Search "Era – Ameno" 225 Items

A smooth Reggae version of the Randy Newman classic, most famously covered by Nina Simone, that was originally released in 1985. Licensed from producer and bona fide reggae legend Errol Dunkley, this version features killer horns and soulful vocals from Judy & Lynda. Backed with 'Heavenly Day'.

A 140 gram pressing in 3mm spine black disco sleeve with sticker and labels designed by Bradley Pinkerton.

Death Is Not The End sub-label 333 turns up the gold again with this repro of the much in-demand Flames cut of Nairobi Sisters' Promised Land. Sampled by Q-Tip for "Whateva Will Be" (appearing on ATCQ's final long-player) and on a range of earlier 90s boom-bap era productions, it is not at all hard to figure out why it's a coveted record. That break is as low-slung and funky as it gets, and best showcased on the superbly stripped-back dub on the flip.

The Nairobi Sisters were singers Terrie Nairobi and Judy Mowatt (later of the I-Threes, alongside Rita Marley & Marcia Griffiths). Promised Land was originally recorded together with The Gaytones for Sonia Pottinger's Gay Feet label, with this later version cut for Winston Jones' Brooklyn-based Flames Records. It is issued here under license from producer and songwriter Jones - the original singer and composer of Stop That Train (later made world-famous by Keith & Tex's version) with his Spanishtonians in the early 1960s - who later moved from JA to NYC where he established and ran the Flames label, a core imprint in Brooklyn's reggae scene from the mid-1970s until the early 1990s. 333 has licensed a range of Flames-era productions from the now Texas-based Jones, so keep and eye out for more as it comes... but for now, jump on this before it's gone!

During the 80’s dancehall era a number of record producers claimed to be the real authentic sound of downtown Kingston but Ossie Thomas’ Black Solidarity label, operating out of Delamere Avenue in the heart of the ghetto, was the real deal. “Black Solidarity was a youth club in the Kingston 13 ghetto in a road named Crescent Road and it was a Rasta come up with the name Black Solidarity. But through the political violence a get high man start to spread rumours saying Black Solidarity a go get guns to go kill off people and it’s a revolutionary Cuban thing we’re there ‘pon! A lot of people used to go away to Cuba and we called them brigadista. So though it was in a PNP area man start spreading rumours saying the PNP a go plan to send the whole of Black Solidarity to Cuba and them all turn brigadista!

First time re-issue for this golden age righteous rastaman business from Barrington Levy & Trinity. In the rockers era Trinity cemented his place as the number one deejay scoring countless hits and becoming almost an almost essential ingredient on the onslaught of discomixes from yard. Moving into production with his own Flag Man label this 1979 crucial combination killer with Barrington „Lose Respect“ was also the first in a long parade of Mr. Levys 12-inch single hits for Greensleeves Records. The flipside features the soulful lovers rock lick of „Since You Are Gone“ / „Give Love A Try“ from Roman Stewart & Trinity to rival the previous and much loved versions by Delroy Wilson, Pat Kelly & David Isaacs.

After running a sound system and studying electronics overseas, Spanish Town-based Harry Mudie began releasing rhythm and blues recordings by local performers, enjoying more concerted success during the reggae era of the late 1960s and mid-1970s, crafting lasting hits with artists like Dennis Walks and the Spanish Town-based toaster I Roy. The first volume of the Dub Conference series, made with King Tubby, has stripped-down cuts of some of Mudie’s greatest productions, including ‘Lorna’s Dance,’ a percussion and horns take of ‘Caught You In A Lie’, and a strings cut of the Heptones’ ‘Love Without Feeling.’ Excellent!

Sweet Aisha tune on 7" produced by the UK's dub pioneer, Mad Professor. Check the huge sample The Orb lifted off this one.

Comes with a deadly Mad Prof dub on the b side. Recorded mid 80s, these versions were first re-issued in 2008.

