Back catalogue: Reggae

Review: Studio One Soul 2, the highly anticipated second volume of Soul Jazz Records' acclaimed Studio One series, dives deep into Jamaica's enduring love affair with American Soul and Funk. This special 18th anniversary edition features a vibrant array of legendary reggae artists like Horace Andy, The Heptones, Cornell Campbell, and Ken Boothe, all of whom got their start at Studio One before achieving global success. The album features a unique blend of classic and obscure American Soul and Funk tracks, reimagined with a distinct Jamaican flavour. Standout tracks include Cornell Campbell's stunning recut of The Mad Lads' Curtis Mayfield-penned 'Ten to One,' Winston Francis' soulful interpretation of The Five Stairsteps' 'Don't Change,' and Devon Russell's powerful take on 'Make Me Believe in You,' which arguably rivals Mayfield's original. This collection, featuring a mix of classics, rare gems, and previously unreleased tracks, has been meticulously remastered. Perfect for a serious reggae enthusiast, this compilation embodying the Studio One ethos of reworking influential soul records into a Jamaican soundscape.

Review: A brand new repro and showcase of one of Studio One's best ever compilations, which has remained long out of print. Formerly only available on Record Store Day as a limited edition 7" box set, this fresh and inductive intro to Studio One's less obvious gemstones - The Studio One Showcase 45 - now hears an expanded edition on 2xLP. Getting into these cuts will inform a veritable levelling-up in your dubbing capacity and appreciatorship. Bob Marley is the most famous feature, with his original Wailers version of 'One Love' serving as a nodal flow-point through which we may discover the vigilant lights of Judah Eskender Tafari ('Danger In Your Eyes'), Joe Higgs ('Dinah') and Liberation Group ('Namibia').

Review: Back in 2019, Soul Jazz marked Record Store Day by releasing a rather tidy seven-inch box set of classic Studio One reggae jams, the simply titled Showcase 45. Six years on, they've decided to reissue the collection on CD in expanded, 18-track form (the original edition featured 10 tracks stretched across five 45s). It provides a perfect introduction to the Studio One universe, showcasing cuts from such masters of reggae, rocksteady and ska as Freddie McGregor ('Beat Down Babylon'), Bob Marley and the Wailers (the original version of the later re-recorded 'One Love'), Jackie Mitoo (the rhythm & blues-tinged, Hammond organ-rich 'Mixing'), the Heptones (the horn-heavy shuffle of 'How Can I Leave You'), Horace Andy (the cheerful-sounding 'Miami Blue') and the Skatalites (bona-fide dancefloor gem 'Sudden Destruction').

Review: It's been a while since Soul Jazz tapped into the seemingly bottomless well that is the Studio One archives. This latest trawl through "Sir" Coxsone Dodd's landmark label focuses on the Jamaican imprint's ska output in the "downbeat" period between 1962 and 1965. It was in this period that the ska movement, reflecting Jamaica's newfound independence from the UK, truly began to find its own voice. While that alone makes Studio One Ska Fever worthy of further inspection, it's the tracklist - heavy on early scene classics such as "Freedom Sounds", "Marcus Garvey" and "Mad World", as well as lesser known gems and early works from Lee 'Scratch' Perry and the Wailers - that makes is essential listening.

Review: Barely a week goes by without another Soul Jazz compilation, and never are they anything else than superb. This time out we're cerated to another collection of tunes from Kingston's seminal Studio One, but rather than the straight up reggae we're used to, it is more of a melting pot of funk, soul, jazz and dub. All of these tunes were written in the 1970s under the watchful eye of studio chief and producer Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd and there is a wealth of deep, sunny, funk cuts that have more than stood the test of time.

Review: A true staple of the Soul Jazz compilation canon, Studio One Rockers originally came out in 2001 and has remained an authoritative overview of the Studio One sound ever since. As one of the major powerhouses of Jamaica's music industry during those heady years of ska, rocksteady, reggae and dancehall, Studio One's legacy deserves acknowledgement from anyone with even a passing interest in the music. This collection takes in legends like Horace Andy, Dawn Penn, Johnny Osbourne and Jackie Mittoo, and shines a light on many other iconic artists with that perfect balance of broad appeal and deep-rooted knowledge that Soul Jazz nail when they pull a collection together.

Review: Compiling a slew of tracks that are either impossible to find or which have never been issued, the legendary Jamaican label Studio One have put together a fresh selection of all the best songs recorded by its women artists over the years. Harkening all the way back to the early '60s and through to the '80s, this boundless, romantic blossom of lovers' bass and vox charts both covering and original hits from the likes of Marcia Griffiths, Rita Marley and Hortense Ellis.

Review: It was originally back in 2005 that Soul Jazz managed to somehow outdo even their own good work with the release of Studio One Roots 2: The Original. The first volume in the series was considered something of a classic amongst dub heads but the second volume was easily as good. It's long been hard to find since then - for a good price at least - so it's great news the label has reissued it here in full, and on limited edition green vinyl no less. Reggae doesn't really get much better than this so snap it up, drop the needle on and turn it up loud.

Review: Studio One Power Mix! is a vibrant and essential compilation from Soul Jazz Records that dives deep into the influential sounds of reggae, ska, rocksteady and more, focusing on the late 1970s, 1980s and beyond. This collection captures the essence of Studio One, the legendary Jamaican label founded by Clement 'Sir Coxsone' Dodd, which has been at the forefront of every major development in reggae music since the 1960s. By the late 1970s, Studio One had already established itself as the undisputed leader in the genre, nurturing the careers of icons like Bob Marley & The Wailers, Marcia Griffiths, The Skatalites, and Dennis Brown. During this period, long-standing artists such as Alton Ellis and Jackie Mittoo returned to the label, producing some of their most creatively fulfilling work. Meanwhile, new talents like Sugar Minott, Johnny Osbourne, and Freddie McGregor propelled Studio One into the dancehall era, pushing musical boundaries while honoring the label's roots. The compilation features a dynamic range of tracks that celebrate this golden era, from classic hits to hidden gems. Each song reflects the creativity, innovation, and unmistakable groove that have made Studio One a cornerstone of reggae history. Whether you're a seasoned reggae enthusiast or new to the genre, Studio One Power Mix! offers a great tracklist through the evolution of Jamaican music, celebrating the enduring legacy of one of its most influential labels.

Review: The mighty Soul Jazz has done it again with this compilation - it features four sides of irresistible ska, soul, rocksteady, funk and dub that traces the history of Jamaican reggae and how American styles like funk and jazz had on it. The record is bursting at the seams with gold from crossover tunes like Tenor Saw's 'Ring the Alarm' to K.C.White's classic 'No, No, No' and Augustus Pablo's always iconic 'Rockers Rock'. Soul Jazz has done all the hard work in digging here so you don't have to.

Review: Soul Jazz returns with another of its supremely assembled and vital compilations, and this one focuses on reggae. Down Beat Special offers a thrilling journey through timeless hits carefully selected from Jamaica's revered Studio One Records, the epitome of reggae excellence. From Michigan and Smiley's 'Nice Up The Dance' to Dawn Penn's 'No, No, No' and The Wailers' 'Simmer Down,' this collection pulsates with iconic tracks. Originally a limited edition 7" box set, this remastered edition boasts 18 rare gems, including works by The Skatalites, Bob Marley, and Horace Andy.