Ska 170 Items

The Carmines are back with their 3rd full length album "Work Harder Not Smarter"! The band may have matured over the last decade, but the sound is the same and the melodies are here to stay! Staying true to their roots, they pump out 10 new songs, recorded and mixed all analog by Pete Mattern at Horsetown Recording Company, that really capture the sound and spirit of early ‘90s Lookout! Records! Limited to 200 copies on blue-ish/green-ish vinyl

The Sophomore LP from Oakland, CA Ska Punk band Link 80. Vinyl has been out of print for over 15 years.

Side A : Unreleased Great Rock Steady Vocal. Recording In Duke Reid Studio 1966. Side B : Unreleased. Great Rock Steady Instrumental. Recording In Duke Reid Studio 1966.

A premium series of limited edition Japanese pressed 7"s - featuring unreleased and impossibly hard to find gems from the Duke Reid archives.

Great Rock Steady Vocals on this one from the don of Rock Steady, Alton Ellis.

A premium series of limited edition Japanese pressed 7"s - featuring unreleased and impossibly hard to find gems from the Duke Reid archives.

Side A: 1969 Recordind Duke Reid's Studio. Unreleased. Great Harmony And Killer Early Reggae Vocal. Side B: 1969 Never Released at 1969. Wicked Early Reggae Vocal. A premium series of limited edition Japanese pressed 7"s - featuring unreleased and impossibly hard to find gems from the Duke Reid archives.

Both are alternate takes - vocal and instrumental cuts. A premium series of limited edition Japanese pressed 7"s - featuring unreleased and impossibly hard to find gems from the Duke Reid archives.

A premium series of limited edition Japanese pressed 7"s - featuring unreleased and impossibly hard to find gems from the Duke Reid archives.Side A : Unreleased. Recording In Treasure Isle Studio 1965. Original ska take of reggae version that was released to early 70's from Coxsone Dodd. Side B : Alternate Take. Straight ska instrumental.

Foundation. Rock Steady version of the much covered classic. A total beauty!! Back with another great one from the amazing Joy Landis.

A premium series of limited edition Japanese pressed 7"s - featuring unreleased and impossibly hard to find gems from the Duke Reid archives.

Side A : Recording With Baba Brooks Band In Federal Studio 1965. Unreleased Ska Vocal. Side B : Released 1965. Authentic Ska Instrumental. A premium series of limited edition Japanese pressed 7"s - featuring unreleased and impossibly hard to find gems from the Duke Reid archives.

Two essential Rocksteady cuts from the undisputed don of the era, Alton Ellis. A premium series of limited edition Japanese pressed 7"s - featuring unreleased and impossibly hard to find gems from the Duke Reid archives.

Killer early reggae vocal tune and an funky instrumental Reggae cut. TIP! A premium series of limited edition Japanese pressed 7"s - featuring unreleased and impossibly hard to find gems from the Duke Reid archives.

Both recorded in 1961 at the RJR Studio. The a side is a monsterous early 'Shuffle' Ska Inst. The B side is a previously Unreleased Mid Tempo Early Ska Vocal.

A premium series of limited edition Japanese pressed 7"s - featuring unreleased and impossibly hard to find gems from the Duke Reid archives.

A 12-inch featuring classic roots/dub tracks, originally recorded in 1978.

Spanish ska-Oi! band Decibelios were initially around from 1980 to 1990 and they released a handful of albums during that decade. They returned in 2014 with a new album and tour. Recorded live 25.02.2017 in Texcoco, Mexico at the "Festival Comunion Punk & Skin". Limited edition of 300 copies with printed innersleeve and CD of the complete concert.

Debut album from Chicago's 2-TONE ska champs available on limited edition cassette. Fans of THE SPECIALS, MADNESS, or THE BEAT will dig. B&W 2-TONE style sleeve & shell. Includes versions of NINEY's "BLOOD & FIRE", PRINCE BUSTER's "WASH WASH", BILLY BRAGG "LEVI STUBBS TEARS" and more. Ltd 200.

The US ska-heroes captured live in a German studio, during a couple of days off from their 2023 European tour. 'Men In Underwear' contains impromptu live versions of 11 popular Toasters tunes!