After the release of their hugely popular !Turn Up the Heat" debut album which reached No.2 in the Itunes Reggae Charts, featured the cream of the UK dub scene and was released through Trojan Reloaded in 2020, Reggae Roast are back with a brand new release, guaranteed to set dance floors alight this summer. The double A side release features true MC legend Ranking Joe from Jamaica, as well as Reggae Roast Soundsystem front man and award-winning vocalist Donovan Kingjay.
The lead track is a contemporary take on the classic Stop That Train" by Kieth & Tex with Donovan"s sweet vocal take on the original the perfect complement to Ranking Joe"s quick-fire lyrics.
Mr Bossman is a killer 90"s dancehall style track with Donovan lamenting the treatment received by workers from their bosses in their fancy cars and houses, while people like him are stuck in poverty. A sentiment felt by many across the land in these difficult times.
Reggae Roast have established themselves at the forefront of the UK Reggae / Dance- hall scene with a string of forward-thinking productions, with their debut album reaching No. 2 In the iTunes Reggae Charts. Reggae Roast built their following running one of the capitols most loved and long-standing Reggae Soundsystem parties.
This EP epitomises the sound that they have been championing for over a decade, witha nod to 80"s and 90"s nostalgia they are simultaneously bringing the music into a new era.
Ranking Joe is one of the original mic men to chant or chat lyrics on the mic. Along with artists like U Roy and Little Roy in the 70"s and 80"s, their style influenced a slew ofother deejays or Rappers who would talk on the mic and hype up the crowd. This technique of chatting on the mic was later adopted by DJs in New York like Kool Herc and it later developed into their own style: Hip Hop and later in the UK as grime. But before rapping ever existed Ranking Joe was one of the first to originate the style. His first release was on the legendary Studio One in 1974 and he has been active ever since with releases on Greensleeves, Joe Gibbs, Trojan, Ariwa and many more.
Donovan Kingjay is the Reggae Roast Soundsystem Front man and award winning vo- calist. As a figurehead of the UK Reggae scene his soulful voice, and charismatic per- sona make him one of the UKs most sought after singers. He has twice won Best UK Vocalist at the UK Underground Music Awards and continues to release consistently quality output through various labels across and UK and internationally.
Reggae Roast are in full flow working on a new album, and with the covid recovery look- ing promising this summer, they are bringing back there Soundsystem parties too.
Look out for Reggae Roast in a field or venue near you in summer 2021!

One of the key 45s in the output of Prince Jazzbo's Ujama label during the digital era of the late 80s - originally reissued via NYC's Deadly Dragon some 15 or so years back - gets a much needed new cut & press via Death Is Not The End's 333 series.
The late Earlando Neil aka Early B first started performing on soundsystems in the late 1970s, often appearing with his young apprentice Wild Apache, later known as Super Cat. It was alongside Cat that he is credited as a key driver behind the popularisation of the King Majesty and Killamanjaro stables in the early 1980s, following which he had a string of hit records for the likes of Harry J's Sunset imprint, Ossie Thomas' Black Solidarity and Jah Thomas' Midnight Rock label amongst many others.
Following a run of stellar LPs in the mid 1980s Early B's output began to wane as the sound of digital production began to take precedence, but not without firing off one the most killer shots ever recorded on a computerized rhythm for Jazzbo's Ujama in 1987. Reportedly the first time around for the hallowed Replay version, Imitator's subject matter takes aim at the new kids on the dancehall block ripping off the veterans, while he simultaneously pays hard-earned dues to the dancehall's foundation deejays such as Jazzbo himself, U-Roy, Big Youth, Dennis Alcapone, King Stitch, Trinity & Dillinger.

Death Is Not The End turns 10 years old in May, and as part of the celebrations are committing a selection of Dinte NTS Radio shows from over the years to cassette. Kicking off with the recent special Skateland Soundtapes, 1980-1986 - comprising a selection of clips from sessions held at Halfway Tree, Kingston's most storied roller skating rink during the dancehall era's golden period of the early to mid/late 1980s.

Audio sourced with the indefatigable efforts of the Who Cork The Dance crew - big thanks going out to Jayman, Ruff House, Keimo, Omar, Gee Wizz and the one Jah Humble.

