Roots & Culture Vinyl 286 Items

Underground Mod Obscurity from South Africa!

Classic dub album from 1980 re-issued! Ten speaker-shaking Matumbi powered dubs recorded under the Well Pack Band flag. Produced by Winston Edwards and engineered by the legendary Dennis 'Blackbeard' Bovell. "Dub Conference: 10 Downing Street" - this re-release is timed to coincide with the 2015 UK general election.

Check out this classic Roots material from around 1980 by Wayne Wade produced by Linval Thompson!

Wade "Jimmy" Dyce was an original member of Cultural Roots. He was a vocalist and played a key role in shaping the sound of the group. Cultural Roots emerged as a four-part harmony group for producer Donovan Germain in the late 1970s, releasing « Revolutionary Sounds » and « Mr Bossman » which counts among ‘Jah Shaka's favourite tunes’. Then they released « Hell A Go Pop », one of the Greensleeves label’s lesser-known classics. In the early 80's, Wade Dyce produced alone three songs at Chris Stanley's famous Music Mountain studio. Wade Dayce surrounds himself with the best musicians of the time, namely the Revolutionaries, but does not remember the exact formation apart from Sly Dunbar on drums and Bongo Herman on percussion. « Humble », « Money Mare » and « Hide & Seek » are three forgotten songs that can be described as killer roots from the middle of the 80s and which you can (re)discover again through this reissue on the original Moving On label. For this release, Jamwax worked with Parade Studio for this original and unique Disco 45 cover graphic creation. Today, Wade, now sixty-seven years old, is living in Salem, Massachusetts, where he graduated in 2010 as a mental-health specialist. Long live to the Cultural Roots !

Originally released in 1983, this 12’’ from French-Haitian saxophone player Ulysse became cult – and extremely rare – within the French boogie niche. Both tracks wonderfully succeed in mixing political statements with dance-floor delights. Boogie-pop track “Naïma” seems to be a love song at first, but actually says the impossible resilience of a woman who has grown up in war. The heavy digital reggae song “Tiers Monde” warns us about the abandonment of Third World children. This maxi single, where each track is instantly followed by its instrumental version for greater DJ use, is an authentic snapshot of the Paris mixed club scene of the 1980s. Really hard to find for a very long time, it’s a great pleasure for Stima Records to make this music available again, in order to reach a well deserved new audience nearly 40 years later!

U Roy’s chart topper of 1970 “Wake The Nation” released with it’s original dub “Non Violence”.

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.

Another inferno is ignited by the legendary producer Jack Ruby in the next installment of the reissue series. Once again, featuring the iconic Tyrone Taylor with "Birds of a Feather," whose vocals soar above a foundation of pure roots reggae, originally recorded in 1976. The heat doesn't stop there, as for the first time on 7-inch vinyl, we unleash the fury of "Death Before Dishonour," an instrumental by Jack Ruby's militant Black Disciples backing band with seriously blazing horns that leave an undeniable mark. This is the first time ever that "Birds of a Feather" and its instrumental counterpart are paired together.

Limited edition of 300 copies on golden vinyl.

Reissued for the first time ever, Power Struggle is one of the grails of tropical record collectors. Incredible dancefloor disco, once edited by Roger Thornhill and now selling for close to $100. This is the first time the original arrangement of “dancing” has been re-released. No filler, a great listen from beginning to end, and one that doesn’t turn up often in good condition. Highly recommended, great from start to end.

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.

Limitierte Neuauflage der beliebten LP von 1982 mit dem markanten Cover des jungen Triston Palma. Aufgenommen und abgemischt im Channel One Studio mit Soldgie am Mischpult, als Musiker fungierte die Roors Radics Band mit dem Produzenten Jah 'Nkrumah' Thomas. 10-Track Longplayer mit den Evergreens und Titelstück "Joker Smoker" und "Two Timer"!

Toots and the Maytals' Funky Kingston is a brilliant reggae album and suitable for both beginners as for experienced listeners. The album was released twice and with so much success that it charted in the Billboard 200 and eventually made it to the Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

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!!

