of reggae and funk you will ever hear.

“An absolute treasure trove for the collector as well as being great for the ears and feet. Jackie Mittoo's 'Hang Em High' is worth the price of the album on its own.” - Echoes

“A superb collection that shows how much many Jamaican musicians were influenced by the heavy funk belting out of American studios from the early seventies onwards.” - Touch

“The most satisfying listening experience so far in the Studio One series.” - The Wire

TRACK LISTING

Cedric Im Brooks - Shaft
Alton Ellis - African Descendants
Pablove Black - Poco Tempo
Lloyd Williams – Reggae Feet
Jackie Mittoo - Hang ‘Em High
Cedric Im Brooks - Idleberg
Prince Francis - Beat Down Babylon
Lee Arab - Now
Soul Bros - 007
Prince Moonie - See A Man’s Face
Im And Sound Dimension - Love Jah
Leroy Sibbles - Do Your Thing
The Sharks - Music Answer
Underground Vegetables - Melting Pot
Devon Russell - You Found Heaven
Vin Gordon - Steady Beat
Alton Ellis - It’s A Shame
Roy Richards - Another Day
Delroy Wilson - Funky Broadway

Count Ossie is the central character in the development of Rastafarian roots music, nowadays an almost mythical and iconic figure. His importance in bringing Rastafarian music to a populist audience is matched only by Bob Marley’s promotion of the faith internationally in the 1970s.

Count Ossie’s drummers performed on the first commercially released single to integrate Rastafarian traditional music with popular music: the vocal group The Folkes Brothers’ groundbreaking song ‘Oh Carolina’, recorded for producer Prince Buster in 1959. In 1966 his drummers greeted the momentous arrival of Haile Selassie at Kingston airport.

His legendary jam sessions up in his Rastafarian compound in the hills of Wareika, Kingston, are famous for the many Jamaican musicians who attended including The Skatalites players - Roland Alphonso, Don Drummond, Johnny Moore, Lloyd Knibbs - and many others.

The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari formed in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1970, a union of Count Ossie’s Rastafarian drummers - variously known as his African Drums, Wareikas or his Afro-Combo - and the saxophonist Cedric Im Brooks’ horns group, The Mystics.

The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari are the defining group in bringing authentic Rastafarian rhythms into the collective consciousness of popular music, their unique music is at once rooted in the deep traditions and rituals of traditional drumming and chanting alongside a forward-thinking, even avant-garde, artistry influenced by the likes of John Coltrane, Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders and other pioneering African-American jazz artists radicalised and charged by the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

TRACK LISTING

Sam's Intro
Tales Of Mozambique
Selam Nna Wadada (Peace
And Love)
No Night In Zion
I Am A Warrior
Wicked Babylon
Let Freedom Reign
Lock, Stock & Barrell
Nigerian Reggae
Run One Mil
Rasta Reggae
Samia

‘Studio One Soul’ tracks the link between American Funk and Soul and Jamaican Reggae at the legendary Studio One Records.

Curtis Mayfield, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, The Temptations, King Floyd, Booker T and The MGs - all these artists had a huge influence on Jamaican artists and this album contains versions of songs by all of them. Featuring classic and rare Reggae Funk and Soul cuts from the Reggae giants alongside rarer cuts, Studio One Soul spans over 20 years of classic Reggae from the Rocksteady Funk through to the deep Roots music.

Following on from Studio One Rockers, this second journey into the vaults of Studio One tells the story of the important link between American Funk and Soul and Jamaican Reggae. Ranging from music taken from the mid-1960s (and the arrival of Rocksteady) through to the beginning of the 1980s, Studio One Soul features versions of US Funk and Soul hits (many rarely heard before) from some of the many classic artists who recorded at Studio One. American Soul music has always been an important influence on Jamaican Reggae.

The beginning of the Jamaican recording industry at the end of the 1950s started with Clement ‘Coxsone’ Dodd (owner of Studio One) and a group of select in-house musicians (originally The Skatalites) recording their own version of American R&B. Playing on the off-beat, this music became Ska.

As American R&B progressed through Funk, Soul and Disco, Jamaican music was going through its own musical changes, from Rocksteady through to Reggae and Roots music. The house-band at Studio One recorded on a daily basis behind all Studio One vocalists as well as recording instrumentally in its own right.

Soul singers such as Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions (Queen Of The Minstrels) had a profound influence on Jamaican artists and many other US artists were constantly re-interpreted and re-worked. Artists such as Aretha Franklin (‘Respect’), Charles Wright (‘Express Yourself’), King Floyd (‘Groove Me’), Otis Redding (‘How Strong’) were all very popular in Jamaica in the 1960s.

At the end of the 1960s, Black Consciousness became an important part of American Soul music. At the same time many Jamaican artists were starting to look to their roots. Many artists would shortly become involved in Rastafarianism. The ‘conscious’ lyrics of American Funk and Soul again struck a chord with Jamaican artists. ‘Message From A Blackman’ (originally by The Temptations) and ‘Is It Because I’m Black’ (Syl Johnson) are examples of this. Through the 1970s Soul / Disco artists such as Barry White (‘Can’t Get Enough’ and ‘Deeper and Deeper’) and The Detroit Spinners (‘I’ll Be Around’) became the flavour of the day. The album finishes with Willie Williams’ interpretation of Ashford and Simpson’s classic ‘Ain’t No Stopping Us Now’.

TRACK LISTING

Leroy Sibbles - Express Yourself
Norma Fraser - Respect
Leroy Sibbles - Groove Me
Sound Dimension - Time Is Tight
The Heptones - Message From A Black Man
Otis Gayle - I'll Be Around
Jerry Jones - Still Water
Sound Dimension - Soulful Strut
Richard Ace - Can't Get Enough
The Chosen Few - Don't Break Your Promise
The Eternals - Queen Of The Minstrels
Norma Fraser - The First Cut Is The Deepest
Ken Parker - How Strong
Ken Boothe - Set Me Free
Senior Soul - Is It Because I'm Black
Jackie Mittoo - Deeper & Deeper
Alton Ellis - I Don't Want To Be Right
Willie Williams - No One Can Stop Us

Massive double header of two killer instrumental anthems from Brentford Road in the latest in a series of special edition 12”s of all-time classic Studio One party bombs, available on super loud 12”. Cedric Brooks’ ‘Mun Dun Go’ was first released onStudio One / Bamboo in the UK in 1970, and is an incredibly hypnotic tune, with original copies extremely rare and fetching up to £600. Shortly after this recording, saxophonist Brooks went on to form The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari with Count Ossie. On the flip, The Sound Dimension’s ‘Heavy Rock’is one of the foundation instrumental tunes of reggae music, endlessly versioned by dancehall artists - a true anthem. 100% essential monster Studio One tunes that rock any dancefloor.

