Reggae Classics/Ska charts

Review: Soul Jazz returns with another of its supremely assembled and vital compilations, and this one focuses on reggae. Down Beat Special offers a thrilling journey through timeless hits carefully selected from Jamaica's revered Studio One Records, the epitome of reggae excellence. From Michigan and Smiley's 'Nice Up The Dance' to Dawn Penn's 'No, No, No' and The Wailers' 'Simmer Down,' this collection pulsates with iconic tracks. Originally a limited edition 7" box set, this remastered edition boasts 18 rare gems, including works by The Skatalites, Bob Marley, and Horace Andy.

Review: Soma sub-label Avoidant Records recently put out a fantastic collection fo electro cuts but it was a digital only release. Now some of the standouts from it get pulled together on this fresh new 12"that joins the dots between Europe and Detroit. DJ Godfather kicks off with some rapid fire 313 electro, squirrelling bass and slick claps then 'One Direct Line' from The Exaltics is more cosmic and blissed out with lush ambient synths. On the flip, Flug goes hard with mad digital patterns and Blaktony layers up jacking drums, corrugated bass and dark hits. Great stuff.

Review: Compiling a slew of tracks that are either impossible to find or which have never been issued, the legendary Jamaican label Studio One have put together a fresh selection of all the best songs recorded by its women artists over the years. Harkening all the way back to the early '60s and through to the '80s, this boundless, romantic blossom of lovers' bass and vox charts both covering and original hits from the likes of Marcia Griffiths, Rita Marley and Hortense Ellis.

Review: Studio One have put out plenty of big tunes and this is the latest to get a big reissue on a super loud-cut 12" single for extra devastating impact. It's a well-known classic every self-respecting reggae fan should know and blows up any party, especially when tweaked like these two versions. They were originally produced by Studio One bossman Coxsone Dodd and have been covered by The Clash as well as sampled by The Fugees and hip hop MC KRS One. The snaking lead synth, the rumbling drums and classic ska trumpet are all straight up irresistible.

Review: Here's a killer reissue from the Soul Jazz archives which is finally getting a repress. It's hardly surprising when the reissue becomes as sought after as the holy grail original jam from 1970, a sublime instrumental anthem of soulful, skanking perfection with Cedric Im Brooks flexing his sax in glorious style over a beautifully rough n' ready rhythm. It was shortly after this recording was laid down Brooks went on to form The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari with Count Ossie, which tells you all you need to know about the heritage we're dealing with here.

Review: Barely a week goes by without another Soul Jazz compilation, and never are they anything else than superb. This time out we're cerated to another collection of tunes from Kingston's seminal Studio One, but rather than the straight up reggae we're used to, it is more of a melting pot of funk, soul, jazz and dub. All of these tunes were written in the 1970s under the watchful eye of studio chief and producer Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd and there is a wealth of deep, sunny, funk cuts that have more than stood the test of time.

Review: Soul Jazz Records continues to trawl through the vast archives of Jamaica's Studio One label and its many offshoots. This time round, they're focusing on uplifting, feel-good rocksteady and soulful reggae cuts from the late 1960s and early '70s. As you'd expect, it's an excellent collection that not only showcases classic cuts and well-worn "riddims", but also obscurities and the sort of rare gems that make reggae collectors go weak at the knees. With such stars as Alton Ellis, John Holt, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, the Heptones and Jackie Mittoo all featured, and exhaustive sleeve notes from reggae scholar Rob Chapman, Rocksteady Got Soul is another essential Studio One compilation from the reliable Soul Jazz Records crew.

Review: Stone cold classic alert! First released on Studio One back in the late 1970s and a guaranteed reggae floor-filler ever since, 'Feel Like Jumping' is not only one of Coxsone Dodd's most potent productions, but also one of Marcia Griffiths' greatest moments. Now available again on a heavyweight vinyl pressing with extra bass-weight, the track us built around an infectious rhythm, dancing horn riffs, sweet backing vocals and a life-affirming lead vocal from Griffiths' celebrating the sheer joy of dancing. The flipside Dub Specialist revision is superb too - a genuinely bone-shaking, sub-heavy dancefloor dub that places echoing snippets of Griffiths' lead vocal and reverberating horns at the heart of the action.

Review: Soul Jazz Records' Studio One releases are legendary, and for good reason. This 20th Anniversary edition is of one of the most classic of them all, so it rightfully gets a special one-off blue double vinyl pressing. This one set the standard and is jam packed with classics from the almighty reggae roster of master producer Clement 'Sir Coxsone' Dodd. The likes of Freddie McGregor, Willie Williams, Cornell Campbell, Alton Ellis and Devon Russell all feature and contribute to a fine mix of seminal cuts and more rare gems that touch on surreal afro-centric dreams as well as Rasta anthems.

Review: A few years ago, Studio One explored the links between Jamaica and James Bond (where the famous fictional spy's creator, Ian Fleming, famously lived) on Studio One 007, a limited-edition box set of seven-inch singles. Now they've revisited and expanded the compilation, adding more ska and rocksteady interpretations of Bond themes (as well as Bond-inspired Jamaican music used on other films of the late 1960s) and the label's usual extensive liner notes. Our picks of a great bunch include the Soul Brothers' ska interpretation of the 'Thunderball' theme song, their collaborative take on the main Bond theme with Jackie Mittoo, a young Lee Perry on the mic (alongside Bob Marley's backing band, the Wailers) on 'Pussy Galore', and Roland Alphonso and the Studio One Orchestra's 'From Russia With Love'.

Review: If you assumed it was possible to live without a ska version of the James Bond theme tune then prepare to be taught one of life's great lessons. Assumption is the mother of all f**k ups, basically. Fear not, though, what was a one-off pressing by Soul Jazz for Record Store Day in 2020 is once again available, only this time on gatefold LP rather than five 7" singles. Perhaps not as authentic or ideal for DJs, nevertheless the contents are just as captivating. Celebrating, in part at least, the bond between Bond and the Caribbean - author Ian Fleming lived on Jamaica and several stories are set in the region, and filmed on said island (Dr No, Live & Let Die, The Man With The Golden Gun, No Time To Die) this is evocative stuff. Stick it on, kick back with a Martini, and picture yourself casing out a mark at some beachside party spot, stunning partner in hand, senses subtly on high alert.

Review: A true staple of the Soul Jazz compilation canon, Studio One Rockers originally came out in 2001 and has remained an authoritative overview of the Studio One sound ever since. As one of the major powerhouses of Jamaica's music industry during those heady years of ska, rocksteady, reggae and dancehall, Studio One's legacy deserves acknowledgement from anyone with even a passing interest in the music. This collection takes in legends like Horace Andy, Dawn Penn, Johnny Osbourne and Jackie Mittoo, and shines a light on many other iconic artists with that perfect balance of broad appeal and deep-rooted knowledge that Soul Jazz nail when they pull a collection together.

Review: First released way back in 2005, Soul Jazz Records' tribute to the female artists and vocalists who recorded at the legendary Studio One studio in Kingston, Jamaica, returns on CD for a limited time. It's a compilation that's well worth picking up, for two equally valid reasons. Firstly, it features some of Jamaica's greatest female solo singers and vocal groups - the likes of Marcia Griffiths, the Soulettes, Angela Prince and Jennifer Lara. Secondly, the mix of styles on offer - not just rocksteady and roots reggae, but also dub, ska and disco-reggae - delivers an enjoyable lesson in the vibrancy of Jamaican music during the 60s and '70s. Throw in a chunky booklet packed with insightful liner notes, and you have a genuinely must-have compilation.