Roots & Culture 159 Items

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.

Jackie Mittoo is one of the defining figureheads of reggae music !From forming The Skatalites, at age 15, alongside Don Drummond, Roland Alphonso, Tommy McCook and others, to his work as writer, arranger, producer at Studio One records during the sixties, writing and playing for artists such as Alton Ellis, Ken Boothe, Marcia Griffiths and The Heptones (to name a few), to his career as a solo artist as well as leader of bands such as The Soul Brothers, Soul Vendors and The Sound Dimension, Jackie Mittoo is at the heart of reggae music. He was one of the instigators of Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae. In the seventies, DJ music and Dancehall were based upon classic rhythms of the sixties, many using the instrumental tracks that Jackie Mittoo created at Studio One at this time.This compilation features the work of Jackie Mittoo at Studio One. It features music recorded as a solo artist (as opposed to the numerous singers that he accompanied). Most of these are taken from his recordings in the mid-sixties where he was recording on an almost daily basis at Studio One"s Brentford Road studios developing the funky reggae sound that was his trademark.Jackie Mittoo is as much an icon of Reggae as he is to fans of Funk music. He is without doubt the funkiest keyboard player ever to come out of Jamaica!

Israel Vibration is one of the greatest triumphs to come out of the Jamaican Reggae scene and TRS Records is very pleased to announce this special 12" release highlighting 'Vultures' and 'Jailhouse Rocking' both recorded in 1990 as heard on the album 'Praises'. Produced by RAS Records owner Doctor Dread who's vision and guidance propelled the group to new heights. Once again backed by the reggae rhythm machine known as the Roots Radics, Israel Vibration always on point in harmonies with their politically-charged Rasta lyrical concerns, known for their heartfelt spiritual and social commentary songs, and even onto more personal matters. Their songs all ring with true conviction. Under licence and for the very first time ever, TRS is pleased to present both these tunes with their Dubs, side by side.

Igziabeher Yi mas gan (Let Jah be Praised!) - as we follow up with the next release forwarding from Ashanti Selah Music; we are proud to present a fresh combination to the label with Iqulah Rastafari who is a true ambassador and master of his faith as well as being a high-caliber artist in his own right; this release delivers the whole roots and nothing but the roots in its full entirety. Hailing from Jamaica and toured the 4 corners of the world with his band 'Giddeon Family' as well as performing many shows in Africa with the 'Azania Band' - Iqulah always brings the spiritual power and most honourable Rasta energy in connection with the music; making it a such an engaging experience when being among the vibration.

The Maxi-single offers two original vocals and two dub mixes per side with strong lyrics and heavy riddims to accompany!

Among the most important full-length album works from one of reggae’s greatest singers, "Mr. Isaacs" shows the great Gregory Isaacs in the prime of his career in 1976. Better known for his love songs, Isaacs was equally adept at cultural themes. The tracks "Set The Captives Free" and "Slave Master" are among the most popular in his catalogue, the latter immortalized on film in the movie 'Rockers'. The track "Storm" became an early favourite in the dancehall, its rhythm track (aka the Storm riddim) is re-imagined no fewer than 75 times over the last 40 years. Gregory Isaacs love of Rocksteady shines in his cover of the Silvertones’ "Smile", and his soulful side comes through on a cover of The Temptations’ "Get Ready". The breadth of material on "Mr. Isaacs" is the hallmark of a reggae classic!

Wonderful album. Previously released on CD within the Paris DJs Reggae Boxset, this album is now re-mixed and re-mastered by Grant Phabao. Gem!