/ one cold vibe

A truly exceptional song showcasing the pinnacle of Jack Ruby's productions, "Black Slavery Days" by The Skulls stands out as a remarkable gem that gained significant popularity in the Ochi Rios sound system scene. The lead singer of The Skulls, Tony Thomas, penned all their tunes, bringing his experience from singing with the original Justin Hinds & the Dominos group. This piece is a manifestation of pure 70's roots music in all its glorious essence.

The Silvertones were steeped in the grand tradition of Jamaican vocal trios along with other greats such as The Heptones, The Abyssinians and The Kingstonians. Formed in 1964 by Delroy Denton, Keith Coley and Gilmore Grant, the group recorded under a variety of names in the ska and rocksteady era for Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle and Coxsone Dodd’s Studio One, before hooking up with producer Lee “Scratch” Perry. Originally released in 1973, The Silvertones’ debut Silver Bullets was recorded at Perry’s Black Ark studio with vocal tracks captured at King Tubby’s Dromilly Avenue studio in a marathon, all-night session. While firmly planted in roots reggae, Silver Bullets’ dense harmonies and relaxed vibe harken back to rocksteady. The album marks an interesting point in Jamaican music where the past and the future are visible in the grooves of a single LP—from classic rocksteady-tinged love songs like “That’s When It Hurts” and “Rock Me In Your Soul” to the Rasta anthem “Rejoice Jah Jah Children.” Antarctica Starts Here presents the first widely available domestic release of Silver Bullets. This reissue is part of an archival series that focuses on Trojan’s essential ’60s and ’70s catalogue. Liner notes by JR Gonne.

The concluding 12” in The Pearls trilogy shows the origins of the band with two playful Rootsy numbers, ‘No Follow Bad Company’ and ‘Duke Street’ backed with the essential Dub versions. Both tracks went on to feature on The Pearls debut LP ‘The War’ released on Sly & Robbie’s Taxi label in 1981.

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!

One-off pressing limited-edition deluxe box set triple-vinyl edition complete with a free 45 single + art print + an exact-replica reproduction Mystic Revelation 1977 mag/zine + download code.

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 avant-garde and forward-looking approach to sound.The group's stunning, unique and groundbreaking 1973 album 'Grounation', a mighty conceptual triplealbum (the first ever reggae triple!) is, similar to Marvin Gaye's 'What's Goin' On', a definitive allencompassing 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.

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 avant-garde and forward-looking approach to sound.The group's stunning, unique and groundbreaking 1973 album 'Grounation', a mighty conceptual triplealbum (the first ever reggae triple!) is, similar to Marvin Gaye's 'What's Goin' On', a definitive allencompassing 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.

Even though Lennon & McCartney compositions have been recorded by every genre of artist in the music industry, this selection by The Jamestown Sheiks, is unique in that the famous songs are presented in reggae style, and what a treat it is! Every song is a gem and it is refreshing to hear a different treatment of these all-time pop standards.

"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.

Cool Rasta is an album by The Heptones, which consisted of Earl Morgan, Barry Llewellyn, and Leroy Sibbles. Brought up in the Trench Town area of Kingston, their first successful record was Fatty Fatty, first released in 1966. Since then, they have had several hits including 'Country Boy,' 'Mama Say,' and 'Book Of Rules.' At the guiding hand of top producer, Harry Johnson they recorded Cool Rasta, which came out in 1976. The title track of the album is a typical example of The Heptones at their brilliant best.

Remastered and pressed on audiophile virgin vinyl for your listening pleasure.

Reissue of this 1982 Reggae classic!!

Very rare 70s roots by The Ethiopians, produced by Niney The Observer. A steady rhythm with playful piano topped off with hearthfelt vocals. On the flip side, as expected, a deadly Observer dub.

The reissue of "Jah Lives" by Thanks & Praises, originally released in 1988, is out now on 7". This captivating song was initially unveiled as an obscure vocal-only B-side, tucked away on the rare High Gate imprint serving as a perfect example of conscious underground US Digi roots.

Recorded and mixed at Monkey Hill Studio in Queens, NY, it was the creative hub of the talented musician and producer Dennis Mann (who is featured on drums and percussion here). Although the studio ventured into diverse music genres, only a select few reggae tracks were ever recorded within its walls. We are honored to present "Jah Lives" as a testament to the rich musical legacy left by Dennis Mann.

