At the same time that Neville ‘Bunny Wailer’ Livingston recorded his debut solo long playing masterpiece, ‘Blackheart Man’, he was also creating a series of singles for his own Solomonic label. These records were every bit as good, at times even better, but they have never been released outside of Jamaica. Until now…

At the same time that Neville ‘Bunny Wailer’ Livingston recorded his debut solo long playing masterpiece, ‘Blackheart Man’, he was also creating a series of singles for his own Solomonic label. These records were every bit as good, at times even better, but they have never been released outside of Jamaica. Until now…

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.

Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett is much more than just one of the most renowned reggae bass players of all time. As the bassist of choice for Bob Marley and the Wailers from 1969 up until Marley’s untimely passing, Barrett acted as chief musical arranger and bandleader for the Wailers, greatly altering the course of reggae in the process. He has also been one of the most important Jamaican session musicians, beginning with the Hippie Boys in the late 1960s, and after helping reggae to become better established internationally as a member of Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s Upsetters band, he also performed bass duties for a range of noteworthy producers, including Bunny Lee and Keith Hudson, among many others. What is less known, but equally important, is that Family Man produced some of the most challenging and experimental reggae of the 1970s and 80s, issuing unique works in small quantity in Jamaica on a range of short-lived record labels. Soul Constitution collects the best of Family Man’s instrumental and dub output, issued between 1972 and 1982. Aside from a few early tracks recorded at Randy’s studio in the heart of downtown Kingston, much of the work was crafted at the rehearsal room of the original Tuff Gong, based at Marley’s uptown home at 56 Hope Road; some of these works have the very first instances of a drum machine being used in reggae, and all are marked by the supreme musicianship and unorthodox production techniques that has made Family Man’s releases greatly prized by reggae collectors. Several of the tracks are appearing for the first time on long-playing LP and CD format, and most come complete with stripped-down dub counterparts.

A seriously sought after classic album of rocksteady and uptempo reggae hits

from 1969

Superlative 70’s dub masterpiece from the Blackheart Man Bunny Wailer

Subtle interpretations of cuts from Bunny’s ‘Blackheart Man’ album together with contemporaneous Solomonic disco mixes with unsung dub masters Sylvan Morris and Karl Pitterson at the control tower

Marvellous music from Ronnie Nasally… one of the founding fathers of the Jamaican music business

Includes vital vocals from The Blues Busters and The Maytals, eccentric Chinese rock steady from Stephen Chang and one of the first deejay records, ‘Ska-ing West’, from the legendary Sir Lord Comic. Incomparable!

1976 rare dub album consists of robust Techniques rhythms dismantled and reconstructed by King Tubby to its perfection
Long-expected reissue of one of the most sought after dub albums.

Superior rock steady from the vaults of Federal Records

The third edition in this universally acclaimed series including giant of the genre, Hopeton Lewis, and a scintillating selection of hit records and previously unreleased material.

Miraculously rare and seriously obscure killer dubs… one of the very few hard core seventies dub albums mixed by Errol Brown.

A selection of solid dubs originally recorded by BB Seaton at Duke Reid’s legendary Treasure Isle studio and mixed in-house by the Duke’s nephew Errol Brown. A radical departure for all concerned this bold dub album was never officially released although a few clandestine copies reputedly did the New York rounds at the time

American rhythm & blues fervour, boosted by a multitude of sound systems playing 78rpm records on increasingly larger sets, gripped Jamaica from the late forties onwards but, towards the end of the decade, the American audience began to move towards a somewhat softer sound. The driving rhythm & blues discs became increasingly hard to find and the more progressive Jamaican sound system operators, realising that they now needed to make their own music, turned to Kingston’s jazz and big band musicians to record one off custom cut discs. These were not initially intended for commercial release but designed solely for sound system play on acetate or ‘dub plates’ as they would later be termed. These ‘specials’ soon began to eclipse the popularity of American rhythm & blues and the demand for their locally produced music proved so great that the sound system operators began to release their music commercially on vinyl and became record producers. Clement ‘Coxsone’ Dodd, Duke Reid ‘The Trojan’ and Prince Buster, who operated his Voice Of The People Sound System, were among the first to establish themselves in this new role and the nascent Jamaican recording industry now went into overdrive.

In 1954 Ken Khouri had numbered among the first far sighted entrepreneurs to produce mento records with local musicians (mento is Jamaica’s original indigenous music) before progressing to opening Jamaica’s first record manufacturing plant. Three years later he moved his operation to Foreshore Road (later renamed Marcus Garvey Drive) where, with the assistance of the inestimable Graeme Goodall, he updated and upgraded his recording studio. The importance of this enterprising move was critical to the development of Jamaican music and its influence both profound and far reaching.

An unimpeachable classic considered to be the pinnacle of Rastafarian inspired music. Master drummer Count Ossie’s band, including the incomparable tenor saxophonist Cedric ‘I’m’ Brooks, recreate a Rasta grounation, or gathering, playing and chanting a sublime supplication, including Bible readings, in praise of Emperor Haile Selassie I

“Let Africa be our guiding star, OUR STAR OF DESTINY.” Marcus Mosiah Garvey

In 1967 Ras Michael began to play occasional recording sessions for Clement ‘Coxsone’ Dodd with Jackie Mittoo and Soul Vendors at Studio One. Instead of getting paid for his work Ras Michael requested studio time for recordings for his own Zion Disc productions as the Sons of Negus Churchical Host. Seven inch releases at Zion Disc in 1967 and 1968, included ‘A Psalm Of Praises To The Most High’, ‘Come Down’, ‘King’s Highway’ to name a few, and all were unequivocal in form and content. The records did not trouble charts and none were released outside of Kingston…

The Wailers Band meets Horace Andy and Winston Jarrett.
Also known as "Earth Must Be Hell", this is an immense roots classic including lovers anthem "Unity Strength & Love", True Born African", "Let The Music Play" and more.

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.

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.)

The "Digital Revolution" occurred in the Jamaican music industry by a single rhythm called "Sleng Teng". The responsible person for the rhythm was King Jammy who was the owner and producer of the Jammys label. The label dominated the scene between year 1985-1989 and released vast numbers of material. Dub Store Records compiles the best of the 80's heavyweight Dancehall from the Jammys catalogue. The collection consists of "Disc One: Vocals & Jeejay" and "Disc Two: Instrumental Dub Version". Each disc features popular songs and instrumental dub versions on "Hevenless", "Love Punanny Bad" and "Far East" rhythm. They also include rare collector's tunes like Anthony Johnson's 'Dancehall Vibes' and some of them are first time to appear on CD. This selection is crucial for all Dancehall lovers.

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!!

Crucial recordings of the multifaceted Jamaican Music from the early 1960's. Funny and sharp, with the catchiest tunes – foundation music to move your feet!

Internationally acclaimed guitarist Ernest Ranglin with piano genius Leslie Butler in a dazzling quartet. Recorded in 1965.