Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - News

Off to a flying start in 2017, with four new tracks from Diggory Kenrick and Jah Wobble. A side has the flute business plus a dub, with an alternate cut on the B side with a lush xylophone workout. Wobble's bass comes up from the cellar and Digs' melodies are inspired. Mixed by Diggory Kenrick at Foggy Road studios.

Reward For Me is one of Joe Higgs finest songs. Evocative of the Trenchtown ghetto where evenings were spent rehearsing and songwriting in Joe's informal 'yard' sessions, it has the added bonus of Eric Gale's jazz guitar licks accompanying Joe's rhythm guitar. The B side is a tasteful instrumental, rather than a heavy dub. Absolute classic song long been unavailable on a 45, comes in a hand stamped bag. Essential.

As Dub Reggae music becomes a global force, Vibronics & Conscious Sounds present an album that celebrates 50 years of dub music. Dougie Wardrop & Steve Vibronics present an album that takes classic music from each decade of dub, starting with 1970s Jamaica music right up 2010s worldwide dub sounds. The two prominent UK Dub producers will take each decade in turn, as the listener is catapulted across half a century of roots rocking Reggae music. This unique dubwise concept album will feature reworking of classic tunes from 1970s, 1980s, new versions of crucial music from the Conscious Sounds & Vibronics back catalogue from 1990s & 2000s and some brand new future dubs for the 2010s. Dubwise music across 50 years.

PROMO : Don Letts 6Music London, Culture Dub France, Jah Shaka, Iration Steppas & Aba Shanti full sound system support, radiodirectx promo

deDUBros begins the 2017 releasing their first 7" vinyl! And it's Elastica N° 100!
Let yourself go in the warm atmosphere of a Caribbean beach with Mr. Caraibo!
Classic roots instrumental tune, singing saxophone and the B-side DUB version Mr. Caraidub!
Limited copies in the marvellous graphic art packaged vinyl!
Get your own one and #STAYDUB

1985 Headphone scorcher reissued for the first time, with original label artworkon translucent vinyl, in spined house bag.

1988 Little John Nheng release reissued for the first time, with original label artwork, on translucent vinyl, in spined house bag.

Taken from "Turn Up" their first album in 11 years, one of the leading figures of the Japanese ska scene The Ska Flames dropping the Japane bred Jamaican ska "Hoppin' Steppin'" backed with a cover of classic ballad "Someday" by Dave Bartholomew.

Aketi Ray / Alpha & Omega - Mirror / Reflect & Rise

Excellent comp which marked the 30 anniversary of Bob Marley's death in May 1981, this double album collects together highlights from Marley's pre-Island Records recordings. Bob Marley had already established himself as the leading voice of Reggae music before his signing to Island Records in 1972 and his rise to international super-stardom. This is evident from these 20 gems from his earlier recordings made with The Wailers, which many reggae authorities consider to be his finest and purest work. Very much roots-based, they are in marked contrast to Marley's later ones for Island, where his sound was tailored towards the lucrative rock market. These remarkable recordings from the late 60's and early 70's remain as testament to Marley's genius as both a songwriter and a singer. Comprising in the main of titles from his sessions with famed producer Lee Perry, the set features several titles which Marley was successfully to return to in later years, such as 'Trenchtown Rock', 'Lively Up Yourself', and 'Natural Mystic'. The set also contains several sought-after titles and versions as well as his original recording of 'Concrete Jungle', a highlight of his 'Catch A Fire' debut album for Island.

Excellent comp which marked the 30 anniversary of Bob Marley's death in May 1981, this double album collects together highlights from Marley's pre-Island Records recordings.

Bob Marley had already established himself as the leading voice of Reggae music before his signing to Island Records in 1972 and his rise to international super-stardom. This is evident from these 20 gems from his earlier recordings made with The Wailers, which many reggae authorities consider to be his finest and purest work.

