Althea And Donna Gone To Negril

Rare and unreleased roots recordings from The Black Ark and producer Lee Perry with various singers & players featuring two dubplate cuts from Junior Murvin & Jimmy Riley, Lord Creator's killer 2nd cut of "Such Is Life", Henrick Nicholson 12" mix of "Brotherly Love" and many more. Highly recommended!

‘Conquering Lion’ stands as one of the few truly essential albums of the roots era. As devotional as anything by Burning Spear, as polemical as Bob Marley, and as militant as the Mighty Diamonds, the album also communicates a haunting spiritual quality that is uniquely its own. Amazingly, for such a coherent work, the tracks were recorded over a period of at least four years, yet come together to present a single coherent vision. The album was first issued in Jamaica by Micron, and in the UK with a different tracklisting as ‘Ram-A-Dam’ on the Lucky label in 1976. Here the album is presented for the first time in expanded form, together with its dub counterpart. Vivian ‘Yabby You’ Jackson is often portrayed as a strange, otherworldly figure. Yet his life was filled with two opposing forces, the spiritual and the earthly. Even as Yabby was yearning for a higher plane of existence, he was scratching out a difficult living in the ghetto. Whilst warning of sinful secular behaviour, he was working at the race track taking bets. As well as creating some of the most powerful and heartfelt music to come out of Jamaica, Yabby was busy cutting deals with studios and musicians, and hustling round the record shops to sell his products. And these contradictions seem to have fuelled some of his best music, pushing him into places that other artists shied away from.

* CD Bonus Tracks

Yabby You's classic roots anthem gets a serious remix. One long mix by Martin Harrison. Martin worked with This Heat and On u sound as well as many others. 2 cuts on the other side by Paolo Baldini 'Dubfiles'. Comes in a lovely National Bird sleeve

‘Walls of Jerusalem’ is a unique musical collaboration between the producer Yabby You and the legendary dub master King Tubby. The two were close friends, frequent collaborators and deep admirers of each other’s artistry. ‘Walls of Jerusalem’ was the last full-length project they worked on together. For years this release lay buried in obscurity: original copies came out, in minute quantities, on the Prophets Label in a blank, white sleeve. A later issued even misnamed the artist. Yet the music within is deep roots of the highest quality – mesmerizing tracks that illustrate Yabby You’s particular sound and spiritual vision. Disc One presents the album in its original form, showcasing King Tubby’s virtuosity as an engineer, deliberately shaping a sophisticated stereo mix to aid in the creation of a bold, artistic statement. Disc Two includes a number of never-released studio outtakes, alternate mixes and instrumental cuts of some of Yabby You’s most classic tunes. These mixes put the listener right there in the studio, complete with “chatter” between the musicians, Tubby and Yabby discovered on the master tapes, and included between the tracks of this reissue. Together, the two discs of Walls Of Jerusalem are dub and roots music of the finest order and and a major celebration of the creative genius of Yabby You and King Tubby. This Double LP is lovingly packaged with extensive sleeve notes by Diggory Kenrick. * previously unreleased + CD has two bonus tracks.

One off stocking of rare Pressure Sound 7" from 2014, superb reissue of mid 70s soulful female roots vocal with killer Jimmy Radway dub on the flip. Comes in hand stamped brown card sleeve.

Tommy McCook’s playing perfectly suited to this inspired horns workout recorded at the Black Ark studio. King Tubby's dub on the flipside. Yabby at the height of his considerable powers as both Producer and musical visionary. Version on the flip side. In a custom bag.

Lee Perry’s playful nature credited this 45 to Jane Fonda’s character in Klute!! About as Post Modern as you can get. The music is a storming up tempo joy ride. ‘I may forget your name but not your face’ possibly relates to the story of ‘Klute’ which obviously caught ‘Scratch’s’ attention. Comes with a lush version on the flipside. A custom printed sleeve as well. ‘You build me up and get me high’ Killer

Ska Baby by Bobby Ellis. Produced and Directed by the Upsetter. Subtle Black Ark instrumental. Comes with a lovely dub on the flipside. In a custom bag. Nice tune.

If roots reggae music has such a thing as cornerstones then this tune is one of them. Spiritual music of the highest quality. A tune to both uplift you and make you think at the same time. Nagging incessant keyboards with the harmonies supplied by The Ralph Brothers. Accept no other substitutes, this is the real thing. The full vocal comes with the King Tubby dub on the flipside. Essential music. Comes in a hand stamped bag.

Lovely mellow vibes instrumental of the timeless Conquering Lion rhythm. Diggory’s playing empathizes with the original and is reminiscent of some of Pablo’s similar xylophone outings. Nice dub on the flipside and comes in a hand stamped bag.

Run Come Rally aka ‘Jah Speak with Lighntning and Thunder’ is a stone-cold classic of the early roots movement. Recorded by Lee Perry at Black Ark Studios in 1974, the tune is haunting and stirring in equal measures. Paired with its atmospheric dub, this is music to uplift and inspire. Comes in a hand stamped bag.