New life for a tune that hold a special place in the discography of one of the greatest rub-a-dub and fast-chat specialists in the history of the UK sound system movement, here comes a fresh version of Tippa Irie's powerful “I’m An African” ! First making an appearance as the highlight of O.B.Fs album “signz” in 2020, this fresh reworked version of “I’m An African” features on Tippa’s brand-new album of the same name. To celebrate this, the track was pressed onto 7” vinyl alongside its dub version “African Dub” ! Rufffff

Jr. Thomas & The Volcanos’ sophomore effort Rockstone is more than just a love letter to the roots of Jamaican music. It’s an actual love letter. Tom McDowall aka Jr. Thomas explains, “I could write a musical love letter to all things I loved: my wife, my family, my friends, my band mates. I could write a song to tell me to Chin Up when times got tough. I could give gratitude to the Jamaican artists that paved the way for the beautiful music we now call reggae. I could write a song about what it’s like to lose someone important to you. Or write a song to invigorate me spiritually. Music is healing and that’s the best therapy there is for me.”
Rockstone isn’t just another throwback record to an era gone by. It’s a record that takes risks within the genre, but more importantly it’s a genuinely honest record.
“I called the album Rockstone because true love cannot be defeated. It lives forever. We write tributes on our tombstones because they live on beyond our lives as a remembrance of something special and important to us.”
Recommend for fans of: The Frightnrs, Toots & The Maytals, Jimmy Cliff

Death Is Not The End sub-label 333 returns again with... 333.

Originally released on his seminal Ujama label in 1988, Prince Jazzbo's 333 (aka Mango Tree) features the foundation deejay riding a killer update on the Mpla rhythm. One of the best 45s to come out of this late 80s digital era, no doubt.

Loaded E.P. of mid 90s Mad Professor productions on his own Ariwa (uk) . . . A suite of three slightly comical but straight deadly phasered dubs on A side. On the flip is a strong soulful Lovers tune from Wendy Walker followed by a hazy version... TIP!

The Fire crew meets dub legend Adrian Sherwood for a live performance that is finally released on record today. A sonic clash between electronica, jazz and dub of which the British producer signs live mixes and dubs. Total interplay between the musicians and the dubmaster. This audio work has accompanied powerful live cinema visuals dedicated to fire in all eras and civilizations, up to the present day dominated by the uncontrollable effects of technological development on a planetary scale. The album cover, now out in limited edition, is a photo by artist Antoine Le Grand.

Hot off the press this riddim from No Ice Cream Sound sees Charlie P & Jman go truly back to back inna sound system style and pattern.

This instrumental fuses elements of both rubadub and roots. The heavy organic drums and the rattling bass line is seasoned with driving horns and a skank perfectly suited to the incredible lyricism of Jman & Charlie P. Don't sleep on this one, especially if you are after a hard copy as only a run of 300 X 45s will be up for grabs. A must have for any discerning collector.

The B side takes a delve into the depths of a true dub mix; an amalgamation of spring reverb and tape delays take this mix into a different listening space. The dub keeps true to the A side's rhythm while simultaneously entering a new realm which gives a nod to some of the great dub mixing engineers of our time.

Vinyl close to VG

Soul Jazz Records’ new journey into the mighty vaults of Clement Dodd’s Studio One steps once more into the fertile
musical environment of Jamaican music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, from the sweet harmony vocals of
seminal 1960s Rocksteady right up to the nascent birth of Reggae and Roots music at the start of the 1970s.
Sleevenotes to this album are by Steve Barrow, author of ‘Rough Guide to Reggae’ as well as Soul Jazz Records’ own
‘Reggae Soundsystem Cover Art’ books.
While Ska at the start of the 1960s had taken American Rhythm and Blues as its main influence, Rocksteady focused
on the emergence of American Soul music – with Jamaican vocal harmony groups such as The Gaylads, John Holt &
The Paragons, Carlton & The Shoes showing a particular fascination with the close harmonies of Curtis Mayfield and
The Impressions and other US Soul acts. Here The Heptones even feature with a cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘I Shall Be
Released’.
The influence of Soul music on Jamaican Rocksteady and Reggae is almost palpable, so much so that one wonders
how much more successful singers like Delroy Wilson, Alton Ellis, Slim Smith and John Holt would have been had
they been born in Chicago, Detroit or Memphis.
Artists such as Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson and Owen Gray defined the era – a slowed down beat as Jamaican political
and social heat slowly increased when the 1960s progressed into the start of the 1970s – and the music evolved
further from Rocksteady into Roots Reggae.

