Bad Manners - Rare & Fatty: Unreleased Recordings 1976-1997
Cherry Red / Pressure Drop UK 1976
¥2500 ¥1880 (US$12.16)
Laurel Aitken - The Fantastic Laurel Aitken
Cherry Red / Pressure Drop UK 1969
¥2500 ¥1880 (US$12.16)
Skatalites, Laurel Aitken, Doreen Shaffer - The Skatalites & Friends: Ska Splash
Cherry Red / Pressure Drop UK 2013
¥2500 ¥1880 (US$12.16)
Derrick Harriott - Rock Steady Party
¥2376 (US$15.36)
A faultless selection of seriously sublime rock steady from Derrick Harriott. A timeless classic where one of the pivotal pioneers of Jamaican music lays down sweet melodies, mellow grooves and wall to wall soul.
Llans Thelwell, Celestials - Llans Plays It All
¥2780 (US$17.98)
Miraculously recorded in 1965 when Ska was at its best, this is one of the rarest and killer LP to date. Llands Plays It All is constructed with a Caribbean coast vibe such as Ska, Jazz, Afto, R&B, Soul, Jump Up, Cha Cha Cha to name a few. However this killer Montegonian band is surprisingly tight, presenting second to none great performances. LP starts with “Jive Samba” by Cannonball Adderley, brilliantly arranged in the Afro-Caribbean Jazz style. Then moving on to some Jamaican R&B, to the featured track of the album “Mughead Ska”, a slightly longer version than the 7” cut (DSR-RN7-01), furthermore there is“Golden Horns”, this is an ultimate selection for all DJ’s and Selectors. This is definitely a must-have for shelves of the Jamaican music lovers.
Ernest Ranglin - Softly With Ranglin
¥2376 (US$15.36)
Smooth, sophisticated sounds from the highly respected Jamaican guitarist Ernest Ranglin.
Winston Turner Quintet - At The Jamaica Hilton: In The Jippi Jappa Lounge
¥2340 (US$15.13)
In the heyday of the Rocksteady era of Jamaican music in 1968, the Winston Turner Quintet was blending in the cool new sound with Calypso, Jazz, Bossa Nova, Pop and Ballads down at the Hilton Hotel in Kingston. The Quintet's lost classic of down tempo and mood music, originally released on Federal, is now re-issued for the first time. This is the lounge vibe that beautifully crowned those sultry Jamaican nights. (Photograph taken at the Jippi Jappa Lounge with Madam Wasp.)
Hopeton Lewis - Take It Easy With The Rock Steady Beat
¥2500 (US$16.17)
A fundamental album released in 1966 that determined the way Rocksteady was going to journey. In 1966, Rude Boys were at the peak of the fame with their notorious behaviors, while Ska gradually started to slow down its tempo. This album paved the way for a newborn music, Rocksteady, with rather slower and tighter rhythm approach. This album should be considered as one of the ten most important albums in Reggae history. The descent from Ska, which had its derivation from Jazz or Rhythm and Blues, to Rocksteady, with its various potential elements which would be passed to the next decade of Reggae, has been allegedly created in this album with Trinidadian guitarist Lynn Taitt and his band The Jets as the backing band. Entitled “Take It Easy With The Rock Steady Beat!”, most of the tunes featured in this album were written for praising dancehall as if he’d have known this genre was going to rule the dance floors. Among the tunes in this album, “This Music Got Soul” was the coolest of all and called out the dawn of the Rocksteady era. This tune had a huge influence on the future developments of Reggae music.
Leslie Butler - We've Only Just Begun
¥2500 (US$16.17)
Because of his superior talent and intense personality, one of the most ingenious pianists Leslie Butler had a lack of releases, however he was given an exceptional chance by the Federal Records to record this one of the most peculiar albums in the history of Jamaican music. This beautifully finished Jamaican Jazz Funk/Rare Groove album is mostly constructed with the traditional covers that all Jamaicans will know although with the wonderful arrangement, and very Jamaican, ensemble stripping aesthetics give the album a whole new character that can’t be heard elsewhere.This masterpiece should make it to the shelves of not only reggae fans but soul and jazz fans as well. Leslie always committed on making a serious piece of music - never liked to make either of Jamaican popular music or business-like commercial music. He had a strong belief of not letting others to control his talent. Therefore there were often conflicts between him and producers or he was not even given a chance to record anything at all. It’s a really sad story, but this unfortunate musician’s lifestyle can be heard on the recordings such as “Guitar In Ernest – Ernest Ranglin (DSR-LP / CD-501)” and “Reggae Rhapsody – Leslie Butler (DSR-FEDS12-001).” Perhaps with this album in addition, it might be all enough.
Roy Panton, Yvonne Harrison, Teddy Garcia's Musical Combo - Moving On
Liquid Records EU 2014
¥2080 ¥1880 (US$12.16)
Various - Sound Of Young Jamaica: 50 Top Studio One Hits (2CD)
Studio One 1962- 1984
¥3780 (US$24.44)
Cecil Lloyd - A Night In Jamaica With Cecil Lloyd
¥2500 (US$16.17)
First ever re-issue of 1965 Jamaican Latin-Calypso-Jazz album by the piano genius Cecil Lloyd, who led a 20-piece hotel band from the age of seventeen. In 1959, the maestro was asked to record an album for 20th Century Fox and he later released three albums on Studio One. Featuring a solid rhythm section with conga and percussion, A Night in Jamaica was produced by Ken Khouri for Federal's Kentone label. This enduring masterpiece still echoes across the beautiful Caribbean Sea.
Eric Grant Orchestra - Cool At The Casa Montego
¥2500 (US$16.17)
A masterpiece of Jamaican Jazz recorded in 1960 by the Eric Grant Orchestra, resident band of the Casa Montego Hotel in Montego Bay. Rhythm & Blues, Jazz standards, Cha Cha Cha, Merengue and Calypso all combine in this wonderful amalgamation of sounds. Produced by the first Jamaican studio, Federal Records, and its founder Ken Khouri, it is now re-issued for the first time ever
Robb Blake, Liam O'kane - Heavyweight: Acoustic Ska Showdown
Do The Dog Music UK 2010
¥2380 ¥1380 (US$8.92)
Gladstone Anderson, Lynn Taitt, Jets - Glad Sounds
¥2500 (US$16.17)
Trinidad born legendary guitarist, Lynn Taitt, who brought the first wave of Rocksteady to the Island, and Gladdy Anderson who is well known for a Skatalites' pianist, they both got together to record this Rocksteady instrumental album 'Glad Sounds' at Federal Studio in 1968. Released from the Merritone label, which was managed under the Federal. The album depicts the hay day and best sound of Rocksteady as well as label itself. First time to be reissued by Dub Store Records. The forth reissue of the Story Of Federal program by Dub Store Records. The original UK issue was released on the Big Shot label with a different jacket design. Album tracks consist mainly of cover versions of popular tracks, which were produced by Coxsone Dodd, Bunny Lee and Sonia Pottinger. Lynn Taitt and Gladstone Anderson added gentle flavors to their versions by their distinctive instrumental plays. Also Federal's recording facility made possible to maintain this sound quality. Certainly, this is another classic album to add to your collection shelf!!
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Just In!
Just In!
Newly in stock
Merritone compilation vol. 3
Vol. 3 of Merritone compilation album is now available on 2LP and CD format.