TRACK LISTING

Cedric Im Brooks - Mun Dun Go
Sound Dimension - Heavy Rock

Willie Williams’ seminal ’No One Can Stop UsNow’ is a cover of Ashford and Simpson’s soul /disco classic ‘Ain’t No Stopping Us Now’, and is simply one of the greatest, most soulful reggae / disco cuts ever made. This is the latest in the series of special edition 12”s of all-time classic Studio One party bombs available on super loud 12”. First released on Studio One in 1979, this party anthem features the sublime keyboards of Jackie Mittoo alongside the awesome studio group, The Brentford All Stars (here working under the name The Brentford Disco Set). 100% essential monster Studio One tunes that rock any dancefloor

TRACK LISTING

No One Can Stop Us Now
No One Can Stop Us Now (Version)

Initially released in a deluxe vinyl-only edition (now totally sold out), Soul Jazz Records’ ‘Punk 45: I’m A Mess!’ is now released in standard double album vinyl (and for the first time on CD).

Soul Jazz Records’ long lasting ‘Punk 45’ series are high quality editions of early punk 45s. While previous editions have focused on the early days of punk in Los Angeles, Cleveland, Akron, France, and proto-punk, this new edition focuses on mainly do-it-yourself, or self-released 45s, all made in the UK in the early days of punk.

While only a handful of Punk 45s were released in 1976, the following two years produced an avalanche of them. Aside from the few punk bands who signed to major labels, many of these singles were self-released private press 45s or independent label 45s. With limited distribution and access to the media, many of these sunk without trace and were lost in history. This album features many of these independent punk 45 gems, lost nuggets of gold from the sea of time.

The bands featured here come from all across the United Kingdom. Here you will find The Drive, Scotland’s answer to the New York Dolls, Dansette Damage from Newcastle, Stormtrooper from the Isle of Wight and many more - a snapshot of some of the finest private press 45s ever made. Other bands include Cybermen, The Exile and Neon, as well as the early punk incarnations Johnny and The Self-Abusers (who later became Simple Minds) and The Killjoys (led by Kevin Rowland, who later formed Dexy’s Midnight Runners).

These are all one-off and super rare releases from bands that you have probably never heard of - totally hidden gems from the wastelands of the early days of punk. Totally in keeping with the spirit of the time, this is high octane and righteously independent.

TRACK LISTING

The Art Attacks - I Am A Dalek
The Drive - Jerkin
Johnny And The Self Abusers - Saints And Sinners
Trash - Priorities
The Carpettes - Help I'm Trapped
Stormtrooper - I'm A Mess
The Electric Chairs - So Many Ways
Social Security - I Don't Want My Heart To Rule My Head
Neon Hearts - Venus Eccentric
The Cybermen - Cybernetic Surgery
The Killjoys - Naive
The Reducers - Things Go Wrong
Johnny Moped - No One
Neon - Bottles
V2 - Speed Freak
The Exile - Fascist DJ
Lucy - Feel So Good
Machines - True Life
Dansette Damage - N.M.E.

Soul Jazz Records’ long out of print classic ‘Studio One Women’ collection is being re-released as a new 18th Anniversary edition.

18 years on from its original release, ‘Studio One Women’ remains one of the ‘Studio One’ series’ most in demand titles and, like all the earlier special coloured editions, is sure to sell out fast.

Ska, rocksteady, funky reggae, roots, dub mixes, disco mixes - they’re all here from the queens of the Jamaican music scene - ‘Studio One Women’ features a wide mix of classics and obscurities from the finest female voices in reggae.

Until now most of these tracks have only ever been available as extremely hard to find Jamaican 7” and 12” singles, and even if you were lucky enough to find them, they’d cost you a small fortune.

Marcia Griffiths and Rita Marley (here with her first group, The Soulettes, whose iconic image features on the cover) are two of Jamaica’s most famous female singers, hugely popular today. Both artists became internationally famous as The I - Threes (along with Judy Mowatt), Bob Marley’s backing singers alongside The Wailers. Also featured are Hortense Ellis, sister of Alton, who cut many smash hits on the island, and Jennifer Lara, a lady who had a long career with Studio One, singing on countless sides.

‘Studio One Women’ refers not just to the small selection of artists featured here but also to those who took integral roles throughout the Studio One empire, starting with Doris Darlington, mother of Clement Dodd. Sir Coxsone’s Downbeat Soundsystem, which ruled the dancehalls of Kingston throughout the 1950s and 60s, started off as the musical entertainment for customers of Mrs Darlington’s Nannys Bar.

Clement Dodd often referred to his mother as ‘Jamaica’s first female DJ’, as she would play records at the bar whenever he was on trips to the US, hunting down R&B records. Other important women behind the scenes included Norma Dodd (wife of Clement), whose sleevenotes featured on many Studio One releases, and Enid Cumberland who, as well as being a successful artist (half of the duo Keith and Enid), taught harmony in the studio and ran the studio shop.

It would also be impossible not to mention Sister Ignatius, who ran the infamous Alpha Boys School for over 50 years, encouraging students which included Tommy McCook, Johnny ‘Dizzy’ Moore, Lester Sterling and Don Drummond, Theo Beckford, Cedric Brooks, Johnny Osbourne and countless other musicians and artists to excel at music, and many of whom became integral to the success of Studio One.

TRACK LISTING

Claudette McLean - Give Love Another Try
Jennifer Lara - My Man
The Soulettes - A Deh Pon Dem
Della Humphrey - Dream Land
Jennifer Lara - Consider Me
Denise Darlington - War No Right
Hortense Ellis - I’m Just A Girl
Angela Prince - No Bother With No Fuss
Jerry Jones - There’s A Chance For Me
The Soulettes - King Street
Jennifer Lara - Tell Me Where
The Tonettes - I’ll Give It To You
Marcia Griffiths - Tell Me Now
The Jay Tees - Come To Me
Angela Prince - You A Fool Boy
Jennifer Lara - I Am In Love

New special one-off pressing gold CD / gold vinyl edition of this deep spiritual jazz classic.

Drummer legend extraordinaire, Vietnam conscientious objector, ex- Black Panther, Steve Reid has played with everyone from James Brown to Sun Ra, Fela Kuti and Miles Davis, was a friend of John Coltrane, worked at Motown and, in the latter part of his career, worked extensively with Kieran Hebden, following his path of a radical, revolutionary music up until his untimely death in 2010.

Soul Jazz Records are re-releasing this rarest release of deep heavyweight jazz by Steve Reid and The Master Brotherhood, entitled ‘Odyssey of the Oblong Square’, first released over thirty five years ago on Steve Reid’s own Mustevic Sound record label (where it came out in an edition of 1000 copies) and has been a serious collector’s album ever since.

Steve Reid became known worldwide for his radical collaborations with Kieran Hebden after they first recorded together on the Steve Reid Ensemble album, ‘Spirit Walk’, released on Soul Jazz in 2005, releasing five joint releases together in the following years.