bam bam rhythm

Obscure digi dub gem from 2010 by French one-of-a-kind vocal scientist Pupa Jim, available on wax for the first time since its initial short run 14 years ago.

Programmed by the Maffi crew, the Copenhagen riddim experts of the myspace era, this relentless 7″ module aged oddly well, with its futuristic AI-theme and timeless simplicity.

Jahtari main electrician disrupt is taking a closer look into the strippped down riddim schematics on the flip side, kicking it with a minimum set of transistors to wreak maximum havoc dubwise.

>> Run this program:

10 DUB 20 A 30 Goto 10

Here's the first dip into previously unreleased heat from Parish. Fire late '80s Everton Chambers, riding a wicked lick of the tonight riddim. Another one proving yet again that Parish is one of the finest labels of the era.

This heavy roots reggae cut comes courtesy of The Viceroys, legendary harmony group from the stables of the world renowned studio 1. First recording for the venerable Mr Dodd in 1967 The Viceroys were instrumental in moving the sound from rocksteady to reggae with early hits like “Ya Ho” and “Love & Unity” .

The A side of this weighty 45 is a revisited vocal from the early days of the group, a haunting, smokey rendition of Maga Down. Drawing musical influence from Ethiopian and Cuban music as well as its obvious early reggae basis this record sounds fresh whilst simultaneously transporting you back to the golden era with its warm nostalgic themes.

The flip side is an ethereal dub mix from the Bristol based Yakka, an almost psychedelic journey into the mixing board bringing out the best of the vintage sound pellet.

This is the third release from Bristol label Poor Man's Friend Records, produced in the Poor Man's Friend studio and voiced in Jamaica only 300 copies of this smoked out ode to the golden era are available for purchase.

Junior Cat is one of reggae music's most prolific artists. An icon, Junior Cat"The Wild Indian," is known by reggae and hip hop fans across the globe for his dapper Bad Azz style that made the fellas crave and adoring ladies rave over his deliv-ery of edgy lyrics that ricocheted through dancehalls and stages in the 90s with hit classics like “Iron Gloves”; “Top Dog”; “Anorexal Body”; and as featured in the mega-hit movie “Shottas”, “woulda let you go”. Junior Cat is the Don that lesser deejays imitate but never duplicate.

These two avidly sought-after early Reggay tracks are quite rare. Splash Down is the instrumental version of Sufferer and both songs have been produced by Derrick Harriott. This is the first time these two wicked tracks are released together on a 7inch vinyl single.

THE Kingstonians Jamaican vocal trio, the Kingstonians were formed around 1966 by Cebert Bernard (aka Jackie Bernard) and his brother Lloyd "Footy" Bernard, along with mutual friend Lloyd Kerr. They began their recording career with producer J.J. Johnson, but had their greatest success between 1968 and 1970 with producer Derrick Harriott, who helped steer the singles "Singer Man" and "Sufferer" to the top of the Jamaican charts. An LP of the Harriott material was released in 1970 under the title “Sufferer”. The album was the career high point for the Kingstonians, who left Harriott to work briefly with producers Leslie Kong and Rupie Edwards before breaking up as the roots reggae era began.

THE Crystalites The Crystalites were the backing and studio band for legendary producer Derrick Harriott and included top 60s Jamaican musicians e.g. Bongo Herman, Bongo Les, Boris Gardiner, Gladstone Anderson, Karl Bryan, Winston Wright among others!