Ramrock Records are hugely excited to announce the forthcoming release of Ghetto Priest’s ‘Big People Music’ LP, the long awaited follow up to his 2017 album, ‘Every Man For Every Man’. The idea for this LP was originally floated in 2018 and was intended to be a 6 track EP called ‘Songs for my father’. However, once Ghetto Priest got in the studio, the idea expanded as he went the extra mile adding his personal favourites, conjured up from childhood memories of his father’s tunes being played on the family radiogram with additions from his youthful excursions. A magical mixture of tracks associated with the greats – Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Slim Smith, Ken Boothe, Aaron Neville – ‘Big People Music’ can lay claim to being the 21st century’s equivalent of John Holt’s ‘1,000 Volts of Holt’ – an absolute essential on every Blaupunkt radiogram on a Sunday and a blues party staple. The combination of standards and righteous releases were mixed down by the Bishop of Dub, Adrian Sherwood who blessed the project with the title ‘Big People Music’, a powerful acknowledgement to those tunes which filled many a Caribbean household with immeasurable sentiments that echoed down through subsequent generations. Please be upstanding for Ghetto Priest and ‘Big People Music’. 'In memory of the Right Honourable Arthur Beresford Townsend - My Father'

Anyone with a passing interest in music will have heard Bob Marley but anyone with a little more than a passing interest will be familiar with Lee Perry also known as ‘Scratch’ or ‘The Upsetter’. Now better known as a ’performance artist’ his antics and acrobatics on the international festival circuit have gained him a committed following eager to see what Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, now in his eighties, will dare to get up to next. However, throughout the sixties and seventies Scratch was the production genius behind some of the greatest, most complex, and seriously experimental music to ever come out of Jamaica… or anywhere else for that matter. He has made an indelible, incredible contribution to the development of reggae music as a producer, arranger, writer and (occasionally) singer and has been the inspiration behind innumerable developments in the genre In 1968 Scratch’s production of ‘Tighten Up’ with The Untouchables gave the name to Trojan Records’ hugely popular series of albums which were instrumental in crossing over the sound of real reggae to the mainstream audience. The following year the scintillating Upsetters instrumental Return Of Django reached Number Five in the UK National Charts.
His work with Bob Marley & The Wailers in the early seventies, rated by many cognoscenti as the trio’s strongest recordings, emphasised the deeper roots elements in their music and, paradoxically, paved the way for Bob Marley’s commercial crossover success later in the decade. His collaborations with King Tubby in 1973 culminated in ‘Upsetters 14 Dub Black Board Jungle’, one of the very first and perhaps the best ever dub album. Scratch’s production of Susan Cadogan’s interpretation of Millie Jackson’s version of Katie Love’s It Hurts So Good reached Number Four in the UK National Charts in 1975… the list goes on. ‘Genius’ is a much abused term too often used to describe the most mediocre of talents but Lee Perry is, beyond question, a genuine genius.
A renewed deal with Island Records in 1976 to release his productions internationally gave worldwide, high profile exposure to a number of albums emanating from Scratch’s legendary Black Ark studio. These included one of the most important and influential recordings in the complicated and convoluted history of Jamaican music, ranked by many as the greatest set Perry cut with a solo vocalist, George Faith’s ‘To Be A Lover’.

Produced by Alvin "GG's" Ranglin in 1980. Killer roots vocal & Dj's, Dub on the flip.

Kitchens inc. is a new label set up by Leeds based DJ and Producer duo, Marcus and Chris Kitchen. The first release comprises of three original tracks of their own material and will appeal to those that seek out genre crossing music. On a minimalist house tip, expect eery off tones and unearthly vocals that are seamlessly woven into understated grooves. Each track has its own personality, switching between 4/4 and breaks with a discordant jazz theme that runs throughout the EP.

New Zealands Soul-Dub powerhouse returns after 4 years!

Introducing Bays a 9 track boil up heralding a fresh chapter in Freddys fantastic voyages. Bays opens with slow burn funk of ‘Wairunga Blues’ journeying through a hybrid of reggae, hi-tek soul and jazz with techno rhythms underpinning Freddy’s signature horns and Joe Dukie’s smooth & introspective vocals, 'Slings And Arrows', '10 Feet Tall', 'Wheels', 'Razor', 'Makkan', 'Fish In The Sea', 'Cortina Motors' and arriving finally on the crooked blues jam of ‘Novak’.
BAYS is named after our Wellington studio homebase, where the album was predominately written and recorded around beats, food, darts and a winter of content.

Year 1964. Almost out of nowhere, the little-known and regarded director Sergio Leone transposes into a western key a film by Akira Kurosawa, and by putting together all the right pieces, adding a bit of intuition, lays down new rules for the 'spaghetti western' genre, giving way to an endless series of imitations.