Steve Reid is steeped in musical history and a true pioneer of US deep leftfield jazz. He played in Sun Ra’s Arkestra, was a Motown session drummer and backed James Brown at the Apollo. He was a Black Panther, imprisoned during the Vietnam war as a conscientious objector and lived in Africa in the early 1970s. Reid worked with Freddie Hubbard, Gary Bartz, Ornette Coleman, Lester Bowie, Fela Kuti, Leon Thomas, Miles Davis and many more in his long illustrious and groundbreaking career.

TRACK LISTING

1. Odyssey Theme
2. Deacon’s Son
3. Odyssey Sweet
4. Ginsameng

‘Disco Reggae Rockers’ features wicked reggae disco versions of funk, soul and disco classics.

This new album follows on from Soul Jazz Records’ earlier highly successful ‘Hustle: Disco Reggae’ and features reggae covers of classic songs by Earth, Wind and Fire, Michael Jackson, The Isley Brothers, Candi Staton, Curtis Mayfield and more, as performed by Derrick Harriott, Devon Russell, Hortense Ellis, Glen Adams, Dave Barker and others.

The most straightforward definition of ‘Disco Reggae’ is to describe it as American disco and soul songs covered by reggae artists. But the relationship is binary – this is no mere subservient island appreciation of North American dominant culture but instead an example of the interweaving thread of Jamaican and American music that travels back and forth between the major cities of Kingston, London, Toronto, New York, Chicago and Philadelphia.

TRACK LISTING

Devon Russell - Move On Up
Crashers - Flight To Jamaica
Valerie Harrison - Fool’s Paradise
Bill Campbell - For The Love Of You
Risco Connection - It’s My House
Dave Barker - Glow Of Love
Derrick Harriott - Caught You In A Lie
Hortense Ellis - Young Hearts Run Free
Ed Watson And Brass Circle - Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’
Devon Russell - We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue
Seventh Extension - Reasons
Derrick Harriott - Brown Baby
Ed Watson And Brass Circle - Let’s Groove
Pete Campbell & The Sunshine Girls - Don’t Let Love Get You Down
Webby Jay - In The Rain
Glen Adams Affair - Just A Groove

Like Sun Ra’s Arkestra and John Coltrane are to jazz, the Mystic Revelation of Rastafari are to reggae - the ultimate expression of roots music and Rastafarian ideology in reggae music, music functioning at a high level of spiritual consciousness combined with an equally avantgarde and forward-looking approach to sound.

The group’s stunning, unique and groundbreaking 1973 album, ‘Grounation’, a mighty conceptual triple album (the first ever reggae triple) is, similar to Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’, a definitive all-encompassing cultural statement of its time and place. A sprawling album of raw and unique cultural expression that combined Rastafari consciousness with deep spiritual jazz music - an absolute and essential classic of Reggae music.

The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari group came into existence at the start of 1970s, the union of two artists (and groups) of equal repute - Count Ossie and his African Drums and saxophonist Cedric ‘Im’ Brooks’ and his group, The Mystics. Both Ossie and Brooks were alumni from the great Studio One Records.

Master drummer Count Ossie and his collective of Rastafarian drummers performed for Haile Selassie on his momentous visit to Jamaica in 1966. Cedric Brooks came out of the Alpha Boys School - the fertile breeding ground of musicians who dominated the Jamaican music scene from the 1960s onwards: Tommy McCook, Don Drummond, Johnny Moore, Headley Bennett, Johnny Osbourne, Yellowman, Leroy Smart, Bobby Ellis, Joe Harriott, Eddie Thornton, Vin Gordon, Rico Rodriguez, Owen Gray, Leroy ‘Horsemouth’ Wallace and more.

The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari’s ‘Grounation’ is a massive opus, a work of profound musical genius that tells the story of Jamaica through music and words. The album is a cornerstone in the history of reggae, a unique and other-worldly album the like of which has never been made since.

TRACK LISTING

2CD / 3LP
Bongo Man
Narration
Narration Continued
Mabrat (Passin Thru)
Poem
Four Hundred Years
Poem II
Song
Lumba
Way Back Home
Ethiopian Serenade
Oh Carolina
So Long
Grounation
Grounation Continued
Bonus 7” Single (With Box Set Version Only)
Blacker Black
Grounation

Our favourite industrial-dancehall machine tweaker, Krikor rolls out a bass flexing mutant dancehall rhythm on the A side with some deep hypnosis synth action on the flip. Stupendously limited, full flex action on Soul Jazz. Krikor's one of a kind. If you know you know - big tip! 

TRACK LISTING

Biceps Brachii
Epicranial Aponeurosis

Collection of the lost recordings of Fast Eddie, one of the most exciting live bands of the early 1980s Rhythm ‘n’ Soul-fuelled Mod Revival.

From Billericay, the band followed in the wake of Thames Delta Blues pioneers Dr. Feelgood, originally playing raw, authentic R&B before expanding their sound to incorporate club soul and a broader palette of influences and sounds.

Originally produced and managed by legendary label man and broadcaster Eddie Piller, founder of Acid Jazz, who released their first single on his first own Well Suspect marque in 1982.

An exciting collection of Mod-Revival-era tunes, and an important document of the wider Mod Revival and Acid Jazz Records story.

TRACK LISTING

Shake A Tail Feather
I Don’t Need No Doctor
Sugar Coated Love
Sweet Sensation
Turn On Your Love Light
Vicinity
My Babe
Ninety-Nine & A Half
Out Of Sight
Fever
Keep Your Hands Off It
Teenie Bit Of Your Love *
Barefootin’
Hit The Road Jack
36-22-36
Homework
Treat Her Right *
Land Of 1000 Dances *
Little Suzy (Instrumental) *
Help Me *
* = CD Only Track

This new Studio collection on Soul Jazz Records delves deep into a melting pot world of reggae and funk and dub created at the music laboratory of 13 Brentford Road, Kingston in the 1970s - an intense collaboration of crack musicians, singers, DJs and engineers under the guidance of producer Clement ‘Coxsone’ Dodd.

Here you will find some of the deepest and rawest cuts to emanate out the Studio One factory - truly hypnotic rhythms, powerful funk guitar and bass, soaring horns and more interspersed with occasional vocals and toasting as musicians reach for the highest heights and deepest roots of reggae music.

Some of these tunes here are rare and classic versions to seminal Studio One vocal cuts from the likes of Horace Andy and Hortense Ellis. There is also a wealth of cuts from simply the greatest musicians ever to come out of Jamaica (let alone Studio One). These include Jackie Mittoo, Roland Alphonso, Cedric Brooks, Ernest Ranglin and the Brentford All-Stars. You’ll find straight up funk bombs such as Lennie Hibbert’s mindblowing ‘Go For Yourself’ (sounding like The Meters meets James Brown), the Brentford All-Stars covering War’s classic ‘The World is a Ghetto’, and Jackie Mittoo showing how to make Cream’s ‘Sunshine of Your Love’ into a reggae funk bomb.

All of these sit beside super-deep roots and dub cuts that exemplify together how Studio One was unique in Clement Dodd’s pioneering vision of reggae, the music created functioning with a continuous level of experimentation that blurred the lines between genres and pushed the outer limits of reggae music at all times. This album is deep.

