Reggae & Dancehall 367 Items

One of the two new 7" from All Nations Records coming early 2022 is a rework of a legendary tune that all reggae fans know. “I Know Myself” from Ernest Wilson has been a regular play by all champion sounds from Sir Cosxone to Jah Shaka and alikes since late 70’s. Never would be the intention to do better, but All Nations Records likes to do his thing a little bit different, so Simon Nyabinghi has rebuilt the tune entirely in his studio in 2022 style. With a clever recipe of carefully picked sounds and a grooving way of playing, it has the original vibes with a bouncing twist that should suit to all original fans and beyond. All in all, a great humble tribute to a legendary artist sadly gone to zion earlier in 2021.

Earlando Arrington Neil became Early B on the Jamaican sound system scene, working his way through Soul Imperial, King Majesty and other sets before coming to prominence in the early 1980s on Kilimajaro, where he became known as ‘The Doctor’ for unleashing his lyrical cures on the mic. Recording for various producers from 1981, Early B reached another level upon linking with deejay-turned-producer Jah Thomas in 1984, the humorous hit ‘Sunday Dish’ leading to this explosive LP of the same name, an enduring classic of early dancehall that also features the equally hilarious ‘Learn Fi Drive.’ All killer, no filler!

During the late 1970s, deejay-turned-producer Jah Thomas played a key role in the emerging dancehall movement, harnessing the Roots Radics at Channel One studio for rough-edged futuristic rhythms that became platforms for songs of everyday life. Junior Keating’s solid debut LP Weekend Lover gathered popular singles such as ‘Watch What You Do,’ which implored upright living, and lovers laments ‘Long Long Time’ and ‘Something Is Bugging Me’; ‘Conquering Lion’ showed that the versatile singer was also adept at deep roots tunes. With a tough mix by Scientist at King Tubby’s studio and additional editing by Bullwackie, this superb offering is of massive appeal to all fans of late roots and foundation dancehall.

70's Jamaican Roots produced by Lloyd Charmers.

"Good Life" was originally released in 1979 as Greensleeves longplayer number 6 and presents the renown vocal harmony group after Leroy Sibbles had left the group and Naggo Morris had officially joined the trio. The 10-track longplayer was remastered by Kevin Metcalfe, recorded at Channel One studio with producer Joseph Hoo Kim and the musicians of The Revolutionaries. The artwork was designed by Bloomfield/Travis and photographs were taken by David Hendley.

The third installment of this reissue series brings us the dreamy sounds of Kip Carmen & Danny Horton, two seasoned musicians telling us the story about a very special island. At the time of recording in 1980, Kip had already enjoyed a successful career in the entertainment industry after getting signed to Hi Records in Memphis and working together with artists such as Al Green and Jimmy Allen Smith. He then teamed up with Danny and a few other musicians starting a residency at the Long Island night club 'The Lion's Cage' where they played every Sunday night. Originally released on 7" only, the two songs have now been restored from the original master tapes and are pressed on a 12" including a previously unreleased extended version containing a part that was originally left out.

Limited edition for Record Store Day 2020.

Re-issue, 1975 Bunny Lee production, on blue vinyl.

Originally released in 1976

Excellent horns instrumental from ex Alpha school student Bobby Ellis. As ever from Lee Perry as a producer there is a twisted effect on the rhythm (something recorded backwards?) that gives the tune a totally unique feel. Comes with a version on the flipside, in 7’ custom sleeve.

Hypnotic and the jewel in Yabbys musical crown. A side taken from the Beware dub Lp and the flipside is the same off key but still charming keyboard cut of the same rhythm.

The year is 1978 and one hot thing from the musical underground is Reggae music from Jamaica, the USA or UK, where most of the acts had musicians of Caribbean descent. Reggae had the groove, the rebel spirit and the relaxed attitude all in one, to enchant a big part of the world’s inhabitants. And while at least Jamaica as a relatively poor and so called „Third World“ country proved to spawn Reggae acts of highest quality, literally nobody dared to look further and dig deeper into the underground except of a few maniacs who were not satisfied with spinning Marley over and over again. And maybe they stumbled over the 1970s Afro Beat sound from countries like Zambia or Nigeria and then got interested. What did they find in the simmering metropolises of this still mysterious continent? Somewhere in Nigeria they would have certainly caught a glimpse on mind blowing performanes of THE SEA Lions, a six piece group mixing the then hip Reggae and Afro Beat styles to generate fresh and furious music with a hypnotizing atmosphere. Polyrhythmic beat patterns build the foundation, the utterly fruitful soil for the heartwarming melodies wailed out by the guitars and the commanding vocals with their conjuring charme. Great organwork builds the link between the groove section and the melody instruments. You can imagine what a pleasant experience this band might have been live back in 1978 when their sole album „Free the people“ got released. And this album, of which copies in only good conditions already fetch prices of 450,00 US$, while nice clean pieces might go up to 1200 US$, lives up to the expectations one might have from watching a live show by the SEA Lions. The sound is vivid, transparent, powerful and clean enough to make the music a real pleasure listening to, but earthy enough to present nothing but the band going wild here. The songs all have similar pace, not too fast, but swinging and pulsating to spread their energy to and among the listeners. The melodies are simple but come from the depth of the heart. This feels typical for African 70s music and despite being kind of reduced, these melodies keep haunting you still even hours after the record been taken off the turntable and put back into its sleeve. They bring images of an ever pulsating city by night, warm climate, palm trees, people at the bar, a witches cauldron of sounds, smells, voice and pictures. And you feel the magic floating through the air while this groove will not let you go so easily. You can either dance your soul out to this ultimate reissue or you can sit down, listen and let the music tell you a story of the dark corners of the big city, the narrow alleys that lead you into a boiling labyrinth of mystical dreams. And in songs like „You can make it if you try“ you will find the whole magic of the African world, a world so fascinating for us Europeans but still so unapproachable in some ways and dangerous for the weak. Do not try to resist, this is your pleasure. Grab a copy and the SEA Lions, carry you off to their place. I haven’t heard such a killer Afro Beat and Reggae album with songs this exciting and wild in a long time. If you equally love Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, Segun Bucknor and Fela Kuti, look no further. Here is the spiritual essence of all these great artists merged into one giant act.

Delroy Williams over "555 Crown Street" rhythm. Arranged by Augustus Pablo in 1979. Reissue on the brand new Delroy's label "Prosperity" Records. Jah Bull DJ version on the flip.