Roots & Culture Vinyl 278 Items

Reissue of Prince Lincoln's much sought after 12". Two bonus tracks on the flip, taken from the forthcoming reissue of the very rare "God Sent Dub" album. 180g vinyl, in Burning Rockers sleeve. Please note that contrary to what is stated on the label, "One common need" comes second on the A side.

Recorded in the 1982. Roots Radics backing in a dancehall style with the drums and bass of style scott and errol flabba holt on extended 12" mixes. Produced by Jah Thomas at Channel One Studio.

Fully remastered and licensed, ltd to 500 copies. Reissued on vinyl for the very first time, the third Paragons album, originally released in 1982 on the UK reggae label Starlight. All songs are backed by the Aggrovators, the Bunny Lee’s house band, that includes Sly & Robbie, the Barrett brothers - both also with Bob Marley & the Wailers - Jackie Mittoo, Earl “Chinna” Smith, Winston Wright and many others. Produced by Bunny Lee, mixed by Prince Jammy. “Now” marked the Paragons return to the scene, in a big way. Great vibrations, dreamy melodies, a roots reggae masterpiece, not to be missed!

This is a gem of a Chicago soul masterpiece by Barbara Acklin, faithful to the original, but sublimated into a superb lovers' rock with tough drum & bass. On the flip side is a refreshing number by Charisma. The ear-catching phrase, reminiscent of Young-Holt Unlimited's "Soulful Strut," is impressive.

Pt. 2 of the 'Dub me crazy' series by Mad Professor. Reggae meets twisted electronics for wild dub trips!

Originally released in 1982 on the same Ariwa imprint. True D.I.Y. business from this UK dub pioneer.

HHV exclusive vinyl edition on multi-colored vinyl, limited to 100 copies. Only available at hhv.de!

Joe Yamanaka, born in Yokohama, was of mixed descent. His father was a US Army soldier who hailed from the Caribbean. He played Psychedelic Rock with the Flower Travellin' Band. He was also a philanthropist, travelling around the world to help people in countries where conditions aren't great. He himself was raised in harsh conditions as well, being born in a brothel and growing up in an orphanage. In post-war Japan, it was not easy for him to grow up looking racially different from his peers. Joe Yamanaka joined The Wailers after Bob Marley had passed away and recorded with them 'Reggae Vibration'. The very first track is also called 'Reggae Vibration' and can be seen as his introduction to the genre, being a Rock artist in his home country. You will still hear a strong Rock influence in his songs. 'Reggae Vibration' was Recorded And Remixed At Tuff Gong Studios, 56 Hope RD Kingston Jamaica, In April 14th 1982 ~ April 30th 1982

Limited edition LP vinyl re-issue of the 1983 album classic! Recorded with the Roots Radics and mixed by Soldgie at Channel One Studio, produced by Henry "Junjo" Lawes.

Original album from 1983 re-issued! Recorded at Channel One. Mixed at Channel One and Joe Gibbs Studio. Engineers: Errol Thompson, Scientist, Soldgie. Backing band: The Roots Radics, Sly & Robbie (track A5). Horns: Nambo Robinson, Dean Fraser, Dave Madden. Producer: Wailing Souls - Winston 'Pipe' Matthews / Lloyd 'Bread' McDonald / George 'Buddy' Haye / Rudolph 'Garth' Dennis. LP sleeve backside has the reprinted lyrics to sing along.

Re-issue of the classic 1983 album from Josey Wales produced by Henry 'Junjo' Lawes at Channel One with the Roots Radics in full effect and Soldgie at the controls. Includes the Ganjaman anthems 'It A fi Bun' and 'Stalk Of Sensimilia'.

In this great LP Scientist delivers one of his most progressive mixes, deconstructing the originals down to their skeletal base and adding just the right amount of mixing board-generated Echoplex and reverb with his patented minimal sound, a landscape resplendent with steely piano, depth-charge drums, and futuristic dub effects. A mind-warping yet eminently enjoyable way to check into dub central!

Peter Tosh's most "accessible" solo album, Mama Africa, would also be his best seller outside Jamaica, the only one his albums to break into the U.K. Top 50 and even push into the bottom reaches of the U.S. charts.

180g vinyl.