They were extremely productive between 1968 and 1974 and recorded 4 albums and countless singles covering many styles from Boss Reggae to Dub. More specifically, they recorded many wicked and awesome “versions” of hit songs of that time e.g. Sufferer by THE Kingstonians!

16 years after their first collaboration, the reggae label Irie Ites Records and the group Zenzile, pioneer of Dub in France, pool their skills to produce a new musical nugget!
This project identified under the name DUB IT UP begins a series that will see Zenzile and Irie Ites associate with different singers. Trinity, Jamaican singer and toaster, a true living legend of the 70's Reggae, is the first artist associated with this project. A 3 tracks EP "No Worry Yourself" will be released in February 2020.
An album with 5 songs and their respective Dubs will follow in May 2020. This disc will delight, undoubtedly, fans of reggae and Dub, old school produced: live music and analog!

A truly enigmatic character from the golden era of Jamaican roots music, Icho Candy is an artist that has, to me, always been shrouded in mystery. A devout rastafarian born with a gift for prophetic songwriting, Candy always writes in a way that is true to himself and his deep seated beliefs, regardless of the external pressures he endures as a veteran artist, an incredible feet for an independent artist with a career that spans fifty years.
First recording for the great Joe Gibbs and Jack Ruby in the late seventies, Icho’s big break in the industry came with the hit record “Captain Selassie”, a track that is widely considered to be one of the greatest rastafari anthems in dancehall. During this time Icho also recorded for labels such as Jah Life, Rockers International, Tesfa, Jah Shaka and many more. Like so many of the great artists in the eighties Icho recorded and toured in America for an extended period alongside Sugar Minott, Nicodemus, Nitty Gritty, King Kong before returning to Jamaica to record two amazing albums for the late Jah Shaka.
The A side of this latest seven inch gives us the classic writing style of Icho Candy. Pairing his lyrical depth with an early 70’s Phil Pratt style production. An eerie horns line meets the clean sharp, older school backing vocals provided by The Mighty Viceroys to create something magical, the type of record we thought we may have already heard on some scratchy 45 deep in a soundmans crate.
Yakka once again returns to the label on B side duties, providing another Tubby inspired voyage into dusty fx units and quick draw fades. The bassline increases, the vocal decreases but the vibe never ceases.

Lovers rock style soul runnings from Sydney, Australia on this debut 7” from D.D. Mirage featuring Private Joy. The Original has a true 80’s lovers vibe with sweet harmonies from Private Joy and the flipside features a dubbed version. Labels and sticker designed by Bradley Pinkerton.

Jamaican trio Israel Vibration are one of Reggae's great vocal groups from the 1970s roots era. The trio re-formed in 1988, signed to the RAS label and set to work on a new album known as 'Strength Of My Life'. Produced by Doctor Dread and backed by the mighty force of the Roots Radics, the I-Vibes returned to form and found a new strength and power. The Radics perfectly complement their songs, laying down bass driven rhythms to create a masterful backdrop over which the harmonies conjure up a wide spectrum of moods. Featuring on this Limited 12" release is the crucial and perhaps more relevant to our current climate 'Middle East' plus 'Greedy Dog' with guest musician Augustus Pablo on melodica duties. Under licence and for the very first time ever with their Dub counterparts this release is one for the fans!

Here comes a special tribute to Hamburg’s dub and sound system history of the 90s - an important chapter for dub and reggae music in Germany on a whole. One of the local veterans, Pensi, also known as the man behind Ire Hi-Fi, meets Dub Me Ruff at the Sound Navigator Studio. An unearthed gem from that era entitled ‘Generation Of Change’. The infamous ‘Dub Me Ruff System’-dubplate-mixtape from the 90s, which was run heavily on cassette by fans and collectors alike, featured a vocal cut and one dub. This and some dances at the time were the only way one could hear the tune. We just had to get in touch with Pensi directly, and carefully inquire if there could be a chance to release it after all those years properly. To our joy he was excited about the project and went back into his archive and found the original DAT-tapes and some lost mixes. We are honored to now present to you, transferred from those DATs at Soon Come Studio (a project run by Pensi and a collective of Hamburg producers nowadays) and freshly remastered and cut at Star Delta in the UK, this first ‘90s salute’ from 1995 on 12inch vinyl. Vocal plus three wonderful dub excursions crafted by Danielle ‘Yell’ Mommertz, with her going heavier on the fx with each mix - from ‘gentle’ to ‘Iration style’. The lyrics could not be more fitting today and seem to not have lost any relevance almost 30 years after they were written. A powerful message on an uncompromising roots riddim à la dub me ruff.

