Harlem Shuffle Vinilo y CD

Review: Rocksteady era combo The Bleechers put out a lot of music in a short period of time, with the entirety of their bustling catalogue recorded and released between 1968 and'71. For much of that period they were associated with the Upsetter himself, the late Lee 'Scratch' Perry, and it's two of his productions for the act that are showcased on this Harlem Shuffle 7". Originally released via Upsetter Records in 1969, and tricly to find ever since, 'Come Into My Parlour' is a jaunty, organ-rich affair in which soulful vocals and heady Hammond licks rise above a classic, late-60s Upsetter groove. B-side 'Check Him Out' is equally as alluring, with an arguably stronger vocal and more prominent guitar licks replacing the pair's favoured Hammond B3.

Review: Harlem Shuffle Records' mission is to legitimately reissue killer 60s and 70's tracks and it sticks to that mantra here. This tidy 7" heads all the way back to 1969 for The Cobb's 'Joe Gibbs Mood', which was procured by the eponymous Joe Gibbs, who grew up in Montego Bay then Kingston, and brings all those reggae flavours to this tune. The earthy riffs, organ leads, wobbling drums all get you deep in the riddim. On the flip is 'Hot Buttered Corn', a busier and more upbeat version that has those shimmering organs front and centre in the mix.

Review: The Harlem Shuffle label comes through with another one of its well chosen and crucial 7"s, this time from Carl Dawkins. As always with this label it is a highly sought after tune that was first only ever put out as a B-side to the One Dollar Of Music release. It's a fat and chunky rhythm with rolling drums and earthy acoustic guitars, impassioned vocals from Dawkins and plenty of sunny vibes. On the flip is 'Hot & Sticky' which is a little more upright but just as hot and steamy.

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: Since launching late last year, Harlem Shuffle Records has reissued a string of killer reggae recordings from the 1960s and 70's. Here the imprint offers up its first compilation, a 14-track selection of early reggae, dub and rocksteady hand-picked from the vaults of such legendary labels as Black Swan, Blue Cat, Duke, Doctor Bird, High Note and Trojan. It's a fine and hugely entertaining collection all told, with highlights including the easy, laidback skank of Stranger & Patsy's 'Tell it to Me', the trumpet-laden instrumental shuffle of 'Walk With Des' by Des All Stars, the Hammond-powered dancefloor heaviness of Clancy Collins' 'Brother Moses' and the prototype dub brilliance of 'Black Out' by the Hardy Boys.

Review: Here comes a new V/A that toys with a great idea - there are no real "covers". Everything is a remix, so all musicians are "undercover'. Harlem Shuffle present this compilation to us as a convincing corollary. Many Jamaican reggae, ska and rocksteady musicians from the 1960s were fascinated by genres from jazz to rock to film soundtracks, and covered them readily. The twist is that none of these covers are of well-known pop songs; selected by expert DJ Helea, all are carefully picked to highlight Jamaican musicians' knowledge and enthusiasm for underground and lesser-known music from across the board.

Review: The Versatiles were a Jamaican reggae group whose expression hardly matched the stereotype of a musician working in the style nowadays; they wore matching white suits and bow-ties, and worked in a more jubilant, clean-cut style than what we're used to. 'Lulu Bell' is a rare and much-sought-after original from the band, released in 1969 and not released on a single reissue since. The B-side on this reissue from Harlem Shuffle, 'Long Long Time', is similarly rare, and it lyrically urges generational communities to come together in song and dance.