Soul Jazz Records does it again, digging that little bit deeper into the vaults of Brooklyn’s Studio One (post-1979) to reveal more of the most stunningly beautiful, deep, original, truthful… I’m running out of superlatives for this essential compilation! Roots soul truth, Jamaican Style!
You may have thought that you had heard it all – and I must admit a lot of this has been on issue somehow, somewhere before – but the mastering and the repressing effort is again, as on all Soul Jazz releases, second to none. As is the selection of tunes which is solid and clever, taking you from the early days of Studio One’s history with ska and deep vocal roots, through the 70s with the heavy steppers and roots reggae greats, to 1980 which is represented by one or two digital roots and dubbed-out or deejayed-over rhythm tracks. The selection is more intuitive than chronological. The research on the material and its documentation is also of very high quality inside the gatefold or in the informative 12 page booklet!
I have picked some firm favourites from this collection for you here:
First has to be Horace Andy’s soulful lament “New Broom”
Lone Ranger – Everything She Want, on the Epic Drifter Riddim:
Enemy By “Super And Sleepy” is certainly a rarity and a pleasure for the roots aficionado:
OK, I’m gonna keep it real conscious with my last pick: ROOTS!… in these troubled times. Pablove Black with “Mr. Music”, from the impossible to get hold of LP of the same name.
Also Available on CD! Out Now! For Sale At Sounds Of The Universe: SJR CD 248 / SJR LP 248!
All this music was produced by: Sir Coxsone Dodd! R.I.P.
Although this is one of many Studio One/Soul Jazz releases, it is the first in over 3 years and is being released to coincide with a monster new deluxe hardback 12×12″ 200 page full colour book featuring hundreds of super classic and rare Studio One sleeves also available from Sounds Of The Universe! Click here for: The Book: Album Cover Art Of Studio One Records
