Juno Recommends Reggae Classics Best of 2021

Review: The always cultured Emotional Rescue kicks of the first of what will be a series of reissue sou the music of young Michael Ashley aka Haile Maskel. He hailed from Trenchtown in Jamaica and grew up singing, learning guitar and bass, redoing under the tutelage of Bob Marley early on. Here his soul drenched reggae is offered dup with 'Crazy Kind Of Feeling', a unique track with horns and big bass but also a subtle disco energy. Next to a dub take, Patrick Billard aka DJ Duckcomb serves up a mix that embellishes on the disco elements.

Review: 
The Specials are real UK national treasures, aren't they? And rightly so. Alexis Petridis has even gone so far as to say their standout single 'Ghost Town' is the second greatest UK single to have ever been released. Again, it's hard to really argue with that one. It was a UK chart topper at time of release and speaks eloquently of the urban decay, unemployment and ongoing racial tensions of the period. Sound familiar? Sadly, you once again have to agree. This 40th Anniversary Edition has been mastered and cut at half-speed for extra oomph.

Review: Japanese rocksteady and reggae revivalists Inokisara Rangers have spent much of their career delivering radical cover versions of everything from Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' and New Order's 'Blue Monday' to Pharrel Williams' 'Happy' and Underworld's 'Born Slippy'. They're at it again on their latest "45", with vocalist Yuima Enya joining them for two more ear-catching reggae revisions. On side A they offer-up a typically jaunty, organ-heavy take on Britney Spears/Mark Ronson favourite 'Toxic', reimagining it as a cheery and skanking reggae-soul bumper. Arguably even better is the flipside cover of R&B classic 'Waterfalls', which in their hands becomes a slow-motion reggae sing-along.

Review: Awesome reggae funk classic gets the Soul Jazz remastered 7 inch pressure reissue. Essential !

Review: There's nothing particularly revolutionary about the idea behind the Disco Reggae compilation series - contemporary artists deliver reggae-soaked covers of boogie and disco classics - but the sets themselves never fail to impress. The latest volume, the fourth in total, once again contains some genuinely brilliant covers. It opens with a wonderfully woozy and sumptuous take on Roy Ayers' 'We Live in Brooklyn' by Booker Gee's Soul Sugar outfit and ends with a frankly genius dub-wise take on Kraftwerk's 'Radioactivity' courtesy of Taggy Matcher. In between, you'll find highlights including a reggae-boogie revision of Chemise's 'She Can't Love You' (again by Taggy Matcher), a wonderfully soulful re-interpretation of Errol Walker classic 'In These Times' (here re-titled 'Summertime') by Wolfgang, and a killer collaboration between Blundetto and Booker Gee.

Review: Harlem Shuffle Records mission to legitimately reissue killer cuts from the sixties and seventies continues apace here with a pair of tunes that were originally published separately on two of Trojan's labels, Bigshot and Explosion. Both jams are truly in demand and often fetch eye watering prices so it's great news for fans that both have been put on one tidy 7". Rudy Mills's 'John Jones' has had millions of views on YouTube and is a yearning bit of ska and lovers rocker with a swaggering groove and yearning vocal work. The flip has the lovely 'Bombshell' by The Crystalites as a very special instrumental.

Review: First released in 1980, the Selector's debut album Too Much Pressure did much to define the revivalist, punk-era ska sound of Two-Tone Records. Listening back 41 years on from its initial release, the album remains a hugely vibrant and exciting set. Its' genius lies not only in its then surprising repurposing of the Jamaican sound of Ska, but also in its punky attitude, subtle use of dub-style effects and relentlessly high energy levels. The album, which is here presented in audiophile-friendly remastered audio with a bonus seven-inch single, is packed full of classics, with our highlights including 'On My Radio', 'Black and Blue', the righteous title track and a dub-wise, party-starting cover of Monty Norman's iconic James Bond theme.