One More Bullet is the ninth studio album from the ska band The Toasters. Released in 2007, the album was the first Toasters release on Stomp Records. It was their second album not to be released on Moon Ska Records (excluding early records); as that label became defunct in 2000.

Don't Let The Bastards Grind You Down is the seventh studio album by The Toasters. It has a much more mature sound than their previous albums and wasn't as solely focused on one genre (2-Tone) as their other albums before it had been. The album's cover includes the supposed-Latin motto, "Illegitimis non carborundum", which is supposed to mean "one must not be ground down by the bastards", although it is largely faux-Latin, with "carborundum" (intended to look like a Latin gerundive) actually referring to silicon carbide, a type of abrasive.

Vinyl reissue of third wave ska classic from 1994, originally released on Moon Ska NYC. At the time of release, the ska scene was on the verge of breaking into the mainstream. Excitement electrified the air. No album captured the sheer exuberance of this time like Dub 56. From the opening note to the closing refrain 14 tracks later, the listener is drawn into a party that just doesn't want to end - the band play like they're standing in front of an ecstatic hometown crowd. Highlights include "Mona" with it's irrepressible melody and swing, Skatalite Lester Sterling on "Dancin'" and "Marlboro Man," "Midnight Hour" shows just how much fun you can have with a soul classic, and of course title track with the toasing skills of Coolie Ranx. Essential Third Wave Ska album.

Debut album from Indiana ska band formed by the members of 90's legends Johnny Socko. Anthemic rock infused ska & reggae that harkens back to the heyday of the American third wave, with catchy lyrics and big horns. Limited edition clear blue vinyl limited to 250 copies.

Inspired by Skatalites, Ska-talows creates instrumental reggae arrangements of Jamaican Oldies, Soul, Jazz, folk songs, and other Good Music from the old and the new. The famous reggae riddim "NO NO NO" and an instrumental cover of the classic Japanese folk song "Tankobushi" are both available now on this double-A-sided 7-inch!!

A plaintive love song, in a medium tempo ska style, and R&B style organ infused ballad.

The Sound of Studio One can be identified by the great singers that it cultivated along the many great songs that these singers released. But as studio 1’s dominance was slowly pulled away by the up and coming new breed of producers many of the artists would inevitably end up working for these new camps and so the songs and singers found a new audience. The reggae sound of the Studio 1 would make a great combination and the man to pull this was together Bunny Lee.
The 1960’s in Jamaica was run by two main factions, Coxsonne’s Studio 1 and Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle. These two leading protagonists saw what some of the other great Sound System men like ‘ Tom The Great Sebastian’ had not taken onboard, that when the tunes they imported began to dry up from the USA, their future lied in producing music. Tunes that suited the musical styles that the people of Jamaica still enjoyed. By the late 1960’s thse supremacy was being challenged by the up and coming new producers on the scene, Lee Perry being one, and the other being ‘Ghost of the Studios’ himself, Bunny Lee. Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee may have inherited the moniker ‘Striker’ from his liking of a particular TV show called ‘The Hitch-Hiker’, but it would soon stand also for the considerable hits he would obtain as he was declared producer of the year in Jamaica in 1969, 1970,1971 and 1972.
For this release, we have compiled many of the great Studio hits that Bunny Lee recorded with the singers that had originally cut at the famed Studio 1. Bunny Lee’s sprinkling of magic over some classic tunes….the sound of Studio 1 backed up this time Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee’s set of star musicians The Aggravators. Proving you can’t keep a good tune down, or a great producer pushing forward…..Bunny Lee strikes back….
Hope you enjoy the set…..

"You'll Never Know" was released as a coupling to "In The Mood For Love" on Ska Beat in the UK. Everything from the intro to the lyric and rhyme scheme is beautiful. Tanamo is good at calypso style singing, but the sad tune also suits him well. The coupling song, "I Love You Truly", is a wonderful song with a fast and furious performance of the Skatalites in their heyday and Lloyd Knibb's powerful drumming. Lord Tanamo's Lovers Ska, Double Sider!

"Lock And Key" was written by popular Trinidadian singer Lord Bryner. The chorus will stay in your head all day, and it is rare to find an original calypso that is so pop. The coupling is by Orville Alphonso. The melody has the smell of the Caribbean, and the ska vocals are sure to be a hit with calypso lovers. Two songs full of Caribbean moods are coupled.