The album comes with extensive sleeve notes by Steve Barker

TRACK LISTING

Hortense And The Sound Dimension -
People Make The World Go Round Version
Leroy Wallace And The New Establishment -
Far Beyond Version
Sound Dimension - Face Man Version
Fabian & The Vibes - Mother And Child (Part
2)
Lennie Hibbert - Go For Yourself
Dub Specialist - Chainey Roots
Brentford All Stars - The World Is A Ghetto
The Jay Tees And Brentford Rockers -
Forward To Jah (Part 2)
Roy Richards - Summertime
Lennie Hibbert - Snow Bird
Pablov Black - Dread Head
Cedric Im Brooks - Glory To Sound
Jackie Mittoo - Lazy Bones
Dub Specialist - Message From Dub
Jackie Mittoo - Sunshine Of Your Love
Roland Alphonso - Tenor Man Trip
Ernest And The Sound Dimension - Surfin’

"A near-definitive guide to some of the world's most extraordinary music." - The Guardian

Soul Jazz Records’ ‘Deutsche Elektronische Music Volume 2’ is now available as two separate double LPs for the first time in over 10 years.

‘Deutsche Elektronische Musik 2’ is the second voyage into the world of Krautrock and German electronic music from the 1970s and early 1980s.

Two double LPs (with over 2½ hours of amazing music) featuring a stunning line-up of seminal German groups, including Can, Faust, Popul Vuh, Neu!, Cluster, Amon Düül II and La Düsseldorf, as well as a host of lesser known and more obscure groups and artists, such as Agitation Free, Bröselmaschine, Niagara and many more.

As well as the original pioneers, ‘Deutsche Elektronische Musik 2’ also features many of the second wave of German electronic artists and groups from the late 70s and early 80s (DAF, Asmus Tietchens, Rolf Trostel), who successfully connected new wave, minimal synth and a European post punk avant-gardism with the earlier more established Krautrock pioneers who began at the start of the 70s.

Influenced as much by the electronic experimentalism of Stockhausen as the progressive rock of USA and UK underground rock, young German artists seamlessly created a new music with its own unique identity, which they ironically entitled Krautrock. By the end of the 1970s, with the arrival of new wave synthetics and complex drum machines, this music had mutated once again into new electronic visions reflecting a new Germany.

The vinyl edition comes in two volumes of heavyweight, superloud vinyl double LPs, featuring full sleevenotes and text.

TRACK LISTING

A.R. & Machines - Als Hätt Ich
Das Alles Schon Mal Gesehen
Gila - Sundance Chant
Neu! - Isi
Pyrolator - Danger Cruising
Sergius Golowin - Die Weisse Alm
You - Electric Day
Niagara - Gibli
Rolf Trostel - Der Prophet
Electric Sandwich - China
Asmus Tietchens - Zeebrugge
Faust - Krautrock

"A near-definitive guide to some of the world's most extraordinary music." - The Guardian

‘Deutsche Elektronische Musik 2’ is the second voyage into the world of Krautrock and German electronic music from the 1970s and early 1980s.

Two double LPs (with over 2½ hours of amazing music) featuring a stunning line-up of seminal German groups, including Can, Faust, Popul Vuh, Neu!, Cluster, Amon Düül II and La Düsseldorf, as well as a host of lesser known and more obscure groups and artists, such as Agitation Free, Bröselmaschine, Niagara and many more.

As well as the original pioneers, ‘Deutsche Elektronische Musik 2’ also features many of the second wave of German electronic artists and groups from the late 70s and early 80s (DAF, Asmus Tietchens, Rolf Trostel), who successfully connected new wave, minimal synth and a European post punk avant-gardism with the earlier more established Krautrock pioneers who began at the start of the 70s.

Influenced as much by the electronic experimentalism of Stockhausen as the progressive rock of USA and UK underground rock, young German artists seamlessly created a new music with its own unique identity, which they ironically entitled Krautrock. By the end of the 1970s, with the arrival of new wave synthetics and complex drum machines, this music had mutated once again into new electronic visions reflecting a new Germany.

TRACK LISTING

Disc 1
A.R. & Machines - Globus Im Selben Boot
Can - Halleluwah
Roedelius - Le Jardin
Michael Rother - Karussell
Michael Hoenig - Sun And Moon
Agitation Free - You Play For Us Today
D.A.F. - Co Co Pino
Harald Grosskopf - Emphasis
Amon Düül II - A Morning Excuse
Conrad Schnitzler And Wolf
Sequenza - Fata Morgana
Bröselmaschine - Nossa Bova
Eno, Moebius And Roedelius - Base & Apex
Gila - In A Sacred Manner
Wolfgang Riechmann - Himmelblau

Disc 2
A.R. & Machines - Als Hätt Ich
Das Alles Schon Mal Gesehen
Gila - Sundance Chant
Neu! - Isi
Pyrolator - Danger Cruising
Sergius Golowin - Die Weisse Alm
You - Electric Day
Niagara - Gibli
Rolf Trostel - Der Prophet
Electric Sandwich - China
Asmus Tietchens - Zeebrugge
Faust - Krautrock

One of three monster New Orleans Funk 45s rereleased by Soul Jazz Records.

Only ever exclusively available on the Soul Jazz Records site and long out of print, these new 45s are pristine loud dancefloor fillers housed in a Soul Jazz recycled card house bag.

Inell Young’s searing vocal performance backed by the unbelievably funky James Black’s seriously awesome second-line syncopated drumming. The three funkiest drummers in the world are the Meters’ Zigaboo Modeliste, James Brown’s Clyde Stubblefield, and James Black.

An awesome Eddie Bo arrangement and production. 100% essential.

TRACK LISTING

The Next Ball Game
Part Of The Game

Soul Jazz do it again with this awesome Studio One compilation that follows Jamaican music from ska, via rocksteady, reggae, deejay and dub to early dancehall. Featured here are many of the classic tracks from Studio One. From Dawn Penn's legendary "No, No, No" to classics such as Horace Andy's "Skylarking" and Marcia Griffith's "Feel Like Jumping". The Coxsone Soundsystem in the early 60s was one of the three main soundsystems operating in Jamaica alongside his competitors, Prince Buster and Duke Reid. The Studio One catalogue is possibly the largest in Jamaican music and this release is the first in a series of Studio One compilations on Soul Jazz Records. This album comes with an in depth interview with Mr C.S. Dodd, about how he set up and ran his record label in the 1960s and 1970s. Absolutely essential.