Review: George Dekker was a founding member of The Pioneers, a hit reggae group who'd plenty of UK chart success with big tunes like 'Long Shot Kick de Bucket,' 'Let Your Yeah be Yeah' and 'Sweet Inspiration'. Here, for a special Record Store Day 20210 release, we get a remake of 1968 tunes 'Nana.' It first came on the Trojan label and is a highly sought after original that fetches plenty. It's a super sweet tune with lazy horns and a swaggering riddim. On the backside is a version with MC the Oxman and legendary Studio One and Bob Marley trombonist Vin Gordon. This one is a sympathetic version that only tweaks the signal a little.

Review: The Upsetters' legendary Build The Ark album is one of the many pioneering works of dub that the late great Lee 'Scratch' Perry was involved with. It brings together the very best of Jamaican reggae with a number of the more rare tracks sitting alongside some stone cold classics. Junior Murvin's 'Cross Over', Windston Heywood's 'Long, Long Time' and Eric Donaldson's 'Freedom Street' all feature on this one, which was first put out by Trojan Records in 1990. This limited edition repress has been pressed to orange vinyl just 2000 times.

Review: Way back in 1976, arranger Troy Anthony and producer Andre Omar joined forces with vocalist/producer Tricia Ann to form The Gold Connection, an all-star studio band featuring some of Jamaica's finest musicians and vocalists (think Harold Butler and Marcia Griffiths, for starters). At the time, the collective recorded just one album, the self-titled Gold Connection, which has finally been given the reissue treatment. It's a brilliant set all told, with the crew delivering a couple of memorable original cuts alongside a swathe of superb, dub-wise reggae-soul covers of such disco standards as 'Love's Theme', 'Do It Anyway','Latin Hustle' and 'I Love Music'. A skanking disco delight!

Review: On the latest volume in the Late Night Tales series, Don Letts has dug deep into his crates to present a selection of some of his favourite dubbed-out reggae cover versions, alongside dub style remixes of more contemporary covers. It's a simple concept, brilliantly executed, with Letts offering up some exclusive, dubplate style remixes amongst the classic cuts and recent gems. Highlights include, but are in no way limited to, the full vocal dub of Capitol 1212's take on Joy Dvision's 'Love Will Tear Us Apart', Mad Professor's insanely weighty 2021 dub of John Holt classic 'You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine', Blackbox Recorder's oddball reggae-soul version of 'Uptown Top Rankin' and Easy Stars All Stars' deliciously mystical interpretation of The Beatles' 'Within You Without You'.

Review: The hard-digging record fiends at Kalita are back with more brilliance. This one is the first-ever retrospective of work by Jamaican-born artist Desmond Chambers. The first tine is a proudly politically aware tune previously only avialbel on his 1987 album Tiger Born, while the single 'The Morning Show' has before now only been available as the B side of little known single 'I Have Seen Love In Your Eyes.' The two other tracks are mega cult, hugely loved acid-infused dub snakers with boogie-infused rhythms. Original copies will cost you a huge amount so make sure you snap this one up asap.

Review: Soul Jazz Records continues to trawl through the vast archives of Jamaica's Studio One label and its many offshoots. This time round, they're focusing on uplifting, feel-good rocksteady and soulful reggae cuts from the late 1960s and early '70s. As you'd expect, it's an excellent collection that not only showcases classic cuts and well-worn "riddims", but also obscurities and the sort of rare gems that make reggae collectors go weak at the knees. With such stars as Alton Ellis, John Holt, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, the Heptones and Jackie Mittoo all featured, and exhaustive sleeve notes from reggae scholar Rob Chapman, Rocksteady Got Soul is another essential Studio One compilation from the reliable Soul Jazz Records crew.

Review: Harlem Shuffle Records is on an admirable mission to reissue amazing 60s and 70s sounds on a fully legitimate basis. This one from Lloyd & Glen actually landed in 1967 on the Jamaican Comet label. It was never issue on these shores on vinyl, until now. The lead single is brilliantly produced and strikes a mythic party pose with heavy drums but flamboyant horns and expressive vocals. The lyrics, too, are tight and concise and are part of the reason the tune is so sought after today. The flipside 'What You've Got' is another great track by Lloyd and Glen with a big beat and more great horn work.