Emotional Rescue is delighted to reissue for the first time, the legendary Ernest Ranglin teaming up with Noel Williams aka King Sporty, on this 1983 meeting of reggae guitar legend and Miami disco boogie don that resulted in this highly sought after 6 track mini-LP.
A defining guitarist and composer in the development of Jamaican music, Ranglin leads little introduction. In a career spanning over 50 years, he was involved in the move from mento and calypso to ska and on to reggae, playing on the groundbreaking recording of My Boy Lollipop itself, before going on to work with the likes of the Skatalies, Prince Buster, Jimmy Cliff and Bob Marley. Born in 1932 in Manchester, West Jamaica before moving to Kingston, Ranglin's self-taught chordal and rhythmic approach blended jazz, mento and reggae with percussive guitar solos. On moving to Florida in 1982, he teamed up with scene king, Williams to present 'a new style', mixing the bass heavy boogie disco the producer was famous for with Ranglin's unique playing. Featuring a who's who of the Miami scene including Bobby Caldwell, Timmy Thomas, Betty Wright and Williams himself, the rearranged order starts here with Soft Touch. A retake of Thomas' TK Disco and Cosmic) classic Africano, before a skanking remake of the William's standard, Keep On Dancing and title bomber Be What You Want Be, crown the match of reggae and vocal disco. Also, included is a beautiful take on Anthony Hester's R&B classic, In The Rain, while the record closes with the choice Papa "Doo" and jammer Why Not.

Jahlin, whose real name is Colin Pitter, was born in Clarendon, Jamaica and moved to Canada in 1975 for his education. He graduated from high school majoring in welding in 1979 and began working as a welder in Toronto while pursuing his musical career. In 1980, Jahlin joined the reggae band Joshua on the recommendation of a fellow musician, Gregory Frank. Later, he recorded his first single "Roots Reality" under his own label, Black Echo. Jahlin's "Roots Reality" is a roots reggae song that was originally released on the Roots Reality label in 1983. Overall, "Roots Reality" is a powerful roots reggae song that showcases Jahlin's talent as a singer and songwriter, as well as his commitment to spreading messages through his music. Its particularity is the addition of violin which is rarely heard in roots reggae music.

A remake of 1983 Surface disco hits. Fashionable and mellow Jamaican lovers featuring rhythm boxes and analog synths, the trend at the time. The beat is less aggressive and more soulful than the original.

Fully remastered and licensed, ltd to 500 copies. Reissued on vinyl for the very first time! Originally released in 1983, this reggae lovers album was recorded by Scientist, produced by Bunny Lee, with the best of Jamaican musicians like Sly & Robbie, Jackie Mittoo, Winston Wright, Earl Chinna Smith ans more...

Edwards was born in Jamaica in 1938 where he was raised with fourteen siblings. Strongly influenced by Nat King Cole, he began performing at the age of 14. He came to the attention of Chris Blackwell in 1959. Edwards had four number one singles in Jamaica between 1960 and 1961, all self-written ballads with Latin-influenced music. When Blackwell set up Island Records in London in 1962, Edwards travelled with him. Edwards worked as a singer and songwriter for Island, recording as a solo artist and also duets with Millie Small, as well as performing duties such as delivering records. He wrote both "Keep On Running" and "Somebody Help Me", that became number one singles in the United Kingdom for The Spencer Davis Group. He continued to work as a recording artist himself, with regular album releases through to the mid-1980s. Much of his later work was produced by Bunny Lee, and he also worked with The Aggrovators.

The compilation you hold in your hands features the best of U Brown’s 1983 release Jam It Tonight, cut at Channel One with the Roots Radics, coupled with enthralling earlier singles laid at Channel with the Revolutionaries. The high points are many in this thoroughly agreeable set that showcases the best of peak-period U Brown; beginning with the devotional ‘Jah Is My Father Still’ and ‘Walk With Jah Love’ from Jam It Tonight, the title track speaks of reggae music’s unstoppable nature and ‘Reggae Gone International’ is a celebratory take of the ‘Pick A Dub’ rhythm, here totally reconfigured, Maxfield Avenue style. ‘Rub A Dub All The Time’ (aka ‘Tu Sheng Peng’) is a killer take of the Dennis Brown song of the same name, while ‘Blow Mr Hornsman Blow’ is an awesome re-working of the ‘Take Five’ rhythm, and ‘Come Along’ a beautiful deejay counterpart to Sugar Minott’s ‘Steal Away Girl’. U Brown has since gone on to enjoy all kinds of musical adventures in the UK, USA, and Europe, where he settled in the 1990s; listen to the artistry on No Stoppin’ This Music and marvel at his enduring talents.