A cover of the hit song "I'm In The Mood For Love," sung by Frances Langford in the movie "Every Night At Eight" and later released in many versions as a standard. This take, which was not very successful in Jamaica, was loved in the UK and is now one of the most popular ska anthems and Tanamo's most popular songs. The Jamaican version was pressed in small quantities by Down Beat, and a UK Ska Beat version is in distribution, but it too is rare. The combination of Tanamo and Skatalites is excellent. The coupling is a bright and simple melody sung by the mysterious one-hit wonder Orville Alphonso, and nice ska vocals backed by a vigorous rhythm.

Side A : 1968 Recording. Never Released. Wicked Winston Wright Playing Organ Rock Steady Instrumental. Side B : 1968 Released. Great Rock Steady Vocal By Bobby Davis Lead Singer. A premium series of limited edition Japanese pressed 7"s - featuring unreleased and impossibly hard to find gems from the Duke Reid archives.

Ska Casolà' is Mr. Freak Ska's first record and also the first “syncopated singer-songwriter” reference in Spain. Cooked slowly during 4 years was released on 2011 autumn and was the presentation of the mataronian rude boy Jaume Cuadrada, who used to belong to several jamaican music projects as The Cabrians, The Diatones or Flight 404. 17 pure traditional jamaican cuts, reggae and rocksteady with lyrics full of mediterranean acid humor.

A premium series of limited edition Japanese pressed 7"s - featuring unreleased and impossibly hard to find gems from the Duke Reid archives.Side A : Never Released. Early Ska Vocal.1961 Recording At Federal Studio. Unknown Duke Reid's Duo Artist. Side B : Recoding At Federal Studio 1961. Great Ska Instrumental. This One Was Recording Before "You're So Delightful" By Skatalites In Jamaica.

Limited edition vinyl single from Hong KONG's top ska/reggae act who teamed up with modern British producer King Zepha foe this heavy 70s styled roots affair. Features B Dubbs on vocals/chatting, with a dub on the flip. Red vinyl in picture sleeve.

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.

Emotional Rescue presents the music of Haile Maskel in the first in a reissue series working with Patrick Billard aka DJ Duckcomb, sourcing and licensing from this digger's vaults and out to the wider world. Heralding from the furtive 60's Trenchtown, Jamaica, young Michael Ashley aka Haile Maskel grew up singing, learning guitar and bass. His first recording session was produced by friend Bob Marley, with Peter Tosh on keys, Robbie Shakespeare on bass and Carlton Barrett on drums. The list of sessions is long, working with Lee Perry, Light Of Saba, Dennis Brown and Sugar Minott. Touring took him overseas where he settled in Los Angeles in 1983, soon launching his Opulence Sound) label. Maskel's band, the 101's featured members of The Twinkle Brothers, including cousins Asher and Debo Brown on drum and bass, and augmented by local players. Mixing conscious messages in love songs, Maskel crafts a boogie discodub on which to exalt an uplifting summer jam. With the highly prized original the tapes unearthed unreleased dubs - "Take 1" providing a wonderful version. LA native Duckcomb found a trove of tapes of unheard material, still for discovery. For now, his longform Discomix, cutting and editing Maskel's vocal along with the dubs, completes a first archival splendor.

Jamaica's ska originators celebrate their 60th anniversary with two new songs on a limited edition 45! Both tracks are midtempo ska groovers, with cool lyrics and hot horns. Beautiful old skool label art designed by Chema Skandal, big hole black vinyl DJ friendly press of 1000 copies. (