"A Fistful of Dollars" would not have the same impact without the inimitable music written by Ennio Morricone, who had curiously been an old elementary school Leone’s classmate. The main soundtrack themes were chosen from two arrangements that Morricone had already drafted two years earlier; once removed the lyrics and added the unmistakable whistle of Alessandro Alessandroni, the spaghetti-sound was finally complete!

The film was an incredible success, and projected Leone, Morricone, and in particular the actor Clint Eastwood into the Olympus of the Great. The soundtrack was released for the first time the following year (1965), along with the one of Sergio Leone's subsequent work "For a Few Dollars More".

This new edition sees the original seven tracks of the score in a completely new layout. The format is a 10" 45rpm LP, with a 26x26cm miniposter attached. Clear vinyl edition.

Polish beats-wizard Emapea returns to Cold Busted for a quick double-shot of crucial dub and phat riddims. Released on 7-inch vinyl, Emapea’s new single celebrates the return of the good life with choice sounds for ‘zoning out’ in the global dancehall. “Same Old Same Old” occupies the A-side with a potent downtempo skank and an infectious sing-song vocal. The vibe is introspective and heady, as echoed percussion swirls through the soundsystem speakers. Flip the wax for “Drop the Bass,” a deeper dancefloor cut with a prominent boom-bap beat and bouncy bass line. Maximum dub pressure is exerted, with splashes of delay effects and rhythmic flourishes as an emcee gives “direction to the entire planet.” In the hands of a top selector, Emapea’s new tracks are ready to move the soul.

Zehn ausgewählte Tracks auf Vinyl zur neuesten Ausgabe der Reggae Anthology von Eek-A-Mouse (2CD+DVD-Set VPCD5016). Enthält drei völlig unveröffentlichte Tracks und mehrere Nicht-Album-Seiten!

Dub inc has toured all over the world for many years, regularly playing in front of tens of thousands of spectators, setting the stage ablaze in the largest European and French festivals, thrilling South American and Indian audiences alike. Their videos get hundreds of thousands of views in daily, and they are followed on social networks by more than six hundred thousand fans. Blending Reggae, Dancehall or world music, Bouchkour and Komlan embody the band's voices in styles as different as they are complementary. They pass on a universal message whether the language of their song is French, English or Kabyl (an algerian language) insisting on how important mixed race and the mixing of styles are. The Saint-Etienne based musical group have never sought a particularly mainstream exposure; they went their own way, building their discography with passion, talent, and focus. Perhaps that is why they have been for now twenty years the best ambassadors of French reggae across the globe.

“Best Dressed Chicken in Town” is the debut album by Jamaican deejay Dr. Alimantado. It was first released in 1978, and collects many of his self-produced singles from 1972 to 1977, employing the engineering talents of Lee Perry, King Tubby, and Scientist.

It was the first album released by Greensleeves Records, and found favour with followers of both reggae and punk rock in the United Kingdom. The album employed several major hits as the basis for the tracks, including Horace Andy's versions of "Ain't No Sunshine" (on the title track) and "A Quiet Place" ("Poison Flour" and "I Shall Fear No Evil"), John Holt's "Ali Baba" ("I Killed the Barber"), and Gregory Isaacs' "Thief a Man" (on "Gimmie Mi Gun") and "My Religion" ("Unitone Skank"). The album was described by The Independent as "one of the finest albums from reggae's golden age".

The front cover photography is credited to D.K. James and the back cover artwork and photography to David Hendley.

The 1982 solo-album by founding member of Black Uhuru!

“Gun The Man Down ” by Dice The boss aka Pama Dice was first released in 1969 on the Trojan sublabel Joe with the track “Thief” by Joe Mansano on the B side. “Thief” is also reissued by us on a separate single dedicated to Joe Mansano. “Your Boss DJ” was also released in 1969 on the Joe Label with the track “Read The News” by Joe All Stars on the flip. Both titles are skinhead reggae classics that have never been reissued and are very much demand.