Very much roots-based, they are in marked contrast to Marley's later ones for Island, where his sound was tailored towards the lucrative rock market. These remarkable recordings from the late 60's and early 70's remain as testament to Marley's genius as both a songwriter and a singer.

Comprising in the main of titles from his sessions with famed producer Lee Perry, the set features several titles which Marley was successfully to return to in later years, such as 'Trenchtown Rock', 'Lively Up Yourself', and 'Natural Mystic'.

The set also contains several sought-after titles and versions as well as his original recording of 'Concrete Jungle', a highlight of his 'Catch A Fire' debut album for Island.

The Hoodna Orchestra is a 12 members orchestra who studies and investigates the African origins of western popular music. The Orchestra formed in 2012 in the south side of Tel Aviv, by a group of musicians, and it functions as a collective and a record label.

Hoodna's musical director is The Guitarist and composer Ilan Smilan. The cultural and musical environment that surrounds the group has a great effect on its creative process. Exposure to Ethiopian', Eritrean and Arabic musical traditions, coupled with an ongoing study and exploration of different jazz styles, creates a unique blend which has made The Hoodna Orchestra one of the most appreciated and sought-after live shows in Israel.

YELBEN (from my heart in Amharic) is the new single from the Hoodna Orchestra and Tesfaye Negatu. It is a love song, reflects a painful longing for a love that is long gone.

The song was written by the Ethiopian poet and singer Demisu Belete and composed

by Ilan Smilan.

The B-side is the instrumental song BEZE ("on my side" in the ge'ez language).

Both songs recorded live in the Hoodna studio, on mostly analog equipment.

The songs convey a respectful nod to the glory days of Ethiopian jazz and pop in

Adis Abbeba, during the 60's and 70's.

The new single is the first in a series of collaborations between the Hoodna Orchestra and Ethiopian singers and musicians, both from Israel and Ethiopia.

Der Newcomer mit dem Top-A-Top Rootsalbum 2016 produziert von Clifton "Specialist" Dillon und Bobby Digital.A forthcoming masterpiece of a new artist! - With traces of Burning Spear and Culture in his voice, Spiritual's original songs share with buzz artists like Chronixx, Protoje and Alborosie the aims and destiny of Reggae's new roots re-generation. Production credits are a seal of quality, as there is the main producer Clifton "Specialist" Dillon (producer for Alborosie, Shabba Ranks in the 90ies, world hit by OMI and many more) alongside Bobby "Digital" Dixon, who also mixed a good part of the album. The main recording took place at Digital B, plus some at Anchor, Tuff Gong and Oufah Recording studios, with a big credit list of finest musicians, both veteran or new generation of the Jamaican scene appearing and with the final mastering touch by Kevin Metcalfe. Additonally Iba Mahr and Droop Lion (from the New Gladiators) appear as guests for fine combination tunes. "Awakening" is an album which might stand alongside classic reggae 70's albums like 'Natty Dread' (Bob Marley & The Wailers), 'Marcus Garvey' (Burning Spear), 'Two Sevens Clash' (Culture) and 'The Right Time' (Mighty Diamonds) and is available with a new artist introduction price level!

Two Killer dubcuts from the Aggrovators.
A band who were named by the legendary Bunny Striker Lee who produced these two rare dubs of Johnny Clarke and Delroy Wilson.....enjoy