Personal revision of the well-known bolero, in which Drop Collective, the band from Barcelona fuses with their usual ska-jazz mastery, sounds of the two Antillean islands in a version that will surely become a classic.After their album "Come Shine" (2021, Brixton Records) DROP COLLECTIVE dares to revisit the immortal bolero, composed by the Cuban Miguel Matamoros, of which there have been so many versions. Although the band prefers to record their own-penned songs, this is an arrangement that the band is very fond of and is part of their live repertoire, so they couldn't resist.In October 2018 DROP COLLECTIVE were invited to perform at the 50th anniversary of the BCN Jazz Fest which paid tribute to Bebo Valdés and, at the same time, they were given an ambitious task: to do a version of "Lágrimas Negras" inspired by the one made by the Cuban pianist himself. Daniel Ferruz, the band's keyboardist, took on the challenge of making the arrangement with the initial difficulty of the personality that Valdés' version already has. He confesses that he was afraid to change things, but finally he decided to give it a roots reggae approach, but with more rocker spaces. He kept the sax solo and lyrics intact, and introduced a novel reharmonization at the end. The result is spectacular, the band from Barcelona fuses with their usual ska-jazz mastery, sounds of the two Antillean islands in a version that will surely become a classic.The recording was made at La Panchita Studio (Barcelona) and the B-side includes a dub version of the song by the dub wizard Chalart 58.

Italian Jamaican rhythm & blues trio release first holiday 45 on colored vinyl. Lead by the charismatic MR T BONE, THE UPPERTONES have taken the world by storm with their distinct pre-ska vibe. LOUIS PRIMIA'S classic never sounded better, flip "RUDOLF THE RED NOSED REINDEER" in mento style!

Italian Jamaican boogie, calypso & ska trio's latest album now on tape for Cassette Week 2020. Includes wonderful versions of "got MY Mojo Working", "buona Sera", "l-o-v-e", "that's Amore", "down IN Mexico", and the title track. Popular in Europe and have several Japanese releases.

Originally released in 1987, this album is considered by many to be the birth of modern "third wave" ska in the USA. Remastered audio with "new" artwork that includes illustrations by legendary comic book artist BOB FINGERMAN. Limited to 150 copies for CSD2016.

Number 4 from series:"Non-Ska bands play Ska" - two band, one single, international.SNIPER 66 play Who I AM und BLANKS 77 are Skanged & Pogoed!Limited to 500 copies, hand numbered.

First 7" single of S&M series projectNon-Ska bands play Ska; two bands, one single, international artists.Opening with Portugal's most famous Oi! combo, MATA-RATOS (est. 1982), who skank their way through a new version of "Quero mais". For the first time on vinyl (the original was a bonus on the CD version of "Banda Sonora Do..." in 2016). On the back, the Chileans from LOS PROBLEMAS offer a completely exclusive track, recorded especially for the split. The five-piece band from Santiago de Chile debuted last year with the "Malos Vecinos" EP and now with their very first ska song. "Moonstomping all over the world, we can do the Ska...the Saga continous!" Limited to 500 copies, hand numbered. .

# 5 is the latest from the "Non-Ska bands play Ska" series: two bands, one single, international artist!A French streetpunk band and a Belgian hardcore orchestra playing ska? Works. Amazingly well. HORS CONTROL from Bourgogne-Franche-Comté have gained a reputation as roughnecks over the years, here they go almost smoothly to work, skank in the smart offbeat and write the eponymous theme song for the SMITH & MILLER Series: "Do the ska". HARD HEADED debut in 2021 on S& M with their longplayer, are very soft headed here and only pick up the pace towards the end. Great mix on foreign terrain, definitely more skilfully than deliberately executed.500 ww copies, handnumbered.

The second one of this collection: "Non-Ska bands play Ska" - two band, one single, international.On split number two, Berlin's punk'n'rollers CHURCH OF CONFIDENCE meet up with the Swiss CHICKEN RELOADED from Biel/Bienne, who also produce kickin' punk'n'roll as their main job. CHURCH skank their way through the exclusive "Lowlife", CR transform the "Combat Playground" into an offbeat zone with a lush horn section on the flipside.Limited to 500 copies, hand numbered.

Number three from series:"Non-Ska bands play Ska" - two band, one single, international.THE BEGGAR BELIEF performs Grey Void, DAY DRINKER presents 1996!Limited to 500 copies, hand numbered.

Limited edition 7" celebrating one of America's top pioneering ska bands. Two covers from the 90s never before on wax: "run Joe" (stranger Cole) and "bring IT ON Home TO ME" (sam Cooke). THE Beatles' "rain" originally on a 1987 Boston comp. Sluggo sleeve art just like their first 45!