Released for the first time in 1983 on the UK label Vista Sound, “Fight Against Corruption” sees Campbell backed by most of The Aggrovators musicians (Sly & Robbie, Earl “Chinna “ Smith, Jackie Mittoo, Winston Wright) .The album was produced by Bunny Lee and Campbell itself, who – here - clearly skims some social criticism , but also does not disdain some more lovers tunes…another killer album to love forever!

Re-issue of the massive 1984 Roots Radics backed superstar clash! Produced by Henry 'Junjo' Lawes at Channel One with Soldgie at the controls. King Yellowman and the Colonel face off Volcano style. Heavyweight riddims include the Prison Oval Rock, Lecturer, Fever, Stars, and Rougher Yet!

Limited to 6700 copies.

First time available since 2002. The legendary show was recorded in 1983 at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles and originally released as a 1LP highlights album in 1984. The Complete Captured Live features all 15 songs performed that night, including fiery versions of “Equal Rights/Downpressor Man,” “African,” and “Get Up, Stand Up”.

Das Album mit dem Kultcover von Tony McDermott aus dem Jahre 1984 gibt es wieder auf Vinyl! - Aufgenommen im Channel One Studio mit den Roots Radics als Backing Band sowie der Top Horn-Section um Dean Fraser & Nambo Robinson, am Mischpult sass Soldgie (aka Cedrica Anthony Hamilton) und als Produzent fungierte Henry 'Junjo' Lawes.

* First ever official reissue * Remastered from the original analog tapes * LP includes insert featuring lyrics with translation, archival photos and liner notes with artist bio and album story

Já Bô Corre D’Mim

After his first LP Stranger Já Catem Traboi, Tchiss decided to further experiment with reggae and funaná, inspired by the local rhythms of the island of Santiago. Gathering some of the best Cape Verdean musicians of the time, in 1984, together with Zé António on guitar, Bebethe on bass and Alírio on drums, he recorded his second LP Já Bô Corre D’Mim. An album that sings of a young man far from home, his unrequited love and saudade, the struggles of street life in a foreign land and a world of inequality. Recorded in just 3 days at the Pomodoro Studio in Sutri, the album fully expresses the deep and layered sound of Tchiss’ music, where upbeat tempo, powerful vocals and electrifying guitar solos tangle together in a dynamic mix of traditional melodies and cosmic reggae.

Tchiss Lopes

With music in his finger tips and football in his feet, Narciso “Tchiss” Lopes was born on the São Vicente island of Cape Verde on July 27th 1959. Surrounded by the island’s vibrant musical scene, Tchiss began playing guitar at the age of 6, and when he was not playing music, he was playing football for one of Mindelo’s best teams.

Soon enough, at the beginning of 1980, the political situation pushed Tchiss to emigrate at the age of 21. With his heart full of hope and ambition, he moved to Portugal and then to Rome, where he obtained an 11-month contract on a Greek cargo ship. As his father before him, Tchiss became a man of the sea, and his first world tour thus began: from Civitavecchia to Lagos, Nigeria to Senegal, Poland to Scotland, all the way to his dream land, Brazil. Experiencing the sounds of Brazil on his own skin, Tchiss returned to Rome, where his musical career finally exploded.

Tchiss toured Italy from north to south, playing in cities such as Milan, Rome, Naples and Palermo, and brought his music all over Europe: in the Netherlands, France, Portugal, Luxembourg and Germany, to name a few. He defines himself a musical communicator and never stops spreading his music and love all around the globe.

1984 mandatory re-issue for british dub-roots combo. Co-produced by On U Sound and Cherry Red the album shows the masterful production of wizard Adrian Sherwood and a series of sublime vocal performances by stalwarts Bim Sherman, Mikey Dread and Prince Far I. The sublime line-up is completed by master musicians Crucial Tony, "Deadly" Headley Bennett, Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah and Evar Wellington. Enjoy the purity of this aquatic sound 1

Earl Lindo production from 1984...