TRACK LISTING

1. Sound Dimension - Real Rock
2. Marcia Griffiths - Feel Like Jumping
3. Freddy Mcgregor - Bobby Babylon
4. Horace Andy - Skylarking
5. Lennie Hibbert - Village Soul
6. Brentford All-Stars - Greedy G
7. Johnny Osbourne - Truth And Rights
8. Ernest Ranglin - Surfin
9. Michigan & Smiley - Eye Of Danger
10. Dawn Penn - No, No, No
11. The Skatalites - Phoenix City
12. Prince Jazzbo - Crabwalking
13. Jackie Mittoo - Hot Milk
14. Lone Ranger - Badder Dan Dem
15. Cedric Brooks - Ethiopia

‘Black Pride’ is the seminal Lovers Rock tune from Brown Sugar, pressed loud for the first ever time on this new one-off press edition 12” on Soul Jazz Records.

Brown Sugar formed in London in 1976, made up of teenagers Pauline Catlin, Caron Wheeler and Carol Simms. After Brown Sugar, Caron Wheeler became known worldwide as the vocalist in Soul II Soul, and Carol Simms launched a successful solo career under the name Kofi. 

‘Black Pride’ was originally released on the Lovers Rock label, a fledgling reggae label formed by musicians Dennis Bovell and John Kpiaye and producer Dennis Harris. Brown Sugar were unique - not only were they one of the most important of the first wave of lovers rock groups, they were also the only group who managed to successfully blend together a reggae roots consciousness with a lovers rock sensibility. The classic ‘Black Pride’ perfectly reflects this unique sound.

STAFF COMMENTS

Martin says: As lover's rock fever takes over one of the seminal hits of the genre is given a timely repress from the good folks at Soul Jazz

TRACK LISTING

A. Black Pride
B. Proud

Soul Jazz Records follows up one of their most popular Studio One releases with a brand new selection of rare and classic releases by women in reggae. Featuring legendary artists such as Marcia Griffiths, Rita Marley and Hortense Ellis (with a guest appearance by her brother Alton), alongside a host of rarities from lesser-known names such as Nina Soul, Nana Mclean, Denise Darlington, Myrna Hague and also Doreen Schaeffer, a vocalist who was a founding member of The Skatalites.

There are notable covers, from Tyrone Davis’ soul classic ‘Can I Change My Mind’ to The Band’s 60s psychedelic classic ‘Turn Turn Turn’ in a rub-a-dub style. Doreen Schaeffer reversions Alton Ellis’s seminal ‘I’m Still In Love With You’, Nina Soul reversions the slack rocksteady anthem ‘Barb Wire’. A number of these tracks are almost impossible to find, and many have never been issued ever since their initial release.

The music on the album is of course 100% killer and features backing from all of the seminal groups at 13 Brentford Road, including The Skatalites, Sound Dimension, Soul Brothers and the Brentford All Stars, and ranges from ska, rocksteady, roots, lovers and more from the 60s, 70s and 80s. All produced by Clement ‘Sir Coxsone’ Dodd at Studio One Records, the number one sound in reggae music.

TRACK LISTING

Hortense Ellis - Can I Change My Mind
Marcia Griffiths- Melody Life
Myrna Hague - New World
Marcia Griffiths - Shimmering Star
Nora Dean - Heartaches
The Jay Tees - Buck Town Corner
Jennifer Lara - Turn Turn Turn
Doreen & Alton - I’m Still In Love
Doreen Schaeffer - Sugar Sugar
Denise Darlington - Feel So Good
Angela Prince - My Man Is Gone
Nana McLean - Till I Kissed You
Nina Soul - Barb Wire
Jackie And Doreen - Welcome You Back Home
Nina Soul - Sleeping Trees
Rita Marley - Friends And Lovers
Hortense Ellis - Secretly
Marcia Griffiths - You’re No Good

Stone-cold classic - the ultimate Studio One tune and the ultimate rhythm & blues / soul to reggae cut, as Dawn Penn vamps on Bo Diddley and Willie Cobbs. Floorshaking, speaker-busting seminal tune.

First time ever on 12”.

Cut super loud, and with a killer dub version on the flip.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: THE ORIGINAL RIDDIM!!! Depending on your age and however you got to this tune (there are many covers, but I'm sure The Fugees might be one of the most recognized) you may not have heard Dub Specialist's monumental (and earth shaking) dub. A timeless and as powerful a slice of dub as anything the genre has produced. It's one of those, every-home-needs-one records.

TRACK LISTING

Dawn Penn - No, No, No
Dub Specialist - Creator Version (No, No, No Dub)

What do Tyler the Creator, Mantronix, Stetsasonic, DJ Shadow, Eric B and Rakim, Brand Nubian, Jay-Z and N.W.A. have in common? How about UK Apachi and Shy FX, DJ Zinc, Bukem, Ganja Kru, Lemon D Ice, Dillinga, Photek, 4-Hero, Congo Natty, Krome and Time, Roni Size, Skream and Shut Up and Dance? Not to mention The Prodigy, Squarepusher, Leftfield, Oasis, Aphex Twin, Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa, David Bowie, Primal Scream, Lady Gaga and Dizzee Rascal?

Answer: They have all sampled The Winstons’ ‘Amen, Brother’, the most sampled drum break in the history of music (over 5000+ according to whosampled.com), it has shaped the history of electronic music ever since its creation in 1969.

This is the official release of the Winston’s ‘Color Him Father’ album, out of print for fifty years on vinyl, a glorious, break-heavy album of soul, funk and gospel featuring the tracks ‘Color Him Father’, ‘Amen, Brother’ and loads more.

The fully remastered album is housed in exact-reproduction original sleeve and design and comes with 4 extra bonus tracks that the group released only as singles. There is also a very special one-off, first pressing only of this album that comes with an exclusive one-sided dubplate special 12” of ‘Amen, Brother’ featuring a specially extended break mix of the classic tune.

The Winstons’ ‘Amen, Brother’ was originally the B-side to ‘Color Him Father’, a superb soul tune released by a multi-racial group from Washington, DC, in 1969. The drum break was played by George GC Coleman, and the song was based on a Curtis Mayfield guitar riff. The soul connection was no coincidence. The Winstons were formed from the backing groups to both Otis Redding and Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions before they came into their own spotlight. The Winstons signed to Mayfield’s Curtom Records in Chicago in 1968. Drummer extraordinaire GC Coleman had already played with The Marvelettes, Otis Redding and Curtis Mayfield (and in the 1970s would play with the funk group Brick).

‘Color Him Father’ became a million-selling Number 1 R&B hit single in the US and the following year The Winstons released their debut (and only) album, also entitled ‘Color Him Father’, on Metromedia Records, featuring both sides of the single alongside nine other excellent soul, funk, gospel and R&B cuts. Unfortunately, the group split up the following year, citing difficulties in touring the southern US due to their inter-racial line-up, and their sole album has long-since sunk into obscurity.

Fast forward nearly 20 years and the ‘Amen, Brother’ break was discovered by hip-hop producers after the song appeared on the seminal ‘Ultimate Breaks & Beats’ series of original breaks (alongside ground-breaking tracks such as James Brown’s ‘Funky Drummer’, The Incredible Bongo Band’s ‘Apache’ and Herman Kelly’s ‘Dance to the Drummers Beat’) in 1986. The track became the staple of hip-hop, with countless songs based on George GC Coleman’s epic six-second drum break.