Emmanuel Rodriguez (Rico), was born in La Habana, Cuba, on October 17th 1934. He was one of the most important trombone players from Jamaica. He learned to play trombone at Alpha Boys School, the music school from where most of the best Jamaican musicians has come from, such as Johnny Moore, Yellowman, Lester Sterling or Roland Alphonso. His tutor was another pupil, Don Drummond, who later was one of the biggest Ska musicians. Rico continued his musical training at Stoney Hill Music school and joined the Rastafari culture of Wareika Hills along with drummer Count Ossie. Jazz influence was decisive his style, as well as the Cuban music from the 50’s. On 1961 he moved to the UK where he joined some reggae bands. On 1976 he recorded with Island Records his most important album: Man From Wareika. During the 70’s he joined the 2 Tone movement, being part of The Specials. From 1996, besides of other projects, was a member of Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra. On August 2015, being 80 years old, Rico Rodriguez entered in the hospital in London, after some time of convalescence, he passed away on Friday September 4th 2015 at, nearly, 81 years old. Andrés ‘Ska Beat’ Cotter is a well known bass player and producer, born in Buenos Aires in 1971. From 17th years old has been been playing Ska and Reggae, being founder of bands such as Riddim, Satélite Kingston and Ska Beat City. In this record Andrés Cotter, along with the prestigious Argentinian trombone player Bebe Ferreyra, decides to pay tribute to the great Rico Rodriguez in a Big Band format. They have selected four tunes from Rico’s repertoire, with some of the best local musicians, having as result 15 minutes of the highest musical level.

Nice repress of these classic tunes.

After the success of the two Laurel Aitken previous singles backed by Mighty Megatons band, on which the Spanish band completes old unfinished masters from the legendary 'HIgh Priest Of Reggae', Liquidator Music releases now the third 7”. On the A side is a cover from The Paragons ‘Only A Smile’ rock steady classic, an elegant interpretation by the genuine Godfather Of Ska from Jamaica who pays tribute to his beloved singer John Holt. On the B side we can find ‘On The Plantation', a Roots Rock Reggae killer tune. Laurel produced, along his career, some conscious numbers, even rastafari and panafricanist but, probably, this one is the most militant along his legacy. Mighty Megatons has done a great job showing their versatility among the classic Jamaican sounds. A must for any Reggae and Rocksteady collector.

In 2020, Cosmic Shuffling took the global rocksteady and ska scene by storm with its hit singles ‘Eastern Ska’ and ‘Short Break’ taken from the band first album “Magic Rocket Ship”. Highly acclaimed by the fans of sixties Jamaican sounds, this first album was sold out in a few weeks only. Now the band returns with brand new music!

Warning! This is original SKA music of the highest calibre. This new double A side 7” record will set the dancefloor on fire. ’jupiter’s Garden’ is an heavy, slow and extremely groovy instrumental ska blown by a six-piece horns section. It is instantly reminiscent of Don Drummond's melancholic compositions with The Skatalites. The music made by these Jamaican legends in the sixties will never be equalled, but Cosmic Shuffling pays a striking tribute to the style and sound of the Greats. Ready to take off on an outerspace dancing journey?

On the flip side, ‘asteroid Field I’ continues the journey through a zone of intense turbulence: the tempo becomes fiercer, the chords move away from traditional harmonies and the virtuoso soloists display their talent one after the other. All of this on a frenzied rhythm worthy of The Soul Brothers.

You can’t miss this record. Double scorcher. Double fireball. Available on 7” vinyl record with pantone silver ink label. Limited screen printed and numbered sleeves edition of 90 copies!

We're very pleased to be releasing four brand new songs on this EP by the recently reformed CASE. Following on from their compilation album from last year which brought together all their original early recordings. This 7" is limited to 500 copies on white vinyl.CASE formed in Croydon in 1979 after being introduced to each other by Slimy Toad from Johnny Moped. Case played the pubs of south London and finally released their one and only 7", the heat From The Chaff' EP in 1983, it reached the top of the independent charts and led to them being played heavily on BBC radio including plays by John Peel, Janice Long & Kid Jensen. Originally, in 1980, CASE played prima...

Lovers rock legend returns with two brand new vintage style tunes produced by MITCH "KING KONG" GIRO. "GIRL WHO CRIED" is a rootsy midtempo rocksteady jam with true lovers flava, the flip "I DON'T WANT ANYBODY BUT YOU" is a fantastic ska groover.