As a side technical note it is worth mentioning that "Jah Lives" was originally recorded using a multi-track cassette recorder, also known as Portastudio. Despite some inherent difficulties of extracting audio from a 35 year old cassette and dealing with issues such as sound bleeding, we took on the challenge of restoring it to revive the true essence of the song. To release 'Jah Lives' solely as a vocal cut would have been a tremendous disservice, so we also embarked on a meticulous restoration process to present the song in all its proper glory. In addition to the never-before-heard instrumental version, the reissue will offer listeners the chance to fully embrace the complete spectrum of the song and truly appreciate its beauty.

Reissue of a classic Jamaican roots reggae album by the vocal trio consisting of Carlton Hines, Dave Harvey and Paul Mangaroo, originally released on Message in 1978 and co-featuring Augustus Pablo, Hugh Mundell, Robbie Shakespeare, Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace and many others.

Brand new reissue for the epic Tapper Zukie's first album, originally released in 1973. Supervised by the original producer Clement Bushay! Zukie never expected these cuts to turn into an album, and was quite startled to discover this record in the London shops when he came to town in the spring of 1975. After 50 years “Man Ah Warrior” is still a lively and unique collection. The bassline and trademark guitar sound from The Temptations’ “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” is instantly recognizable in the title track with the riddim featuring just drum, bass, and riffing guitar. “I King Zukie” is a big tune, an interplay between the soulful vocal of “I Dont Know Why I Love You” (originally done by Stevie Wonder) and Tapper Zukie’s toasting. All in all a series of remarkable tunes such as the wicked “Viego”, the hypnotic “Cally Dolly” and “Zukie Fashionwear” with a big trombone and at the beginning Willie Williams (although Delroy Wilson is mentioned in the song) singing lines from the Temptations song “Get Ready”.

Fully remastered and licensed, ltd to 500 copies. The city of Bristol has undoubtedly a rich reggae heritage. The criminally neglected Talisman finally benefits of a long overdue release, collecting their first efforts plus a series of extra tracks. You’ll get their first two singles released on Recreational Records - Run Come Girl/Wicked Dem and Dole Age/Free Speech, both released in 1981 – plus a selection of five long lost contribution. Originally formed in 1977 as Revelation Rockers, a name they soon changed, Talisman were considered the top reggae act in town alongside local contemporaries Black Roots. The band – popular for their intense live shows – opened for such glorious and diverse acts as Burning Spear, The Clash and The Rolling Stones ! This proper release on vinyl allows a new generation of fans to catch with their original style. Talisman certainly shows a different side of the UK reggae flourishing scene – think about Aswad, Steel Pulse and Misty In Roots – putting Bristol back on the map !

A gorgeous disco track with Susan's whisper voice and melancholy melody. Originally released in 1988, this is a great masterpiece that is hard to believe it is more than 30 years old now!!

Killer 1989 digital bizniz from the one and only

Jamaica’s supreme rhythm builders during the 1980s and 90s, Steely and Clevie joined forces at King Jammy’s in the aftermath of ‘Sleng Teng,’ with Clevie on drum machines and Steely on synths, to fashion countless hit rhythms for the rising stars of the dancehall movement. Dubbist was the first Steely and Clevie dub album, an irresistible collection of tough digital dub workouts that strips bare the computerised wizardry at the duo’s core. Collecting dubs cut at various studios, including King Jammy’s and Tuff Gong, these killer dubs will delight all digital dancehall fans

A cover of Ollie Baba's song, which appeared only on Sonia Ferguson's only album, "Magic Lady" (1980). It is a pure and healthy love song. The flip side is a Smokey Robinson classic that everyone knows, backed by the iron-clad rhythm section of Sly & Robbie, and is one of the biggest hits of the UK Lovers Rock era.

Sonia Ferguson's debut song, released in 1978. The original song is a mellow instrumental by The Memphis Horns, but the lyrics attached to the song, except for the chorus part, are her original. The reverse side is a representative song by The Heptics (an alias of Paul Dawkins), released in 1979. It is a mature lovers' rock song with a light rhythm and elegant and beautiful electric piano tone. Paul's gentle voice with a hint of elegance accelerates the romantic mood of the song.