In the ’70s, Augustus Pablo seemed to appear, like a vision from another world. His music was ethereal, evocative and unique. There has not really been anyone like him, before or since. He now stands recognized as Jamaican music’s best-known lead instrumentalist.

By the mid-1980s, Pablo had become a lot more visible, a lot less fashionable and a little of his mystique had rubbed off. In the 1970s, his own music sold in vast quantities for Reggae product and he became a mainstay as an instrumentalist session player on many Jamaican recordings. In tandem with this session work, he built a unique catalogue of music for a variety of his own labels such as Rockers, Rockers International, Message and Yard.

Message Music deals with Pablo’s instrumentals and dubs from around the mid-80s to the 90s; a slightly overlooked, yet equally impressive period of his musical output.

Enjoy the unmatched sounds of the one and only Augustus Pablo!

Augustus Pablo – Message Music; Pressure Sounds, 2011

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This set showcases the stunning vocal prowess of the sibling duo of Alton and Hortense Ellis. Rather than being a collection of duets, this features each on their own with the exception of the “Breaking Up is Hard to Do” cut. If you’re a fan of Rocksteady, Soul and vocals that drip with emotion, then this platter is for you. Just one of the many classics in the Studio One vaults.

Alton and Hortense Ellis – At Studio One; Heartbeat, 1991

If you happen to have the reissue from 2006 titled I’m Still in Love With You which features extras tracks and extended versions, send it my way. It’d be much appreciated!

Found it! Enjoy the vibes!

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The album jackets of these records would have you thinking you found a gem tucked away in the back crates of some ol’ dusty record store, but, in fact, these albums were released in 2007 and 2011. Funk mastermind and all-around musical badass Mr. Lance Ferguson, bandleader of The Bamboos, Cookin’ on 3 Burners and a solo artist, devised the idea of interpreting obscure classics in the Funk, R&B and Soul genres under various pseudonyms such as Pacific Rhythm Combo, The Mighty Show-Stoppers, Queens Community Show Band, Prince Nafa & His Polynesians, Alvarado Rodriguez Trio, The Poly-tones, The Pasito Allstars, High St. Hustlers, Hiromasa Sato, Milton Jones Rhythm Syndicate, The Anders Hjelmstad Experience and many others. Dynamite sounds as I would say!

Various Artists – Black Feeling Volume One; Freestyle, 2007

Various Artists – Black Feeling Volume Two; Freestyle, 2011

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It all started back in 1971 when music aficionado and future Patti Smith group guitarist Lenny Kaye lovingly compiled the now-classic (and long out-of-print) 2-LP collection called Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968 for Elektra Records.

During the ’80s, Rhino attempted to pick up the ball by releasing their own Nuggets volumes. Now both Rhino and Kaye combine forces to set the record straight, once and for all. The new Nuggets box set not only contains the original Kaye-compiled album in its entirety on one disc, but completes the picture with three more CDs’ worth of essential psychedelic tunes that were left off the first time around, many of them making their digital debut.

Painstakingly remastered from the (mostly mono) original single mixes for best-ever sound, the box also features an extensive booklet containing both the original and new Kaye-penned liner notes, rare photos, and track-by-track annotation. It’s guaranteed to give you a “psychotic reaction”!

Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era 1965-68; Rhino, 1998

Disc 1 – Pt.1, Pt.2; Disc 2; Disc 3; Disc 4 – Pt.1, Pt.2

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In 1972, a repressive Brazilian military dictatorship frowned on artistic impression that might influence the youth of the country. However, producer, arranger and guitar player Arthur Verocai released a self-titled album on Brazilian based Continental Records that challenged the musical conventions of the day. His subtle protest experimented with new musical directions, and used figurative language to sneak under the censorship radar.

This unique recording has a touch of Folk, more than a hint of Funk, Jazz-style soloing, amazing 20-piece string arrangements, blending of electronics and keyboards with organic sounds, and superb soundtrack style music. Check the greatness!

Arthur Verocai – Arthur Verocai; Continental, 1972

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High Explosion DJ Sounds from 1970 to 1976 is the ultimate introduction to vintage reggae DJ sounds. This collection highlights the development of toasting through the recordings of the pioneering stylists of the 60s & 70s. Included here are performances by men now regarded as the founding fathers of the DJ sound. Among them are U Roy, Dennis Alcapone, I Roy, Lizzy, Scotty, Big Youth, Prince Jazzbo, Dillinger, Jah Woosh and Prince Far I. While 50 tracks surely doesn’t cover all of the essential DJ platters out there, this set serves up a quality collection appealing to newcomers and those who have been collection DJ sides for years. All killer and no filler. Check the tracklist here.

High Explosion DJ Sounds from 1970 to 1976; Trojan, 2003

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A collection of productions and remixes from the mighty Kruder & Dorfmeister. Wickedly smooth vibes that have steadily stayed in the rotation, along with their other releases and side projects, for years. If you’ve never heard this, you’ve been missing out for sure.

Kruder & Dorfmeister – The K & D Sessions; G-Stone, 1998 Pt.1, Pt.2

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The incredible Charlie Hunter in a trio setting with legendary Jamaican guitarists Earl “Chinna” Smith and Ernest Ranglin. Forget the artwork, this one’s all about the six strings (or eight strings if you’re Mr. Hunter).

