New releases last eight weeks: Funk

Review: Rock-A-Shacka enthuse the new, long-awaited third album from Prince Buster, one of the many leading lights of the early Kingston rocksteady movement. This treasure trove of 12 tracks covers Jamaican funk, rocksteady, and early reggae; over seven previously unreleased and/or alternative tracks (it's cleverly kept under wraps as to which are which), we've extended versions of 'A Tribute To The Toughest' (aka. 'Ghost Dance'), on which Buster pays tribute to his late rudeboy friends, as well as trad gems including an alt-take of 'Dark End Of The Street'. The are covers of James Brown's 'Bring It Up' and Beginning Of The End's 'Funky Nassau', and Lee "Scratch" Perry shows up in a resplendent, phone-a-friend cameo feature on 'Call On Me'. Cherry-topped by a version of Gregory Isaacs' 'Dancing Floor' and the stunning 'Black Soul' instrumental, this is as ultimate a companion to Buster's contribution to Caribbean music history as you're likely to ever get.