Lovers cover of the Manhattans' dance classic masterpiece "Crazy". The urban sound faithful to the original song is superb. The flip side is a first-class cover of the classic by the Blood Sisters, a sister group to One Blood. Both sides are recommended for soul music fans!!

Mad Professor, also known as Neil Fraser to his friends is renowned worldwide for his groundbreaking dub recordings, captivating live sets showcasing the creativity of dub sound engineers, and his collaborations with both reggae and non-reggae artists alike such as Lee Scratch Perry, Jah Shaka, Sade, The Orb, Massive Attack, Grace Jones and many more. Above all, he is celebrated for his prolific output in the genres of Dub, Lovers Rock, Reggae and more through his own Ariwa label and south London recording studio boasting an impressive catalog of over 300 releases, among other notable achievements. 

A few years back, we stumbled upon this outstanding Lovers Rock and Dub album which had a very unique raw sound and felt like a whole experience when listened to from start to finish. Alternate versions of the same tracks with different performers in varying styles, tape rewinds, it had us all wonder why it hadn’t gained wider recognition amongst Mad Professor's other releases. 

When we finally had the pleasure of meeting Neil at his recording studio, he revealed that this album was one of his earliest works. It was born out of a birthday gift from his wife—a four-track recorder that inspired him to venture into music-making after years of repairing and building electronics and audio equipment. When we asked him if he would be making music if not for that gift, he confessed that it was highly unlikely (!) 

Mad Professor further explained that this album, originally released in 1984, is a compilation of tracks recorded between 1979 and 1981, representing the nascent stages of his recording and production career, when the idea of establishing a studio and the Ariwa label were just beginning to take shape. He set up all his gear, including his first homemade four-track mixing desk, in the front room of his house in South London. With no prior studio experience, he positioned microphones where he thought they should fit and invited local musicians to collaborate. Errol Sly, Ranking Ann, Sergeant Pepper, Deborah Glasgow, Victor Cross, Sister Audrey, his backing band the Sane Inmates and a host of other talented local artists, some of whom would go on to become stalwarts in their respective genres, all contributed to this album, capturing the raw essence of Mad Professor and Ariwa's early sound. 

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!

The one arm keyboard luminary is well known in the entertainment circle of Western Jamaica. Born on the 2nd of March 1954, the accomplished singer and musician hails from Hayes, Clarendon. In 1969 he went to live in Kingston until 1973. Ancel's first effort in a recording studio was inside the popular Randy's in downtown Kingston. He did a single called 'Riding On' on the Musical Barber label out of Mandeville. In 1977 he joined a group called Solid Foundation and stayed with them for two years. After that he moved to Montego Bay to sing with Stamma and the Sounds of Mobay, with who he appeared on Reggae Sunsplash festival in 1980. Johnny made the move for the United States in 1982, and formed his first own band 'Uprisers' in Pittsburgh city. One of the things he likes to talk about is how he once reunited the famed Clarendonians with Peter Austin and Ernest Wilson. Both pioneer icons were at irreconcilable odds with each other for quite some time. When he came back to Jamaica in 1985, he invited Ernest Wilson to do back-up vocals for him. For the same studio session, he also invited Peter Austin for the same back-up duties, and that was how the reunion came about. Inside famous Aquarius studio, there was Burning Spear's personal Band called Burning. The songs recorded there were 'Moving Out' and 'True Love' with top musicians : Tony Green on the saxophone, Bobby Ellis on the trumpet, Dwight Pinkney on the guitar, Calvin on percussion, Nelson Miller on the drums and Maurice Gordon on bass. This was not the first time Ancel was working with Peter Austin. When the split came in the ranks of the Clarendonians, Ancel was asked to fill the breach. He thus teamed up with Peter Austin and their first single together was entitled 'Out Of Sight'. They later entered the annual Jamaica Festival Song competition in 1975. Their entry was entitled 'Paradise On Earth' which Ancel said was quite popular. However, it was not popular enough to prevent the late Roman Stewart from copping the award with 'Hooray Festival'. After the release of 'Moving Out', Johnny moved to Miami and continued his career as a solo artist, singing with different local bands. He did a number of singles, notably were 'Faith, Patience and Love' and 'Stand Back' for a producer called Jolly in Miami. In 1988 Powell formed his second band Benja, a band which gained increasing popularity in the time in South Florida. They have performed on several festivals, played in most major clubs and were a big success in Andros Island in the Bahamas for an audience who not necessarily consider Reggae their prime choice of music. The saddest part of his life was when he lost his left hand to what doctors termed as a cancerous situation in 1977. This did not, however, stop him from learning how to play keyboards. Initially he was taught by the late Bobby Vaugh in Montego Bay and also got further teaching from jamaican saxophinist Reuben Alexander. Now approaching 70 years old, Ancel is still very active in his music. In previous years he performed at the Marcus Garvey Celebration and is currently working with the “Synergy Band” at Royalton Hotel in Negril under the stage name “Ancel P.” Let the one arm keyboard luminary life and music live eternally !