Since it first appeared in 1976, King Tubby's dub-wise reworking of tracks by Yabby You's Prophets project has become a sought after item amongst reggae aficionados. Remarkably, it has never been reissued before, making this first vinyl edition in 23 years a must-have for those addicted to weighty bass, heavy riddims and echoing effects. There's much to enjoy from start to finish, including the delay-laden horns and gentle grooves of "Fair Lady", the surprisingly cheery skank of "Tear Gas In Waterhouse", the seductive solos of "Tradition Skank" and the low-slung, bass-heavy throb of "Serious Rebellion", a stripped back dub straight from the top drawer.

“Rub A Dub Revolution: Early Dancehall Productions From Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee” their first foray into Mr. Lee’s transformative rub a dub work from the late 70s to mid-eighties.

In the late 1970s, Kingston was in the midst of a transformation. The ghetto population, brutalized, cowering behind locked gates during the internecine warfare of the decade, had had enough. Gunshots, street battles, homemade bombs be damned, the population was sick of the politics, sick of the violence and ready to move on. Slowly, but surely, the dancehalls, all but shuttered during the 1970s were returning to life. In those open lawns and sweaty clubs where draws of weed were sold by the handful, a cold Heineken battled the heat and the girls were ready to rock their hips in a rub a dub style the quasi-mystical, mathematically complex sound of roots and dub ceded to more earth-bound concerns. A host of new singers and DJs flocked to the sound systems with lyrics and style that spoke to the dancehall itself. This new breed of “rub a dub soldier” eschewed the international market, and spoke to Jamaicans in their own language, about their own concerns from sex to humor to the day-to-day problems of suffering in the ghetto. A new sound was needed and the spare, uncompromising music of the Roots Radics, bolstered equally by the mixing prowess of Scientist and the financial shenanigans of Henry “Junjo” Lawes, came to the rescue. With a tuff as nails drum and bass soundtrack, the Roots Radics, almost overnight, became the number one band for Jamaican recordings.

Bunny “Striker” Lee was always attuned to even the slightest change in the musical landscape of Kingston. He quickly picked up on this shift in taste and knew he had to compete or be left behind. By 1980, Striker had gathered a stable of young artists around his core veterans like Cornell Campbell and Johnny Clarke to build riddims and tunes to speak to this new “dancehall” vibe. With a deep knowledge of classic songwriting, an ability to effectively communicate with musicians and an infusion of new talent, Striker Lee’s new direction quickly hit gold. “Rub a Dub Revolution” mines this often overlooked period with tracks of rarities like the Paragons obscure “Place Called Zion”, classic tunes such as Don Carlos’ iconic “Pass Me The Lazer Beam” and extended 12” mixes featuring DJ verses by Papa Tullo, Purpleman, Simple Simon and others that showcase the excitement, experimentation and raw energy of this transformative period of Jamaican music. Rub a Dub Revolution will be released in a gorgeously designed 2 Lp vinyl set and a double CD with 3 bonus tracks. Both formats include extensive track notes by Diggory Kenrick and an extensive interview with Bunny Lee.

Frankie Jones’ “Gun Fever” is a dark and heavy piece of digital roots; a rare representation of 80s Jamaican music that appealed equally to the UK roots and dancehall crowds. Originally released in 1986 on a Third World 12”, the record was limited in distribution and became a heavily sought after tune by serious collectors and selectors alike. This Pressure Sounds release on a crisp, newly mastered 45 is the first time “Gun Fever” has been reissued; and the first time it has appeared on 7” vinyl. Comes in a hand stamped bag.

A dark, driving version of the Soul Vendor’s “Darker Shade of Black” led by Eastwood’s wild, fuzzed-out guitar. Its most likely that James Eastwood is guitarist Mikey Chung and was a play on the Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns popular in Jamaica at the time. Comes in hand stamped bag.

Essential up-tempo roots classic from Yabby You aka Vivian Jackson and the Prophets. “Judgment Time” layers heavy bass and horn arrangements against driving, “militant” style drums to create the perfect backdrop for deep, conscious lyrics and The Prophets’ gorgeous harmonies. The B-side is a heavyweight dub that finds King Tubby expertly using his vaunted talents to create a “Judgment Time” version as powerful as the original vocal side.

Bunny Lee as producer. Prince Jammy as engineer. The Aggrovators making the tracks. It is the Holy Trinity of Jamaican Music. Throughout the years, recorded music has been shaped by some enduring partnerships between producer and engineer, such as Teo Macero and Fred Plautt for Miles Davis, Jerry Wexler and Tom Dowd for Atlantic Records, and George Martin and Geoff Emerick for the Beatles. But possibly none were as prolific as the collaboration between Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee and Prince Jammy at King Tubby’s Studio between 1976 and 1982.

