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Barrier Free, Shashamane, Tek-9 Movements, War Dadi Souljahs, Conqueror - Antigua World War 1 Sound Clash (3CD)
Barrier Free JPN 2012
¥1944 ¥1780 (US$12.53)
Chase Cross, Wayne Marshall - Hate Me / Elephant Man, Chi Ching Ching - Too Many Men
Yard Vybz / Buyreggae EU 2011
¥1380 (US$9.72)
Renegades - You've Lost The Love / Merritone Singers - Rude Boy A Wail
Merritone / Dub Store Records JPN 1966
N/A
The Renegades consisted of Winston 'Pipe' Matthews, Lloyd 'Bread' McDonald and George 'Buddy' Haye and later became a group called the Wailing Souls. ‘You've Lost The Love’ is one of their earliest Rocksteady works and it was originally released in 1966. It is also one of the rarest records hardly ever found. The record also features previously unreleased Ska vocal recording ' Rude Boy A Wail' by the Merritone Singers from the original master tape.
Eric Grant Orchestra - Cool At The Casa Montego
¥2880 (US$20.28)
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.
Paragons - Talking Love / If I Were You
Merritone / Dub Store Records JPN 1967
N/A
‘Talking Love’ is a classic hit recording and known as one of the songs that represents Merritone label. Originally released in 1967 and features a Jamaican Soul on the B-side from the master tape.
Leslie Butler - Reggae Rhapsody; Version / Willie Lindo - Mystic Mood; Version
Federal / Dub Store Records JPN 1973
N/A
Classic ‘Rhapsody in Blue’, the original version of ‘Reggae Rhapsody’, was written by notable American composer and solo pianist George Gershwin in 1924. Nearly 50 years after, in 1973, Eumir Deodato edited the song and released it on CTI Records, which label was favored by Black music fans at that time. Leslie Butler recorded his keyboard version shortly after the release of Eumir Deodato version. This is another rare recording to be reissued for the very first time from the Federal catalogue. Side B features a Reggae fusion instrumental ‘Mystic Mood’ by Willie Lindo. The song became a hit and earned a position in his LP titled ‘Far and Distant’.
Hopeton Lewis - At The Corner Of The Street / Move Along With Me
Merritone / Dub Store Records JPN 1967
N/A
Merritone label endorsed the Hopeton Lewis as one of their star singers and here he left two of his last recordings for the Merritone label. Supposedly, both songs remain unreleased until this time and A-side features Hopeton’s dark gloomy vocal. On the B-side, ‘Move Along With Me’ is a solo version of duet ‘Right Track’ with Phyllis Dillon, which were recorded for Duke Reid. According to the master tape, the song was titled ‘Move Along With Me’ instead of ‘Right Track’.
Slim Smith - People Get Ready (Side A, B Label Reversed) / Errol Dunkley - I'm Going Home
Lee UK 1968
¥1980 (US$13.94)
Mr Vegas - Jamaica Nice / Cecile - Life Hard
Maximum Sound UK 2012
Rude Bwoy Be Nice B: Most Royal
N/A
Winston Turner Quintet - At The Jamaica Hilton: In The Jippi Jappa Lounge (Jacket Damage)
Federal / Dub Store Records JPN 1968
N/A
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.)
Cecil Lloyd - A Night In Jamaica With Cecil Lloyd
N/A
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.
Jennifer Lara - Woman Of The Ghetto / Jackie Mittoo, Sound Dimension - Side Walk Doctor Version
Dub Store Records JPN / Studio One 2004
¥2180 (US$15.35)
Keith & Tex - Stop That Train / Bobby Ellis, Jets - Feeling Peckish
Move & Groove / Dub Store Records JPN 1967
N/A
Without any explanation, ‘Stop That Train’ by Keith & Tex is a true Rocksteady classic of all times. The song stands tall in Reggae music history and a biggest hit among Derrick Harriott’s catalogue. Side B features Memphis Soul Rocksteady instrumental, just like a trendy song from Stax Records. Now reissued for the first time with these original recordings on both sides.
Henry Buckley - I'd Like To Know / Lynn Taitt, Jets - Soul Shot
Merritone / Dub Store Records JPN 1966/ 1967
¥1380 (US$9.72)
Although Hopeton Lewis recorded many songs for the Merritone, Henry Buckley was also a prolific singer who recorded many songs for the label. Federal was probably recording with him for his never released debut album. Side-B features a Rocksteady instrumental, which appeared on LynnTaitt’s debut album.
Tartans - Don't Take That Train / Rockin' Chair
Merritone / Dub Store Records JPN 1966
¥1380 (US$9.72)
Unreleased songs by Tartans, the vocal group consisted of Prince Lincoln, Cedric Myton, Devon Russell and Berg Lewis. Originally, it was recorded in 1966. They sing another ‘train’ theme, which was fashionable at that time and about love gently and bitterly on the flipside.
Ernest Ranglin - Mod Mod Ranglin
N/A
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 picked one of 10 pieces of the most important album of Reggae history.
Echo Ranks, Dubble; Dubble - Freedom Fighter; Freedom Dub / Dubble - Earth; Earth Dub
Dub Tunnel UK 2012
N/A
Tomorrow's Children - Bang Bang Rock Steady / Rain (Rock Steady)
Merritone / Dub Store Records JPN 1967
N/A
Tomorrow's Children were probably favored by uptown youths rather than downtown Rudies because of their funky, hard hitting sounds and lyrics. With those elements, they successfully created own killer style, which can be undoubtedly heard with ‘Bang Bang Rock Steady'. The group also versioned the Beatles' 'Rain' in fine Rocksteady style. The original record was released in 1967.
Hopeton Lewis - Rock A Shacka / I Don't Want Trouble
Merritone / Dub Store Records JPN 1966
¥1380 (US$9.72)
Those rare songs did not appear Hopeton Lewis’s classic Rocksteady album Take It Easy. ‘Rock A Shacka’ is truly a Rocksteady classic of all times. It’s a must item for all Rocksteady fans. With his dearest hope, he calmly sings ‘I don’t want no trouble now, no no no. I just can’t take troubles now, no no no. So let’s together in unity, let’s togther in prosperity’ backed by version accompanying heavy bass.
Renegades - Knocking On My Door / Hopeton Lewis - Pick Yourself Up
Merritone / Dub Store Records JPN 1966
N/A
The Renegades consisted of Winston 'Pipe' Matthews, Lloyd 'Bread' McDonald and George 'Buddy' Haye and later became a group called the Wailing Souls. ‘Knocking On My Door’ is one of their earliest Rocksteady works and it was originally released in 1966. It is also one of the rarest records hardly ever found. The record features previously unreleased Ska vocal recording ' Pick Youreself Up' by Hopeton Lewis from the original master tape.
Derrick Harriott - Do The Jerk / Derrick Harriott, Paulette - Dance Romeo
Crystal / Dub Store Records JPN 1965/ 1962
N/A
This reissue features a cool vocal Ska song from 1964 and Jamaican Soul song by boy and girl duo recorded in 1962. Amount of releases was not so remarkable for Derrick Harriott in the Ska era, which could be said as a blank period of his career but despite of the fact, this is simply an authentic and cool minor code dance anthem. The flip side features an excellent Soul duet that was an unusual set at the time. This hot dance number was played in early days of sound systems.