Back in stock: Clásico/Ska

Review: Emmanuel 'Rico' Rodriguez was a British ska and reggae trombonist who was brought up in Jamaica and put out 19 albums from 1969 onwards. Up there with the best of them is Man From Wareika which has been reissued many times over the years and this time out comes on lovely translucent gold vinyl. His style of reggae is swaggering and sun-kissed, with lazy trombone leads bringing character to each tune and plenty of neat organ work and natty melodies layering in extra musical vibes. This is regarded as a classic of the genre for good reason.

Review: Rico Rodriguez, all-round brilliant Jamaican horn and and trombonist, played a pivotal role in shaping the sound of ska, rocksteady and reggae. Born in Kingston in 1934, he began his career in the 1950s then joined the Skatalites in the early 1960s, and whether one chalks this lucky break up to birthrights, shrewd decisions or chance sliding door moments is up to the historian. But his talent cannot be denied: over the years, Rico worked with Toots And The Maytals, Bob Marley, and The Specials. His masterful trombone solos lent parping bombast to a scene which abhorred tinniness, and the Man From Wareika album exemplified this. This dub edition is a crucial pre-release dub edition from the 1976 classic, in which we hear a full instrumental brass-and-bass dive-bombing across nine formerly unreleased Island Records trinkets.

Review: Based out of Naniwa-ku in Osaka, Japan, Rock A Shacka deals in rare reggae and dub from around the world. It has been doing so for 20 years and now comes another crucial compilation. Rocksteady People: JDI's Supreme 13 Hits comes with its own booklet and assembles a fine selection of ska and reggae classics all played by the cult Los Caballeros Orchestra. Plenty of vocalists lend their buttery tones to the say going to-and-fro rhythms, with big horn sections and a load of nice shiny brass.

Review: The more erudite record digger will know that Japan has long since had a thriving ska, dub and reggae scene. This new entry in the Nippon series from London's Time Capsule label proves that - Tokyo Riddim 1976-1985 dives deep into its early days when J-reggae artists were looking to the likes of UB40 and The Police for inspiration rather than the Jamaican originators. And you can hear that here in this fine collection of backbeat gems which are playful, loose and catchy, with subtle hints of city-pop and new-wave sounds. These tracks have only been available in Japan before and are now sure to find a welcome new audience on European shores.

Review: Tokyo Riddim Vol. 2 looks into the eclectic fusion of reggae and Japanese pop, uncovering a unique musical journey that began when Ryuichi Sakamoto traveled to Kingston in 1978. Collaborating with Jamaican icons like Neville Hinds and Rita Marley, Sakamoto's experience set the stage for a burgeoning connection between Japanese artists and Jamaican reggae. This compilation showcases tracks like Teresa Noda's 'Tropical Love' and 'Yellow Moon', highlighting the innovative blend of dub, electronic, and new wave that emerged in Japan during the late 70s and early 80s. The album features genre-bending contributions from key figures such as Yosui Inoue, Kay Ishiguro, and Tomoko Aran, who reimagined reggae with bold, unconventional styles. Tokyo Riddim Vol. 2 explores the hybridisation of these sounds, demonstrating how the exchange between Tokyo and Kingston birthed a fresh, boundary-defying genre. This collection shows Japan's experimental spirit, weaving together reggae's rhythms with the era's cosmopolitan influences, carving out a place beyond Western musical conventions.