In 1977 and 1982 respectively, Conflict Dub and Dubbing In The Front Yard were released in London as white labels in extremely limited quantities. The two LPs found the triumvirate of Lee, Jammy and The Aggrovators in perfect form with driving instrumentals, flashes of vocal beauty and mixes that ripped apart and rebuilt traditional notions of sonic structure. Due to the nature of their limited release (not to mention the lack of artwork and even titles) the two dub LPs quickly disappeared into that mythic realm of records whispered about by only the most hard-core reggae collectors. This release is the first-ever reissue of these sought after LPs, and contains all the original songs in both vinyl form (double LP set with both albums on the original labels) and a lush double pack cd with 3 extra bonus tracks. The sleeve notes are by Diggory Kenrick with amazing photos by Howard Johnson, director of the influential Channel 4 documentary ‘Deep Roots Music’.

The 3 CD bonus tracks are all remixes. Two from Paolo ‘Dubfiles’ Baldini for the Dubbing in the Front Yard set. One for Conflict Dub by Diggory Kenrick.

Four heavyweight dub remixes of two Bunny Lee rhythms laid in the early 80s by an updated Aggrovators, featuring Sly and Robbie . First are two re-works of the “Enter Into His Gates” rhythm and on the flipside two involving dubs of Jackie Edwards’ “Come Dub Me Girl” from 1981. Both rhythms feature on the “Dubbing In The Frontyard” album, The LP cuts were mixed by Prince Jammy at King Tubby’s Studio, but the remixes on this release come from Paolo Baldini, whose ‘Dubfiles’ projects at his Alambic studio has caught the mood of younger reggae aficionados as well as the more traditional reggae crowd.

A superb single by the vocalist Busty Brown who is somewhat of a mystery other than that he recorded for the usual roll call of Jamaican producers such as Lee Perry, Derrick Harriott and Clancy Eccles. Busty also sang in the ‘Crepe Souls’ for Herman Chin Loy and did his first recordings at Studio One. Busty seems to have been a noted dancer on the Kingston club scene and recorded this song for Bunny Lee in the early 70s. He has a rich voice and this 45 finds him superbly backed by the vocal harmonies of the Clowns. Comes with the version on the flipside in a hand stamped bag.

1979 roots vocal cut from Phillip Fullwood, 1st time reissued since the time..

The 100th release on Pressure Sounds is the brilliant set of ‘Rockers from the land of reggae’ this album was originally released in 1982 and has never been re-released since. Its some what amazing that this album has never been made available since its first release. Now re-mastered and with bonus tracks. An essential release for all fans of roots music. I Mo Jah only ever made one album and it was exceptional. The sleeve was a hand drawn illustration by Magnus Johnson a prime mover in the Boston hip hop scene and cult radio Dj. He later went on to be celebrated artist in the Boston area.

Pressure Sounds 100th release!

Double CD Pack with both albums 'Rockers From The Land Of Reggae' and 'Words In Dub' plus six bonus tracks spread over the two CDs. Extensive sleeve notes and lovingly packaged!

A prodigy of the Alpha boys school Owen Gray deliver a heartfelt roots vocal on a rhythm most likely supplied by Sly Dunbar and Lloyd Parks. This is a top tune and Phil Pratts production is sympathetic to Owen Grays voice. The rhythm was remixed at London’s Easy street studio and used on the ‘War is on dub style’ set. There is a distinct Roots Radics feel to the rhythm and the veteran Owen Gray handles it perfectly. A rootsy that is well worthy of being re-issued. ‘Why did you kill your brother for a dollar’ as appropriate now as it was when it was released. Bobby Kalphat .makes an appearance on melodica in the second half of the track.

Two crisp and crunchy Phill Pratt productions. The A side has an extended version of the song Strange things. Ronnie Davis takes the lead vocal on this version of the song that was written by Horace Andy and made famous by John Holt. ‘Black Cinderella’ on the Flip side was cut by Errol Dunkley for Jimmy Radway and Ronnie Davis’s version is an updated cut that was recorded in Jamaica with Sly and Robbie as the rhythm section. These songs were remixed in the Uk as dubs for ‘The war is on dub style’ set. Both sides of the ten inch are extended versions.

Very rare Phil Pratt produced dub album "The War Is On Dub Style" gets reissued for the first time with original tunes on the vinyl and with 3 extra vocal and one dub track on the CD. Early 80s rhythm tracks recorded in Jamaica then dubbed at Easy Street studio in Bethnal Green east London.

A fierce reflection of Kingston’s down town strife from Jacob Miller. Miller was a downtown Ghetto dweller that had managed to work himself into the bohemian uptown scene. Junior Delgado had apparently come to a session as Kingston’s Ghetto was on fire and imbued a Miller/Inner Circle recording session with a tale of apocalyptic doom from downtown. Crackling gunfire then ‘Uptown downtown all around town fire fire’ sings Miller as the Lewis brothers rhythm section kicks in.

The original first cut from The Black Ark with Lee Perry at the controls, Marley later recut the tune for the opening track on his "Exodus" album for Island Records. All new Pressure Sounds 7"x 3  sleeves come in (limited run) reused album sleeves.