Soul Jazz Records' are releasing their long-out-of-print album 'Hustle! Reggae Disco' in a new expanded 2017 edition which now features five extra tracks.
This ground-breaking album features non-stop killer reggae versions of original funk and soul classics in a disco style. Reggae disco updates of seminal classics by Anita Ward ('Ring
My Bell'), Chaka Khan ('I'm Every Woman'), Michael Jackson 'Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough,' Sugarhill Gang ('Rappers Delight' here performed by Derrick Laro and Trinity for producer Joe Gibbs) and more, all showing the hidden but inseparable link between the dance floors of New York, Kingston and London.
New bonus tracks to this collection include Derrick Harriott's funky take on Eddie Drennon's 'Do It Nice and Easy', the classic disco reggae of Risco Connection's take on McFadden and
Whitehead's 'Ain't No Stopping Us Now' and the London rare groove lovers rock take on Barbara Acklin's soul classic 'Am I The Same Girl'.
'Hustle! Reggae Disco' has been one of Soul Jazz Records' best-selling releases since its first release 15 years ago (and subsequently featured heavily in the early Grand Theft Auto
games!). This new edition comes complete fully re-mastered and with all original titles plus new tracks. This new expanded edition now comes a triple album (+ download code), CD and digital album.
'The effect of American R&B and soul music on Jamaican reggae is well documented, but the story doesn't stop there, for disco (and more so now for rap and hip-hop) have also been
subsumed into the reggae mix, and while one might suspect that the resulting hybrid would die of its own implausibility, the feral mix of disco with reggae rhythms is so darn infectious that it hardly matters. Once you take your brain out of the frame and just let your feet go, this collection is a dancer's delight all done up in full-blown disco style, but with huge dub-style rhythm tracks ... if you're looking for an impossibly infectious dance collection, this is
it.' All Music

100 copies only !!

Hopeton Overton Brown Aka Scientist is a true legend, he took Dub Reggae to a completely different level. Trained and mentored by the late, great, lamented King Tubby, he blew the scene into smithereens with his knowledge, skill and complete understanding of the mixing desk. He introduces today his new album The Untouchable, a really great collaboration with some of the best artists of the international reggae scene such as Tippa Irie, Rod Taylor, Sabrina Pallini, Da Real Storm, Dubiterian, Ilhame Paris, Kelli Love. Scientist's The Untouchable album is a concept of reintroducing rhythms produced by Bunny Lee from the 70s and some rhythms produced by Scientist from the 80s by introducing some New School Artists alongside the Old School to preserve the Power of Dub Reggae Music. No matter where you are the music has the power to cross the borders to soothe your heart and soul and make you feel alive.

Hopeton Overton Brown Aka Scientist is a true legend, he took Dub Reggae to a completely different level. Trained and mentored by the late, great, lamented King Tubby, he blew the scene into smithereens with his knowledge, skill and complete understanding of the mixing desk. He introduces today his new album The Untouchable, a really great collaboration with some of the best artists of the international reggae scene such as Tippa Irie, Rod Taylor, Sabrina Pallini, Da Real Storm, Dubiterian, Ilhame Paris, Kelli Love. Scientist's The Untouchable album is a concept of reintroducing rhythms produced by Bunny Lee from the 70s and some rhythms produced by Scientist from the 80s by introducing some New School Artists alongside the Old School to preserve the Power of Dub Reggae Music. No matter where you are the music has the power to cross the borders to soothe your heart and soul and make you feel alive.

Grand Ancestor's ninth release features Swedish badman,
Blue Hill. On the A side, 'Natty Natty' is a ruff & tuff 140 bpm dub steppers tune produced a few years ago with a classic sample from the mighty Yabby You. This one is sure to be a sound system anthem as it will relentless stretch any bassbin tasked with the duty. On the flip, 'Bassuka' is hardcore steppers track with a proper distorted bass line giving off a proper industrial vibe.

7"
* One of the earliest recordings from Bush Chemists aka Dougle Wardrop & Chazbo which features vocals from King General on what was his first ever released recording dating from 1994
* Highly sought after by collectors. General's vocal cut previously only ever appeared on a Dubnology 12' back in the day. Also, the dub cut featured on the B-Side is a different mix from the version on the 12'.
* Another successful archive raid from Partial Records.

Leading the ska revival of the '80s, Madness brought the ska sound to mainstream audiences all over the globe.
Madness achieved most of their success in the early to mid-1980s. Both Madness and UB40 spent 214 weeks on the UK singles charts over the course of the decade, holding the record for most weeks spent by a group in the 1980s UK singles charts.
Madness have had 15 singles reach the UK top ten, one UK number one single, House of Fun', and two number ones in Ireland, House of Fun' and Wings of a Dove'.