Charlie Hunter, Earl “Chinna” Smith and Ernest Ranglin – Earth Tones; Breadfruit Music, 2005

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This Slightly Stoopid album is ridiculously good from start to finish and amazing to consider that this whole set was laid down in one take while live on the air at ROCK 105.3 KIOZ, San Diego. This one is constantly on the hi-fi and is perfect while chillin’ on the beach with my feet in the sand and looking out towards the Andaman Sea.

Slightly Stoopid – Live & Direct: Acoustic Roots; Jr. Varsity, 1999

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This compilation – based on Ranking Joe’s 1980 vinyl LP Round The World and featuring tracks with producer Dennis Brown and Black Uhuru – captures the 20-year old deejay at the peak of his dancehall dominance. It illustrates perfectly the dictum “It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it”, featuring the deejay in full flow over some of Dennis Brown’s productions of the period. The Black Uhuru tracks, recorded with Sly and Robbie just before the group launched itself on its international career, have long been unavailable; these cuts – as with Dennis Brown’s vocal on ‘Bubbling Fountain’ – are making their first appearance with this album. Killer cuts contained within. Check it.

Ranking Joe – Zion High; Blood and Fire, 2003

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A stellar set of funky, hot Afro-influenced tracks from the 60s and 70s golden period of the seminal Discos Fuentes label in Colombia. An irresistible mix of Salsa, Cumbia, Boogaloo, Tropical Funk, Chicha and more.

To understand what this compilation refers to as the ‘Afrosound of Colombia’, you have to acknowledge the profound role of African cultures in Colombian life and music. The story of the Afrosound is a tale of transformation. It tells of the enslaved African peoples who were taken to Colombia, who mixed with Europeans and indigenous inhabitants (by force or choice), and were eventually set free, as well as the escaped cimarrones (maroons) that lived in palenques (fortified settlements) and continued their own traditions. The Afrosound sings of a double Diaspora, first the trek in chains during the infamous Middle Passage from the Motherland of Africa to the so-called New World, then much later, the migration from the plantations to the cities.

This release deals with the unique sounds produced as a result of the inventive mixing of pop and roots that took place in the urban confines of the Discos Fuentes studios, far from Colombia’s coastal regions. For our purposes, the invented term ‘Afrosound’ can serve as the title of a thrilling and sometimes odd soundtrack that chronicles the diffusion and evolution of the musical culture from those coastal regions as it was brought inland, where it was translated, simplified, mass marketed, manufactured, modernized, “whitened”, globalized, recycled, and then sent back to the world at large, disseminated from the cities of Medellín and Bogotá, where the major bulk of the music production industry resided in the 50s through to the 70s.

The unifying factor for the collection is that the tracks all have something to do with African roots or influences in one way or another, and they mark a period of sonic experimentation, self expression, upheaval, rebellion and rebirth in the industry, nurtured by Discos Fuentes and its stable of musicians, producers, and engineers. Enjoy the Afrosound of Colombia!

The Afrosound of Colombia Vol.1; Vampisoul, 2010

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Analogue Studies and Mellow Orange present Bossa Break Vols.1 & 2. It’s an exploration into classic Bossa Nova sounds that were mixed and compiled by the man called Question.

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Donat Roy Mittoo, aka Jackie Mittoo, is an unsung hero of Jamaican music and quite possibly its most important. Born on March 3, 1948 in Brown’s Town, in the Parish of St. Ann, Jamaica, he first began playing professionally at the age of thirteen with various bands such as The Rivals and The Sheiks and it was around this time that he started hanging out at Federal Studios and playing with the cream of Jamaican’s musicians who from June of 1964 would become known as the Skatalites.

In 1959 Clement ‘Coxsone’ Dodd was recording artists at Fedral Studios when he came into contact with Jackie Mittoo. Dodd was so impressed that he asked Jackie to run the sessions at his new studio, Studio One, located at 13 Brentford Road in Kingston when it opened in 1963.

Mittoo and Dodd recorded thousands of tunes throughout the Sixties. When the Skatalites split, Dodd formed a new studio band, The Soul Brothers, under Roland Alphonso’s direction. Alphonso was responsible for the horn arrangements whilst Jackie wrote the music. Jackie went on to lead the session musicians changing their name to the Soul Vendors and later to Sound Dimension. Jackie wasn’t just the leader, he was a creator as well, giving the bass player his lines, writing the chords for the guitarist, playing keyboards himself as well as arranging the recordings.

The artists recorded during this period included Ken Boothe, Bob Andy, Alton Ellis, The Wailers, The Heptones, Marcia Griffiths, John Holt, Slim Smith, Delroy Wilson and many, many, many others. Additionally, he laid down superb instrumental music. This body of music is not only the foundation of Reggae, constantly being covered and versioned, but an incredible artistic and creative achievement in it’s own right.

If you’ve never heard of Jackie Mittoo, then do yourself a favor and pick up this introduction. To hear all the man’s vibes, you have a hell of a lot more digging to do as his catalog is unfathomably deep. I can assure you one thing though, your time will be well worth it as it is loaded with some of the best sides to ever come out of the island.

Jackie Mittoo - Tribute to Jackie Mittoo; Heartbeat, 1995; Disc 1, Disc 2

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Monk Higgins plays tenor sax and organ on these fantastic early-70s Funk-Soul sets that came outta the Los Angeles scene.

Monk Higgins – Heavyweight; United Artists, 1972

Monk Higgins – Little Mama; United Artists, 1972

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