Review: The Specials are one of the most important ska bands of their time. Their messages continue to resonate even today, especially through the set of songs that makes up this collection of protest tunes from 1924 to 2012. It finds the band picking some of their favs in the wake of the George Floyd murder and global social unrest that followed, and serving up their own unique covers. It was recorded in a studio in West London in May of this year with Nikolaj Torp Larsen on keys, Kenrick Rowe on drums and Steve Cradock on guitar.

Review: Fans of the Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club on BBC Radio will have heard the DJ hammering this one of late. Now it finally makes its way to a limited edition 7" featuring Grant Phabao's (aka Paris DJs) sizzling ska rework, as well as TwoDee's dub-reggae remix treatment on the flip. The ever excellent Grant Phabao decides to spend up the tempo on his version, bringing things to a nice boil with ska overtones. The reverse goes slower. It revels in a swaggering dub rhythm and has you marvel at the heat damaged chords that shimmer up from the centre. Lovely vibes.

Review: Standby for some more classic ska from the good folks at Harlem Shuffle. This reissue is of an essential double sider that first landed on Crystal in 1967. Crystal was owned by Jamaican producer Derrick Harriott, who also produced both of these great tunes. As well as his rolling rhythm and essential horn sounds, the tunes have outstanding vocals from the duo of Lloyd and Glen. 'That Girl' is a red hot jam that is very hard to find and super expensive if you do. On the flip, Lloyd and Glen serve up a love song with aching vocals and more big horns. An essential 7" by any measure.

Review: Japanese pop outfit Inokasira Rangers have a reputation for covering classic hits such as 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', 'Born Slippy', 'Creep' and many many more. Here they've teamed up with homegrown talent Sofia Manri to cover the 1979 city-pop (a subgenre of J-Pop) classic called '(Mayonaka no Door) - Stay With Me' by a singer named Miki Matsubara - which has re-emerged as a hit in recent years. On the flip, we've got a cover of 'Silly Love Songs' by the Paul McCartney fronted outfit Wings from 1976. Both renditions are in the ska infused classic rock style that you have come to know and love from this outfit.

Review: Original Gravity have been hard at work putting together a third volume in their reggae Dynamite series. This one lines up another belting 45 featuring tunes from The Regulators - twice - Brentford Rd Soul Rebels and Woodfield Rd Allstars. All of the tunes have booming bass warmth and vintage organ riffs that just transport you to a time and a place, even if you didn't live it yourself. The drums rumble on like a fat bottomed elephant and the horns take a majestic lead. These are atmospheric tunes ready and waiting to get people moving and our standout is Woodfield Road Allstars' tribute to boxing legend Muhammed Ali.

Review: London based multi-racial 8-piece Maroon Town formed 30 years ago. Their impact was immediate as they were the first collective to mix up ska, reggae, funk, hip hop, rap and Latin music. Their fresh sound came with conscious and uplifting lyrics and came with an extra seal of approval thanks to production by John Bradbury of the Specials. The band played all over the world, had tune synched to major Hollywood films and dined deals with Dr Martens. They still play the festival circuit and now comes a reissue of some of their pre-2000's material with these two high energy steppers primed and ready to make you move.

Review: Trojan Records is one of the most iconic labels in the world. Its vast discography takes in countless essential tracks, crucial albums and venerated moments in reggae history. One if its most significant collections is this, The Story of Trojan. The compilation arguably changed the British public's perception of Jamaican music outside its hardcore Affo-Caribbean communities as it presents such a superb overview of the islands musical developments. The bumper triple vinyl collection comes with a hardback book sleeve and plenty of vital vintage ska, rock steady and reggae sounds.

Review: Before he called time on his lengthy career in 1982, legendary ska trombonist Emmanuel "Rico" Rodriguez became a regular contributor to the Two Tone label, recording two albums for the Coventry-based imprint. Both are now 40 years old - hence this reissue of the second, Jama Rico. Unlike its predecessor, That Man's Forward, Jama Rico looks further afield for inspirations, with the trombonist's usual easy-going reggae and ska instrumentals being joined by a handful of tracks that draw inspiration from West African rhythms and spaced-out jazz-funk. As a result, it's arguably one of his most vibrant and interesting solo sets, while the inclusion of the Special AKA on final track 'Easter Island' highlights his link with the Specials (famously, Rodriguez performed on 'Message to You, Rudy').