Total Madness is the definitive compilation of the best that these British heroes of Madness have to offer, finally available on two 180 gram of vinyl. All the hits are included on the album: One Step Beyond', Baggy Trousers', Our House', Night Boat To Cairo', It Must Be Love' and many more.

This is the heavy heavy monster sound!

With the Super Wings in mutiny and a trail for the manslaughter of his former bandmate, Spuds Nathan, still hanging over his head, Manford Best came out swinging with Come Go With Me. It's a chirpy, calypso-influenced insight into the state of his mind and his first solo album. Recorded at Godiac Studios with the guys from Rock Town Express and a few of the Super Wings, Come Go With Me was the first album recorded on a new Tascam system that Goddy Oku had just bought back from London. The sound is crisp, clean and bright, perfectly suited to tracks like 'Come Go With Me' and 'Good Morning' and a welcome respite to the darker lyrics on 'Nobody Cares' and 'Far Far Far Away.' One of the stranger cuts is 'There's a Woman On My Mind (Mother)'. Manford regarded his mother as something of prophetess and would act instantly and without hesitation on the revelations in her 'dreams'. Come Go With Me was self-financed and released on Manford Best's own MacSeries Records label. Only 1,000 copies were pressed and he distributed them from the back of a Toyota van himself. A rare Afro gem, deserving of its place in the sun again. - Peter Moore.

With the Super Wings in mutiny and a trail for the manslaughter of his former bandmate, Spuds Nathan, still hanging over his head, Manford Best came out swinging with Come Go With Me. It's a chirpy, calypso-influenced insight into the state of his mind and his first solo album. Recorded at Godiac Studios with the guys from Rock Town Express and a few of the Super Wings, Come Go With Me was the first album recorded on a new Tascam system that Goddy Oku had just bought back from London. The sound is crisp, clean and bright, perfectly suited to tracks like 'Come Go With Me' and 'Good Morning' and a welcome respite to the darker lyrics on 'Nobody Cares' and 'Far Far Far Away.' One of the stranger cuts is 'There's a Woman On My Mind (Mother)'. Manford regarded his mother as something of prophetess and would act instantly and without hesitation on the revelations in her 'dreams'. Come Go With Me was self-financed and released on Manford Best's own MacSeries Records label. Only 1,000 copies were pressed and he distributed them from the back of a Toyota van himself. A rare Afro gem, deserving of its place in the sun again. - Peter Moore.

How do you follow up a stone-cold Afro Funk classic like Village Boogie Simple. Gather together some of the hottest players in Nigeria, take them down to the Phonodisk studios in Ijebu Igbo and let them loose on a bunch dancefloor fillers you spent the last four years 'road testing' in Kaduna. And don't forget to get Lady Franka and Mariam Pledge in on backing vocals. Those girls know how to fire up a party. It helps, of course, if you're Steve 'Dudu' Black. Steve had a God-given knack for writing combustible dance tunes and the contacts in the industry to get the likes of Willy Nfor, Willy Roy and Felix Lebarty to make them explode. From the opening track, 'Osasuima', the heat never stops. On 'No Stopping Me Now' and 'Ololufe/ Stay The Night', it's almost too hot to handle. Polished in a studio in London while Musical Youth recorded Pass The Dutchie in the next room, Happy Birthday To U is the gift that keeps on giving - an irresistible blend of Highlife, Afro Beat and Afro Funk that is guaranteed to start a party on any dance floor. - Peter Moore.