Fast forward once more, this time to the UK at the start of the 1990s, and 100s of drum and bass producers began sampling and speeding up the ‘Amen, Brother’ break, adding reggae bass lines to create first jungle and then drum and bass, and by the 1990s the ‘Amen’ drum break dominated this new musical genre.

The Winstons’ ‘Color Him Father’ is a superb rare slice of soul, funk and gospel music that has changed the course of music over the last fifty years.

TRACK LISTING

CD / LP
Color Him Father
I’ve Gotta Be Me
The Chokin’ Kind
The Greatest Love
A Handful Of Friends
Everyday People
Love Of The Common People
Wheel Of Fortune
The Days Of Sand And Shovels
Birds Of A Feather
Only The Strong Survive
Traces
Amen, Brother
Say Goodbye To Daddy
Mama’s Song

Bonus 12” (SJRLP497 only)
Amen Brother (Extended Mix)

Soul Jazz Records’ new ‘Life Between Islands’ collection is inspired by the launch of Tate Britain’s exhibition of the same name. This landmark exhibition explores the links between Caribbean and British art and culture from the 1950s to now. ‘Soundsystem Culture: Black Musical Expression in the UK 1973-2006’, focuses on the most important Black British musical styles to emerge out of the distinctly Caribbean world of sound systems. The album features an all-star line-up including Dennis Bovell, Shut Up and Dance, Cymande, Digital Mystikz, Brown Sugar, Funk Masters, Janet Kay, Ragga Twins and more.

The album is a lightning-rod journey across Roots Reggae, Jungle , Jazz- Funk, Lovers Rock, Jazz, Dubstep and more. Much of Soul Jazz Records’ catalogue comes out of these genres and this album is partly an overview of some of Soul Jazz’s earlier releases (including Digital Mystikz’ long-deleted groundbreaking and now highly collectible single ‘Misty Winter’) alongside some choice rare and classic tunes that span over 30 years of sound system culture.

Many of the tracks represent how Black British artists defined their own identity, with songs such as Brown Sugar’s righteous ‘Black Pride’, ‘I’m In Love with A Dreadlocks’ and Tabby Cat Kelly’s powerful ‘Don’t Call Us Immigrants’. Aside from being musically rooted in the distinctly Jamaican-born phenomenon of the sound system, much of this identity is also shaped by the triangular relationship of being British-born, of Caribbean heritage, and with an equal love of African-American Jazz, Funk and Soul, as evidenced with many Lovers Rock reggae covers of American soul tunes (such as those of Jean Carn, William de Vaughan and Rose Royce featured here). This stateside influence can also be heard in groups such as the Funk Masters, a group formed by reggae radio DJ Tony Williams, whose jazz-funk music successfully crossed over into New York’s clubland, as well as the great Cymande, whose unique street-funk became staple material for numerous US hip-hop artists in the years that followed.

In the early 1990s, jungle and drum and bass artists took the essence of reggae’s soundsystem culture - MCs, dubplates, crews - and applied them to their own music, applying heavy reggae bass lines to intense double-speed drum breakbeats. At the forefront of this new movement were the duo Shut Up and Dance, working closely with The Ragga Twins, aka Deman Rocker and Flinty Badman, both MCs for North London’s infamous Unity reggae soundsytem. In the early 2000s, dubstep, spearheaded by Digital Mystikz, became the latest instalment in this ever evolving soundsystem culture.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Dang this is good! Skilfully joining the dots of sound system culture from its very beginning till now would seem like a daunting task for anyone. But guided by the Black identity of the majority of Sounds, Soul Jazz offer up a catch-all release that takes us from roots reggae and soul to jungle and dubstep without ever losing sight of the subwoofer. A phenomenal collection which, by way of a few choicely licensed joints ("Misty Winter", "RK1" especially), should be a instant-buy for anyone with a penchant for UK dance music.

TRACK LISTING

Black Slate - Sticks Man
Dee Sharp - Rising To The Top
Asher Senator - One Bible 
Cymande - Fug
Digital Mystikz - Misty Winter
Winston Curtis - Be Thankful For What You’ve Got
Trevor Hartley - It Must Be Love
Shut Up And Dance featuring The Ragga Twins - Java Bass
Brown Sugar - Black Pride
The Terrorist - RK1
Black Harmony - Don’t Let It Go To Your Head
Pebbles - Positive Vibrations
The Ragga Twins - Ragga Trip
Janet Kay And Alton Ellis - Still In Love
Funk Masters - Love Money
Cosmic Idren - Compelled
Harry Beckett - No Time For Hello
Sandra Reid - Ooh Boy
Tabby Cat Kelly - Don’t Call Us Immigrants
Brown Sugar - I’m In Love With A Dreadlocks

Soul Jazz Records new ‘Cold Wave #2’ is a new collection of current electronic artists who have all been shaped by the early European cold wave artists of the late 70s and early 80s.

These first artists created new electronic musical landscapes as well as pursuing a stubborn D-I-Y aesthetic, often releasing material on cassette and pioneering use of lo-fi technology, primitive drum machines and home-recording techniques. As part of this continued evolution today many of the artists featured here also self-release their own material, run labels, publish fanzines, or are part of wider musical collectives.

Aside from the first electronic, no wave and post-punk artists cited as influences - Suicide, Patrick Cowley, The Normal, Martin Hannett, Laurie Anderson, Public Image - this new generation of artists also show an exquisitely open source of electronic and disparate influences, everything from Underground Resistance to Purcell, from Scientist to New Beat and more besides.

Most of the featured artists are based in Europe and include Krikor from France, Beta Evers and L.F.T. from Germany, Lena Willikens, Job Sifre and De Ambassade from the Netherlands, Toulouse Low Trax from Germany, Dave I.D. and Broken English Club from the UK and V.C.V.S from Georgia. All of the bands featured here make distinctive contemporary music out of the 80s roots of the first cold wave movement.

STAFF COMMENTS

Patrick says: If you've been paying attention to the fringe shit Matt and I have been pushing for the last five or so years, you should be well acquainted with the cuts on this killer Soul Jazz comp. Part 2 is just as its twin, boasted certified bangers from Lena, Tolouse Low Trax. De Ambassade and Job Sifre.

TRACK LISTING

Lena Willikens - Howlin Lupus
Beta Evers - Hiding
L.F.T. - Stay Away From The Light
Job Sifre - At Least We Try
De Ambassade - Niet Van Mij
Tolouse Low Trax - Rushing Into Water
V.C.V.S. - Hum
Dave I.D. - Help Starts
Broken English Club - Vacant Cars
Krikor Kouchian - Deserver Dub

Trees Speak are Daniel Martin Diaz and Damian Diaz from Tucson, Arizona and their music often draws on the cosmic night-time magic of Arizona’s natural desert landscapes. ‘Trees Speak’ relates to the idea of future technologies storing information and data in trees and plants - using them as hard drives - and the idea that Trees communicate collectively.

