Harlem Shuffle Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Rocksteady era combo The Bleechers put out a lot of music in a short period of time, with the entirety of their bustling catalogue recorded and released between 1968 and'71. For much of that period they were associated with the Upsetter himself, the late Lee 'Scratch' Perry, and it's two of his productions for the act that are showcased on this Harlem Shuffle 7". Originally released via Upsetter Records in 1969, and tricly to find ever since, 'Come Into My Parlour' is a jaunty, organ-rich affair in which soulful vocals and heady Hammond licks rise above a classic, late-60s Upsetter groove. B-side 'Check Him Out' is equally as alluring, with an arguably stronger vocal and more prominent guitar licks replacing the pair's favoured Hammond B3.

Review: Harlem Shuffle Records' mission is to legitimately reissue killer 60s and 70's tracks and it sticks to that mantra here. This tidy 7" heads all the way back to 1969 for The Cobb's 'Joe Gibbs Mood', which was procured by the eponymous Joe Gibbs, who grew up in Montego Bay then Kingston, and brings all those reggae flavours to this tune. The earthy riffs, organ leads, wobbling drums all get you deep in the riddim. On the flip is 'Hot Buttered Corn', a busier and more upbeat version that has those shimmering organs front and centre in the mix.

Review: The Harlem Shuffle label comes through with another one of its well chosen and crucial 7"s, this time from Carl Dawkins. As always with this label it is a highly sought after tune that was first only ever put out as a B-side to the One Dollar Of Music release. It's a fat and chunky rhythm with rolling drums and earthy acoustic guitars, impassioned vocals from Dawkins and plenty of sunny vibes. On the flip is 'Hot & Sticky' which is a little more upright but just as hot and steamy.

Review: Dice The Boss (Hopeton Reid) is a rags to riches story in music.Coming from a very poor area in Kingston Jamaica to then emigrating to London in the late 60s where he MC-ed for Duke Vin & recorded many great records for the UK/Jamaican booming new Reggae market in its infancy on the shoulders of the Bluebeat & Ska & Rock Steady music scene. Two of those early classics are 'Tea House From Emperor Roscoe' and 'Brixton Cat'.from 1969 and 1970 respectfully. Both influential and very rare to be had on an original physical copy. Thankfully, Harlem Shuffle is here to make these gems more available.

Review: Standby for some more classic ska from the good folks at Harlem Shuffle. This reissue is of an essential double sider that first landed on Crystal in 1967. Crystal was owned by Jamaican producer Derrick Harriott, who also produced both of these great tunes. As well as his rolling rhythm and essential horn sounds, the tunes have outstanding vocals from the duo of Lloyd and Glen. 'That Girl' is a red hot jam that is very hard to find and super expensive if you do. On the flip, Lloyd and Glen serve up a love song with aching vocals and more big horns. An essential 7" by any measure.

Review: Harlem Shuffle Records only deals in the good stuff and that is certainly the case again here with another killer double sider. This is also a historic first repress of the rare and extremely fine 'Good Time Rock.' A hard to find, much coveted tune, it is a rocking dub rhythm that has never before been on 7" vinyl. On the flip is another hard to find and crucial tune from Hugh Malcom who lays it down heavy and keeps you locked for the duration.

Review: This killer double sided single form 1968 finds its way onto 7" for the first time ever. Back then it was actually put out as a blank label and was mistakenly credited to The Bleachers, ratter than The Race Fans who actually wrote it. On the B-side is a totally different tune, 'Bookie Man,' which is a gem in its own right. A rare sound and killer groove, it's a great yin to the yang of the a-side and this is the first time both of these have been pressed up together at the same time.

Review: Harlem Shuffle present the first 7" re-release of a legendary late 60s reggae cut with a fascinating backstory. Both sides are credited to Joe Gibbs on the buttons, but there has always been debate about who is singing on 'People Grudgeful' and 'Pan Ya Machete'. The smart money is on it being The Pioneers, not least given the A side tune is a sharp riposte to Lee 'Scratch' Perry taking a pop at the group on his track 'People Funny Boy'. It's heartening to know there were beef tracks even back then, no matter how sweet the ska skank sounds on record.

Review: Here's a supremely rare slice of rocksteady from the annals of Jamaican music history. The Slickers originally released Run Fattie / Hoola Bulla on Trojan back in 1969, and it's easy to hear why it's such a sought after track. Leslie Kong's production brings out the scratchy shuffle of the guitars to perfection, while the harmonising vocals go down oh so smooth. Both 'Run Fattie' and 'Hoola Bulla' are bursting with sunkissed joy, and now the single has been repressed by Harlem Shuffle, so cop yourself a little piece of Caribbean magic and get your skank on.

Review: The Versatiles were a Jamaican reggae group whose expression hardly matched the stereotype of a musician working in the style nowadays; they wore matching white suits and bow-ties, and worked in a more jubilant, clean-cut style than what we're used to. 'Lulu Bell' is a rare and much-sought-after original from the band, released in 1969 and not released on a single reissue since. The B-side on this reissue from Harlem Shuffle, 'Long Long Time', is similarly rare, and it lyrically urges generational communities to come together in song and dance.