How do you follow up a stone-cold Afro Funk classic like Village Boogie Simple. Gather together some of the hottest players in Nigeria, take them down to the Phonodisk studios in Ijebu Igbo and let them loose on a bunch dancefloor fillers you spent the last four years 'road testing' in Kaduna. And don't forget to get Lady Franka and Mariam Pledge in on backing vocals. Those girls know how to fire up a party. It helps, of course, if you're Steve 'Dudu' Black. Steve had a God-given knack for writing combustible dance tunes and the contacts in the industry to get the likes of Willy Nfor, Willy Roy and Felix Lebarty to make them explode. From the opening track, 'Osasuima', the heat never stops. On 'No Stopping Me Now' and 'Ololufe/ Stay The Night', it's almost too hot to handle. Polished in a studio in London while Musical Youth recorded Pass The Dutchie in the next room, Happy Birthday To U is the gift that keeps on giving - an irresistible blend of Highlife, Afro Beat and Afro Funk that is guaranteed to start a party on any dance floor. - Peter Moore.

It's hard to get a handle on Nigerian musicians Nash Dodoo, Charlie Cuul and Jonas Caulley. In 1980 they released an album of face-melting gospel boogie as the BML chapels. And in the same year, calling themselves the Beta Yama Group, they put out Free Love, a belated love letter to San Francisco's Summer of Love and an album altogether focused on more worldly concerns. Free Love is a small slice of Haight-Ashbury transported to the Polygram Studios in Lagos. 'Te Revoir' is Mamas and Papas jamming with Sergeant Pepper's Beatles. 'Free Love' offers a respectful nod towards Je T'aime-era Serge Gainsbourg. Sure, 'Revolution' gets hard and funky and 'Rain' flirts briefly with a calypso reggae sound, but the majority of the album is cheesecloth and flowers in your hair. Insanely rare - and worth buying for the freaky cover art alone - Free Love is a funky, reverb heavy call for love, peace and sweet, sweet loving. What more could you want from an album - Peter Moore.

It's hard to get a handle on Nigerian musicians Nash Dodoo, Charlie Cuul and Jonas Caulley. In 1980 they released an album of face-melting gospel boogie as the BML chapels. And in the same year, calling themselves the Beta Yama Group, they put out Free Love, a belated love letter to San Francisco's Summer of Love and an album altogether focused on more worldly concerns. Free Love is a small slice of Haight-Ashbury transported to the Polygram Studios in Lagos. 'Te Revoir' is Mamas and Papas jamming with Sergeant Pepper's Beatles. 'Free Love' offers a respectful nod towards Je T'aime-era Serge Gainsbourg. Sure, 'Revolution' gets hard and funky and 'Rain' flirts briefly with a calypso reggae sound, but the majority of the album is cheesecloth and flowers in your hair. Insanely rare - and worth buying for the freaky cover art alone - Free Love is a funky, reverb heavy call for love, peace and sweet, sweet loving. What more could you want from an album - Peter Moore.

Its early 2015. Welcome to Africa Seven. We are a new record label. We may be based in Paris and London but our hearts firmly rooted in the universal motherland. We love African music, we want everyone to hear it and we want to spread the love. We are a collective of crate diggers, afro music-heads, label spotters and vinyl buying obsessives. We don't have any particular musical release agenda apart from, "is it of African origin, does it have a beat, do we like it". For the first few releases on Africa Seven we are exploring a rich seam of creativity and groove from the 70's. Stand by for re-issues from Manu Dibango, Jake Sollo, Jo Tongo, Pasteur Lappe and Tala AM to name but a few.

Trying to decide our first release was a long drawn out affair. Everyone had their favorites...;. Would it Manu, Tala, Ray, Jake or Jo In the end we just couldn't decide. To keep the peace we settled on a taster compilation called "African Airways Vol 01". Think of it as a statement of intent. A sample of aural treats in store. As for the cheesy name, well...;.. we like African Music, who doesn't like air hostesses and we are aeroplane geeks. It was a no-brainer really.