Trees Speak’s new album ‘Shadow Forms’ is a blend of 1970s German electronic and ‘motorik’ Krautrock instrumentals (think Harmonia, Can, Cluster, Popul Vuh, Neu!), haunting and powerful 1960s and 1970s soundtracks (think Italian prog rock Goblin and John Carpenter horror movies, Morricone and existential John Barry spy movies), together with a New York no wave electronic synth and guitar analogue DIY-ness (think Suicide, anything on Soul Jazz’s ‘New York Noise’ series or Eno’s ‘No New York’). Trees Speak segue together all these elements into ‘Shadow Forms’, which follows on from their critically acclaimed debut album ‘Ohms,’ released on Soul Jazz Records less than six months ago.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: 'Shadow Forms' is a perfectly balanced juxtaposition of grooving, angular kosmische and haunty, soundtrack sort of business. We get little bursts of jazzy instrumentation and smooth-flowing psychedelia, all brought together with a deftness of touch and a keen ear for melody.

TRACK LISTING

‘Shadow Forms’
Large Array
Tear Kisser
Those Who Know
Transforming
Automat
False Ego
Communication
Crystal System
Agonize Signal
Magick Knives

Bonus 7” (SJRLP457)
Outtake
Transmitter

Soul Jazz Records’ new album ‘Kaleidoscope – New Spirits Known and Unknown’ brings together many of the ground-breaking artists involved in the new jazz scene that has developed in the UK over the last few years.

Soul Jazz Records release an exclusive one-off pressing double-headed 12” single featuring Theon Cross and Pokus on the same day as the ‘Kaleidoscope’ album release.

Exclusive to independent retailers.

TRACK LISTING

Theon Cross - Candace Of Meroe
Pokus - Pokus One

Soul Jazz Records’ new album ‘Kaleidoscope – New Spirits Known and Unknown’ brings together many of the groundbreaking artists involved in the new jazz scene that has developed in the UK over the last few years.

Featured artists include Matthew Halsall, Yazmin Lacey, Ill Considered, Tenderlonious, Theon Cross, Emma-Jean Thackray and many, many more in this ground-breaking release.

As well as sharing a pioneering spirit in these new artists’ approach to frontier-crossing musical boundaries, a further theme of this album is that many also share a determination to independent practices – and most of these artists’ recordings featured here are either self-published or released on independent labels. While the attention of this new wave of jazz artists up until now has been London-based, this album shows how this movement is spread across the whole of Britain (and indeed beyond).

‘Kaleidoscope – New Spirits Known and Unknown’ shows that while there is commonality in these artists’ approach to music, there is a wide variety of styles – from deep spiritual jazz, electronic experimentalisation, punk-edged funk, uplifting modal righteousness, deep soulful vocals and much more.

STAFF COMMENTS

Emily says: It’s been a breathless few years for British jazz, with essential new artists appearing by the day on a plethora of labels up and down the country. Thankfully Soul Jazz are here to help us keep track, taking stock of the scene on this bumper triple vinyl collection.

TRACK LISTING

A
1. Matthew Halsall & The Gondwana Orchestra - When The World Was One (7.38)
2. Yazmin Lacey - 90 Degrees (4.16)
3. Hector Plimmer - Communication Control (3.04)

B
1. Ill Considered - Long Way Home (Live At The Crypt) (8.03)
2. The Expansions - Mosaic (6.58)
3. Chip Wickham - Red Planet (5.44)

C
1. Levitation Orchestra - Odyssey (9.26)
2. Emma-Jean Thackray’s WALRUS - Walrus (2.47)
3. Tenderlonious And The 22a Arkestra - The Shakedown (6.18)

D
1. Joe Armon-Jones & Maxwell Owin Featuring Nubya Garcia - Tanner's Tango (4.48)
2. Collocutor - Gozo (6.02)
3. Makaya McCraven - Untitled (3.14)

E
1. Nat Birchall - Ancient World (9.50)
2. Ruby Rushton - Moonlight Woman (9.05)

F
1. Ebi Soda - Dimmsdale (3.11)
2. The Cromagnon Band - Thunder Perfect (5.12)
3. SEED Ensemble - Mirrors (7.38)

BONUS 7" SINGLE (With Indies Exclusive Vinyl Only)
A. Vels Trio - Yellow Ochre (Part 1) (3.04)
AA. Ishmael Ensemble - Kito's Theme (4.15)

"Studio One Freedom Sounds" is the new collection from the nation's favourite one-stop shop, focusing on the intense period in the second half of the 1960s when Studio One’s vast and unbeatable output of ska, soul, rock steady and reggae made it literally one of the hottest musical empires in the world.

During this highly successful period, Clement ‘Sir Coxsone’ Dodd released hundreds and hundreds of superlative singles seemingly on an almost daily basis, in the process making huge stars out of Jamaican singers such as Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson, The Wailers, Slim Smith, Jackie Opel and many more.

Powered by the finest in-house musicians working in Jamaica, whether it was The Skatalites, Jackie Mittoo’s Soul Brothers, The Sounds Dimension or The Soul Vendors, Studio One functioned as hit factory on the scale of Motown in the USA, shaping and defining reggae music for decades to come.

Singlehandedly Studio One’s founder Clement Dodd was able to create the most successful vertically-integrated record company that Jamaica had ever known with pressing plant, printers, studio, shops and sound systems all running at once, with over 50 employees and hundreds of artists working with Studio One during this time.

"Studio One Freedom Sounds" tells the story of Studio One in the 1960s with a stunning set of ska, soul, rock steady and reggae killer tunes as well as informative sleevenotes and track-by-track info by Noel Hawks.

TRACK LISTING

Don Drummond & The Skatalites - Rain Or Shine
The Gaylads - Morning Sun
Delroy Wilson - Just Because Of You
Alton Ellis - Sunday Coming
Jackie Opel - I Am What I Am
Peter Tosh - I Am The Toughest
Delroy Wilson - Get Ready
Mr. Foundation - Timo-Oh
Roland Alphonso & The Soul Brothers - Provocation
Leroy & Rocky - Love Me Girl
Slim & Delroy - Look Who Is Back Again
The Skatalites - Spread Satin
Barrington Spence - Contemplating Mind
Ernest Ranglin - Psychedelic Rock
Bob Marley & The Wailers - Destiny
Roland Alphonso - Reggae In The Grass
Zoot Simms - We Can Talk It Over
Jackie Mittoo - Hi Jack

Soul Jazz Records’ latest album ‘Yoruba! Songs & Rhythms For The Yoruba Gods In Nigeria’ is newly recorded in Lagos, Nigeria. The album is co-produced by Soul Jazz Records label head Stuart Baker and Laolu Akins (founding member of the legendary 1970s Nigerian Afro-Funk/Rock group Blo).