During the eighties dancehall era, a number of record producers claimed to be the real authentic sound of downtown Kingston but Ossie Thomas’ Black Solidarity label, operating out of Delamere Avenue in the heart of the ghetto, was the real deal.

“Black Solidarity was a youth club in the Kingston 13 ghetto in a road named Crescent Road and it was a Rasta come up with the name Black Solidarity. But through the political violence a get high man start to spread rumours saying Black Solidarity a go gets guns to go kill off people and it’s a revolutionary Cuban thing we’re there ‘pon! A lot of people used to go away to Cuba and we called them brigadista. So, through it was in a PNP area man start spreading rumours saying the PNP a go plan to send the whole of Black Solidarity to Cuba and them all turn brigadista!

So, the rumours kinda mashed up the club! But we held on to the name and said, ‘we’ll give you a record label named Black Solidarity’. So, after that I talked to the Rasta who coined the words and he said, ‘I have to rate you’ and me say ‘why?’ and the man say, ‘Black Solidarity is a struggle and you realise that’ and me say ‘Yeah… me realise’. So, we take it up serious and deal with it and make it work! You know what I mean?” Ossie Thomas

There was no safe uptown haven to retreat to after work had finished but, after growing up in the deprived Kingston neighbourhoods of Denham Town and Jones Town, Ossie Thomas had nothing to be afraid of.

“This was the start of the seventies when the political rivalry got heated between the JLP and the PNP and the shots start fire… you know. Mum got scared and said she’s going to get a safer place for us to live so she moved up into the hills of St. Andrew… then six months after she died! Can you imagine that? She’d gone to the safest place and died there. From that me just go right back to Kingston… I said to myself ‘don’t be scared… if you’re gonna die you’re gonna die’. From that me not scared of Kingston… me just say to myself ‘my mother scared of Kingston and run and left Kingston’ but through me just live there all of my life on any street downtown me just feel comfortable.” Ossie Thomas

This album provides an insightful glimpse into life in these unforgiving Kingston neighbourhoods describing not only the poverty and desperation but also how, at times, styles, fashions and the cathartic joys of music and the dancehall could transform this harsh, unforgiving environment into one of joyous celebration.

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.

Crafted at the renowned Ariwa Studios in South London, the new track features lyrics and vocals by Askala Selassie, which have been combined with an iconic Aswad instrumental “Warrior Charge”

Sung by I Jah, co-produced by First Eye, with guitar by James Shepherd and harmonies by Tree (a classical singer from Trinidad), this is immediately identifiable as a classic in the truest traditions of the Caribbean community. Add it to your playlists, honour the memory of the Windrush Generation and discover exactly why they had to be Tuff Like Iron

Next from Jerry Harris' new label Motive is this killer modern roots tune, a version of a classic roots rhythm, with excellent dub wise side by Wackie's own Prince Douglas. Top shelf contemporary reggae from two OG's here, don't miss it.

"Late Night Attack come catch the Late Night Attack!" Good things come to those who wait. We're thrilled to finally unveil the latest reissue in our Harry J grail series, a long-anticipated release "Late Night Attack." This 1987 gem shares the same rhythm as "Jam The Calypso," a reissue from a couple of years ago. Vicious Irie, also known as Sedley Downer, delivers an absolute fire performance, spitting lyrics over this fast-paced Harry J digi riddim.