Volume 1 of Africa Airways focuses on the funkier side of 70s African music. We can't think of any better way to start an African compilation than some pounding, powerful, masterful African drumming. Thank you Ekambi Brilliant, you sure know how to set up an opening track. Next up we jump to the Cameronian king of the Tchamassi dance, Tala Andre Marie (Tala AM is his snazzier moniker). "Black Gold" is a track that really says it all. Cant-sit-still grooves, masterfully jangly guitars and a really cool nascent use of synthesizers. Is it possible to play a song over and over again 300 times - we think so. Elvis Kemayo is next up with the funky assault. Big brass, big basslines and happy times. Cameroonian native Jo Tongo, now lives in New York but back in the 70s he was part of the Fiesta label massive who were cranking out great records in Paris. "Jangolo" is quite possibly his finest moment. Keeping things Cameroon to finish up side one is the Saxophone master Manu Dibango. "Mimbo" is jazzy, darty gem. Manu recently turned 80 and celebrated with a series of gigs. A true afro legend with over 30 albums to his name. Quite a few have never been re-issued since the 70s and they are now patiently queued up on our release schedule.

Opening side two of our vinyl is Jo Bisso. Give It Up is a funky, brass however from 1977 on the Disques Esperance label. Next up is "Mbongui". Did you think a flute in African music could sound this funky Nigerian Jake Sollo met with an untimely death but his music lives on. Jake was a leader of one of the first wave of funky afro bands to come out of Nigeria in the early 70s, "The Funkees". "Father Time and Mother Nature" retains all those key elements of what made his band so successful. Sookie are next up with their US style funk...; but with an African twist. To finish up the LP Paris based "African Soul Band" bring out the dark strings, chanted Senegalese vocals and mirroring marimbas for their epic closer "Nande" from 1978.

Stay tuned for more Africa Seven releases on CD, Vinyl and Digital. Our next release is from the Cameroonian Saxophone master Manu Dibango with a rare 1977 Film Soundtrack "Ceddo". Think thoughtful, brooding afrobeat meets Shaft.

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We are more than ten releases in here at Africa Seven. It has been a wild ride... It was eight months ago that we launched our label and released our debut release the Compilation "Africa Airways 01: Funk Connection". It did better than we ever imagined and we had to repress the darned thing twice... So predictably for a follow up we humbly present you with "Africa Airways 02: Funk Departures 1973-1982". We have unashamedly stuck to the formula of our debut; keeping the funk deep and the groove pan-African. Heading straight for the afrobeat, dance-funk jugular.

We open up Volume Two with an absolute corker... "Na Real Sekele Fo Ya" from Cameroonian-in-Paris Pasteur Lappe. Produced by Jacob Desvarieux of Kassav fame, this track is an instant grabber; Think of the Blockheads "Rhythm Stick" goes Afro chant with deep, soulful moog grooves and on-point brass stabs. Next up is M'Bamina an Italian / Ivory Coast band who swing things heavy with "Kilowi Kilowi". Sweeting strings, funky bass lines wrapped around a late 70s style disco groove.

Ekambi Briallant is next up with his floor tappingly catchy afro soul "Aboki (Mon Copain)", produced by one of our favorite producers Slim Pezin. To round off the A-side of the vinyl we present the first outing from the Makeba family. Here the (sadly prematurely departed) Bongi Makeba, daughter of "Mama Africa" Myriam Makeba, shows the world just what an amazing artist she would have developed into. Bongi wrote a fair number of her mother's tracks in her later years and "Don't Do It" shows us what true talent for the song she was blessed with. The track her powers along with wah-wah guitar and masterful alto sax. A real treat.

Friend of Africa Seven and Cameroonian native Jo Tongo opens thing up on Side B. Jo now lives in New York but back in the 70s he was part of the Fiesta label collective who were cranking out great records in Paris. "Piani" is his purest dancefloor moment, here again in full glory.Next up we bend our African remit ever-so slightly and head off to Holland for a James Brown style fuelled funk stomper "Relax.. Before Doing Sex" from Oscar Harris and his crew. Its big, its bold, its brassy...;.. It's fun.