Review: A Record Store Day 2021 special, King Of Ska: The Beverley's Records Ska Singles Collection is a boxed set featuring 10 of Desmond Dekker's ska singles from 1963 to 1966 - just in time to honor what would be the legendary Jamaican singer's 80th birthday this year. Features 'Spitfire' with trombonist Don Drummond and The Beverley's All Stars, 'Jeserene" with The Cherry Pies, 'Take Your Time' with pioneering pianist Theophilus Beckford and 'Mount Zion' with vocal group The Aces (Clive Campbell, Barry Howard, Carl Howard, and Patrick Howard) among many, many more.

Review: Harlem Shuffle has firmly established itself as one of the best reissuers of killer reggae anthems from the 60s and 70s. The Hot Sauce series started with a great first volume last year and now comes a second instalment of seriously seductive dub, rocksteady and roots reggae. This volume specifically covers the years 1965 to 1975 and is dedicated to the Trojan related UK labels. These outstanding Jamaican originals include a number of rare and lesser known roles, some hidden treasures and a number of more widely celebrated tunes. It is the musicality of each cut which has determined its place in this collection, meaning this is a water tight listen for all sorts of reggae fans.

Review: Soul Jazz Records' latest trawl through the vast archives of Clement 'Sir Coxsone' Dodd's Studio One empire focuses on Rastafarianism-inspired roots reggae classics recorded for the label and its offshoots during the 1970s. A laidback, quietly soulful and undeniably conscious mood prevails throughout, with highlights coming thick and fast. Our picks of a very strong bunch include Freddie McGregor's superb 'I Am A Revolutionist', Devon Russell's organ-heavy 'Jah Jah Fire', Im and Count Ossie's pleasingly percussive, fuzzy and calypso-influenced 'Give ME Back Me Language and Me Culture' and Horace Andy's simply brilliant 'Mr Jolly Man'. As usual with Soul Jazz, the accompanying sleeve notes are detailed, authoritative and tell the little-known story of Dodd's own relationship to Rastafarianism.

Review: Original Gravity Records turn out the essential 45s like no body's business. Next ump for the vital label is a brace of covers from The Regulators. It is one of two new 7"s they have out right now and is limited to just 50 copies. It carries on from previous releases with Melbourne Douglas and The Regulators covering tunes with an early reggae, Britpop style. The vocals here from a certain indie band get re-sung and reframed. They passionate and singable, with a natty reggae beat and nice warm chords. The flip side is a dub for those who like it that way.

Review: Everybody Plays The Fool is the second album by The Chosen Few, a reggae group from Kingston, Jamaica, formed in 1969. They were big news in the 70s and 80s and still have fans all over the world. This record first came in 1975 on the legendary Trojan Records label and traverses some of their finest moments. There's gentle lovers rock, fine covers of greats like 'Second That Emotion' and deep cut reggae rhythms like 'Reggae Stuff'. The production is tight, riddims slick and the falsetto lead vocal never fails to get you where it hurts, particularly on the iconic 'My Thing.'

Review: The late great Frederick 'Toots' Hibbert may have left us but his musical legacy lives on, and likely will do forever especially as the reissues keep on coming. This tidy 7" on Pressure Drop is another goldie with 1968 rocksteady classic 'Pressure Drop', which the artist once said was "a song about karmic justice, a song about revenge, but in the form of karma." Flip it over and you'll find '54-46 Was My Number', a well known jam with a lovely mid tempo rumble and acoustic guitar riffs riding along nicely.

Review: Only Roots Records continues to delve into the bulging vaults of Randy's Records, an imprint set up by producer Vincent Chin. He's naturally at the controls on this two-tracker by long-serving Jamaican vocal group the Gaylads. Both cuts date from 1970, though for one reason or another they were never given a commercial release. A-side 'Wha Sha Do Now' is a sweet rocksteady number in which the group's harmonic, rhythm & blues-influenced vocals rise above a fine rhythm rich in Hammond organ and deep bass. Arguably even better is flipside 'I Love The Reggae', a fuzzier and more up-tempo celebration of reggae culture that has all the makings of a future scene anthem.