All Nations Records offers another splendid roots tune produced at Conscious Sounds studio by master chief Dougie Wardrop. This is another great one drop riddim with the notable participation of some top musicians regularly working for that studio: I David on keys, Hughie Izachaar on guitar and bass and Zinxx on drums! With the addition of great lyricist Danny Red from Kingston Jamaica delivering another very relevant song warning all bad minded men to not trouble any roots daughter, this is a very fine roots tune fit for 2022

Fully remastered and licensed, ltd to 500 copies 180 gr vinyl. Officially the latest album released by the british super group, Lows & Highs is the triumphant epilogue to these fascinating adventure in rhythm. Featuring vocals from Crucial Tony and Lizard Logan this is probably the most straight ahead reggae album in their whole discography. Producer Adrian Sherwood is in charge behind the desk while Style Scott, Eskimo Fox and Donald Campbell bring all their potential efforts on the drums. Deadly Headley and Dave’ Flash’ Wright are the top horn section here. The album features the bonus track Read And learn from 1982 single ‘Love I Can Feel’. A must have for any english dub worshipper.

Following on from the recent super-deluxe box set edition of The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari"s "Grounation" Soul Jazz Records are releasing a new edition of the group"s celebrated "Tales of Mozambique". This new limited edition is released as a one-off pressing purple vinyl double album and a one-off purple CD. Sleeve design also comes as a new purple version. Soul Jazz Records are releasing Count Ossie and The Mystic Revelation"s seminal 1975 album Tales of Mozambique in an expanded double album/single CD, fully remastered and with the inclusion of two bonus rare single-only tracks, full sleevenotes, exclusive photographs and interview. 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.

feat. Buju Banton, Shabba Ranks, Luciano, ...

Winston Rodney aka Burning Spear, one of the greatest visionaries in Roots Reggae music, caught live in Santa Cruz, California in 1980, a fabulous year for Jamaican music. Backed by a solid seven piece band, Rodney delivers a highly dense, hypnotic array of songs including immortal Roots anthems such as "Slavery Days", "Columbus", "Old Marcus Garvey" and "African Postman".

Recorded live at the Record Plant Sausalito CA, October 1973. 180gr

Classic Wailers recordings done with Lee Perry early 70s. Tuff roots rhythms with early stripped down versions to later well known tracks such as "Sun Is Shining" "African Herbsman" "Keep On Moving" and many more.

Kmpx Live FM Radio Broadcast: Oakland Auditorium, Oakland, California, USA - 30th November 1979

/ jammin / i shot the sherrif

Beres Hammmond presents his new single! - "Call To Duty" is finest deep conscious music, a beautiful song with a powerful message, available as limted edition 7-inch single in a picture sleeve, right in time for christmas and the holiday season. The song, written by Mr. Hammond and co-produced with Clive Hunt, is familiar in its social themes, yet more dramatic as it is stripped of his usual rhythmic reggae pulse. The swells of emotive chords from keyboardist Robbie Lyn are punctuated to great effect by the all-star horn section of Dean Fraser, Oshane Love and Okiel McIntyre. Harmony House players Michael Fletcher, Errol Graham and vocalists Dorett Wisdom and Sherida Sharpe round out the session. The recording is both a strong statement about life amid a pandemic and a call to a shared vision of what our world can be.

Cut loud and proud with tracks carefully selected "Sweet Reggae Music" includes first time on LP appearances for the much sought after sound-system favorites "Whom Shall I Be Afraid Of", "Praise His Name" & "Pon Your Toe" alongside the broader than Broadway hits "Here I Come", "Mary Long Tongue", "Mini Bus" etc. - During this golden age of Jamaican music Barrington Levy was the undisputed lord of the dancehall - "Sweet Reggae Music" is 100% black vinyl proof!

10 tracks

Rare and unreleased Augustus Pablo from the vaults of Gussie Clark. Includes full 12" versions of the mind-bending 'No Entry' and 'Classical Illusion' (complete with King Jammy dub). Also included is the rare JA 45 take, two unreleased Skylarking shock-outs and impossible to find 45's like 'Believe A Dub'. This is classic Augustus Pablo - Are you ready to be Dubbed?