The power trio of Bozambo are next up. Between them they have released over 12 solo LPs and here together with "Get it On The Music" they power through with a keyboard/synyh driven afro-funk groove years ahead of its time...; made in 1978 but sounding like 1984. Misse Ngoh is one great guitarist and a masterful adaptor of the Makossa rhythms of his native Cameroun. The title track from his Esperance 1979 LP "Tata Ngoh" mixes in his trademark rhythms and grooves with slap bass and striking brass lines. One heck of a catchy song too.

This is the highly antcipated re-press of the much sought afer and long unavailable sophomore album from South American producer Chancha Via Circuito who molds local South American rhythms into global artstry.
Rio Arriba bubbles up from the Andes like percussive lava, seething as it is soothing. Layers of drums play out like water and earth batling heat on Rio Arriba, where South American folklore takes the reins and, under Chancha's steady hand, obscure backwoods rhythms take on a top shelf lifestyle as folklore hits the club. Cumbia made Chancha's frst album Rodante a stand out, Rio Arriba takes his sound primal, rooted in rhythm, but worldwide in scope. The album mingles remixed songs with instrumentals that apply clubland aesthetcs — sampling, patent repetton, isolaton of individual elements — to folky rhythms and
sounds.' The New York Times The sophomore album from Chancha Vía Circuito ofered shufing Latn rhythms, pastoral
melodies, hints of Latn folk, and, above all, an exquisite listening experience.' XLR8R Rio Arriba is a dreamy, neo-primitve mix of chopped-up pan futes, folk guitar, Coke-botle percussion, and booming, electronically treated drums-- an almost shamanistc sound that carries its own landscape: underbrush, riverbanks, campfres.' Pitchfork

Repressed! Great album from founding member of NYC ska/reggae/soul legends THE SLACKERS. A fantastic mix of original Jamaican ska and reggae channeled through a blues/jazz mindset, featuring legendary Jamaican percussionist LARRY McDONALD, EDDIE OCAMPO, and RICH GRAIKO.

Blue vinyl.

As the sixties came to a close, Laurel Aitken was firmly established as Britian's favourite Jamaican performer, enormously popular with members of both the country's West Indian ex-pat communities and its rapidly growing Reggae-loving Skinhead population. Unsurprisingly, competition to gain rights to his works among the country's leading Jamaican music companies was fierce and often bitter, so when, early in 69, Pama Records acquired his signature, the achievement was rightly regarded as a major coup by the London-based operation. Over the weeks that immediately followed, Laurel duly provided Pama with a number of best-selling singles, and while single artist compilations by Jamaican artists were still considered a rarity, such was the demand for the singer's music the company wasted little time in issuing a long-playing collection: Scandal In Brixton Market. Featuring a handful of previously released sides along with seven recordings exclusive to the collection, the LP also featured guest appearances from two of the UK's most popular Jamaican acts, Girlie and celebrated trombonist, Rico Rodriquez. A must-have collection for all Reggae fans, Scandal In Brixton Market quickly sold out at stores the length and breadth of the country, and over the years that have followed it has become increasingly scarce. It is therefore with great pleasure that some 45+ years after its original release, Radiation Reissues is able to present it again on vinyl.

A replica of the inaugural release from the Nutmeg label, with the original's music and cover transported intact from 1989 Tokyo. Recorded live-to-tape in a small bar in Shimokitazawa, this release features two loosely swinging, loving covers of the classic songs "Just You Just Me" and "South of the Border". The melodic and wistful melodica of Pianica Maeda, who appears on the Tomatos 7" (EMC004), is accompanied here by a group billed as Good Baites, which was organized by Kiyoshi Matsutakeya, the leader of Tomatos. Also present, supplying some fine upright bass work, is the renowned Takayoshi Matsunaga. A lovely, pleasing record.