‘Yoruba!’ features an array of local master drummers led by Olatunji Samson Sotimirin and singers (featuring the lead vocals of Janet Olufanmilayo Abe) performing heavyweight Afro-rhythms, with talking drums, Bata and Dundun drums and a mass of percussion in these deep spiritual and sacred songs used to honour and worship the traditional and ancient Yoruba gods in Nigeria, West Africa.

The enormous impact of Yoruba and West African music and culture is worldwide - from the first Afro-centric explorations of African- American jazz musicians in the 1950s such as Art Blakey, Randy Weston and Dizzy Gillespie, the explosion of Nu Yorican Latin music in New York City starting in the 1960s - Mambo, Boogaloo, Latin funk and soul - through to the sacred and powerful Afro-derived music of the religions of Santería in Cuba, Candomblé in Brazil and Voodoo in Haiti, which all came into existence on account of the Atlantic slave trade which began over 400 years ago. On a wider scale West African music remains the primary root of all African-American musical forms - from New Orleans jazz to Bronx rap, gospel, soul and more.

This album features songs honouring the Nigerian gods of the Yoruba traditional religion - Yemoja, Obatala, Ogun, Sango and others - as well as a selection of instrumental cuts focusing on the Bata and Dundun drums.

The album comes complete with extensive text and photography. 40- page outsize booklet / gatefold double vinyl and inners showing the influence of Yoruba culture throughout the world and the social and historical context for the music contained here.

TRACK LISTING

Homage To Yemoja
Homage To Esu
Sakara Instrumental
Ensemble
Homage To Obatala
Eulogy To Amila
Homage To Sango
Agbe Gbe-Wadele
Eulogy To Ori-Ola
Bata Drums Ensemble
Homage To Osun
Eshere
Dundun Instrumental
Ensemble
Homage To Ogun

Featured here is a new collection spanning Studio One’s dancehall period - singers and deejays on classic Studio One rhythms, studio and electronic wizardry from the Brentford Road headquarters, lots of rare 12” singles, all effortlessly brought together to nice up the dance.

When Clement ‘Sir Coxsone’ Dodd first ruled the dancehalls of Kingston in the 1950s, fighting off the soundsystem competition of Duke Reid, King Edwards and others, few could imagine how far the reign of Studio One would last. However, the emergence of dancehall as a distinct style of reggae at the end of the 1970s, as upstart competing producers began recording vocalists and deejays performing over replayed classic Studio One rhythms, in many ways made the influence of Clement Dodd’s vision more omnipotent than ever before (and lasting to this day).

Not surprisingly, Clement Dodd’s creativity and business acumen made him quick to respond to this musical phenomenon - he soon began voicing the new stable of Studio One singers and deejays, such as Sugar Minott and Lone Ranger, over original classic Studio One rhythms recorded in the late 1960s - by producing some of the most innovative, time-bending and creative music of his career.

This album comes as CD with slipcase, super-loud, super-heavy triple vinyl with free download code.

TRACK LISTING

Ernest Wilson - Why Oh Why
Johnny Osbourne - Lend Me The Sixteen
Windel Haye - Haunted House
Green Tea & Chassy - Ghetto Girl
Johnny Osbourne - Time A Run Out
Lone Ranger - Noah In The Ark
Devon Russell - Thanks And Praise
Brentford Disco Set - Rebel Disco
Doreen Schaffer - I Don’t Know Why
Slim Smith - Lonely Lover
Field Marshall Haye - Roots And Herb Style
DJ Dawn & The Ranking Queens - Peace Truce Thing
Jim Brown - Cure For The Fever
Sugar Minott - Peace Treaty Style
Lloyd Robinson - It Deep
Barry Brown - Far East
Windel Haye & Captain
Morgan - Flood Victim
Ernest Wilson - Pick Them Up

Kevin Martin (aka The Bug / King Midas Sound) and Stuart Baker (Soul Jazz Records) have put together a unique project bringing together new, exclusive and in demand digital music by electronic futurists Harmonic 313, Diplo, Roots Manuva, South Rakkas Crew,The Bug and more, alongside a killer selection of Jamaican digital and electronic scientific dub and dancehall. Exclusive new tracks and mixes by Harmonic 313, Stereotyp, Federation; in demand tracks from the likes of Roots Manuva, Diplo and South Rakkas Crew; the toughest digital and twisted rhythms from legendary producers King Jammy, Steely and Clevie, Sly Dunbar, Prince Jazzbo, King Tubby, Firehouse Crew and more all feature on this unique release.

The double album comes in special edition heavyweight deluxe hardcover 2CD card casing complete with a deluxe graphic novel by Italian comic book designer Paolo Parisi (whose books include subjects as diverse as John Coltrane and Chernobyl). This specially commissioned graphic novel is a science fiction vision of the future of digital music, featuring King Tubby, Steely & Clevie, Jammy, Jazzbo, complete with Alien Sound Lord Abductors, Aural Freedom Fighters and Digi-Dub Voyagers.

TRACK LISTING

CD ONE:
1. Steely & Clevie ‘Streetsweeper’
2. Lenky & Sly ‘Now Thing’
3. Ricky Ranking Ft. Roots Manuva ‘Doogoo Dub’
4. Dave Kelly ‘The Return’
5. Annex Crew ‘Summerbounce’
6. Federation Sound ‘Flatlands (Brooklyn Dub Mix)’
7. Lenky ‘Diwali Riddim’
8. Team Shadatek ‘Yoga Riddim’
9. Stereotyp Ft. Alley Cat ‘Modern Times’
10. The Grynch Ft. Tippa Irie ‘Electro Agony In Dub’
11. Fira ‘Hummer Version’
12. Diplo ‘Diplo Rhythm’
13. Harmonic 313 ‘Bazooka Riddim’
14. Ward 21 Productions ‘Pit Bull’
15. Redlight ‘M.D.M.A’.
16. The Bug ‘Aktion Dub’

CD TWO:
1. Fat Eyes ‘Clothes Pin Rhythm’
2. Steven Ventura 4 Kings Of Kings ‘Throw Your Hands Up Version’
3. Sly Dunbar And Christopher Birch ‘Corners Boy’
4. David Jahson ‘King Of Kings Dub’
5. Fat Eyes ‘Steel Plate’
6. South Rakkas Crew ‘Red Alert’
7. Parara And McCoy ‘Them Can’t Hold Yuh Gal Version’
8. King Tubby ‘Fat Thing Version’
9. World Beat ‘Gold Mine’
10. Andre ‘Suku’ Gray (Jammys) ‘Sign Rhythm’
11. Henfield And Shadowman ‘Babatunde’
12. Firehouse Crew ‘No False Hair’
13. Computer Paul ‘World Talk’
14. Fat Eyes ‘Overdose’
15. Prince Jazzbo ‘Great Stone Version’
16. Kickin’ Productions ‘What You Gonna Do’
17. Pliers (Bonner Productions)’ I’m Your Man Dub’
18. Wiz Kidz ‘Team In My Heart Version’
19. Jammys ‘Jam 2’ James (Jammys) ‘Peenie Peenie’