Fully remastered and licensed, ltd to 500 copies. The soulful reggae singer "Best Of"! Originally released on Empire (Channel One's sub label). Hits from late 70's to 1984, recorded at Channel One studio with Sly & Robbie, Earl Chinna Smith, Dean Fraser, Deadly Headly and many more...

Delroy George Wilson (5 October 1948 – 6 March 1995) was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer. Wilson is often regarded as Jamaica's first child star, having first found success as a teenager. His youngest son, Karl "Konan" Wilson, has found success as part of British duo Krept and Konan. His voice matured as he left his teens, around the time of ska's transition to rocksteady and this period in the late 1960s produced many hits including one of the first rocksteady records, "Dancing Mood", "Jerk in Time" (with the Wailers), "Feel Good All Over", "I'm Not a King", "True Believer in Love", "Rain From the Skies", "Conquer Me" and "Riding for a Fall". "Won't You Come Home", a duet with Ken Boothe on a rhythm originally cut by The Conquerors for Sonia Pottinger has become one of the most-versioned Jamaican tracks ever. After leaving Studio One he recorded for other labels, with varying degrees of success, and set up his own short-lived W&C label. He enjoyed success with Bunny Lee in the late 1960s and early 1970s with tracks such as "This Old Heart of Mine", "Footsteps of Another Man", and "Better Must Come". His double A-side "It Hurts"/"Put Yourself in My Place" was a skinhead favourite and narrowly missed UK chart success. He recorded a version of "Run Run", a song he had originally recorded for Dodd, for maverick producer Keith Hudson. Wilson toured the UK and recorded for Trojan Records in 1970.

Mallory Williams (son of Jamaican pianist and band leader, Luther Williams), a celebrated musician, singer, arranger, and producer, launched his musical journey in 1976 as a keyboard player in various bands within Jamaica's vibrant tourism industry. Along his path, he performed and toured with prestigious groups like Jimmy Cliff's Oneness Band and also We The People Band, providing backing for countless Jamaican artists.

In 1985, during the reggae's digital revolution, Mallory Williams collaborated with Tony DaCosta (from Skatalites fame) and his group the Tony DaCosta Affair (tda), to craft the remarkable single "Yu Saaf." This release not only showcases DaCosta's impressive vocal range but also highlights Mallory's instrumental talent, which incorporates a pioneering proto-digital rhythm. We are thrilled to announce that the 7" reissue of this single will be released back again on Mallory's original 'now' imprint. "Yu Saaf," which translates to "You're Soft" is a pure sound business! It not only serves as a testament to Mallory's production skills but also possesses the power to silence any selectors.

Another one from the fruitful collaboration with LA's highly regarded Patrick Houchen aka Shakaman. After Shakeena's “I bet you” 12" re-issue flying off the shelves, we deepen the exploration within Shakaman's treasure chest of Reggae/Dub gems with Shakeena's first and last album on Majicaa Records. Originally released in 1987, this album is a proper act of musical generosity, not so easy to point out the “hit” track here – clearly a case of all killer no filler. Unlike too many albums where the format length sadly gets the best of the artists' work, rest assured with this one you can play from the beginning to end and you'll only have to come back to flip it. The professional execution of what is hands down an ensemble of highly seasoned musicians sets the tone for the dreamy lyrics and arrangements to unravel. Besides expected reggae rhythms, Shakaman brings in other influences with subtle electro/freestyle hints that might have been hard to ignore in LA at the time. New remastered version sounding especially big and cozy on the low end. Can't go wrong!