Studio One Records Official T-Shirt Green

Exclusive Studio One Official T-shirt!

Back in stock!

Soul Jazz Records new Studio One release Rocksteady Got Soul is a collection of uplifting and superb rocksteady and soulful reggae from the late 1960s and early 1970s. Studio One is the number one label in the history of reggae and he album features - as ever with Studio One - an impeccable and unbeatable line-up of reggae superstars all soaring at the height of their creative powers. Alton Ellis, John Holt, The Heptones, Jackie Mittoo, The Ethiopians, Lee Perry and more.

The album is a mix of classic tunes and rhythms alongside super-rarities that were released in a dazzlingly complex web of Studio One labels and issues, deftly navigated with new sleevenotes from author and Studio One authority Rob Chapman. But enough with the chatter, just spin the platter - these tunes rule the town, hands down!

This Soul Jazz/Studio One album is released as deluxe gatefold double-vinyl + house inners + download code. Also as jewel case CD housed in card slipcase. Both formats come with full sleeve notes/discography and exclusive photography. (The album is also available digitally on day of release onwards)

Exclusive Studio One Official T-shirt!

It's back in stock!!! EXCLUSIVE - ONLY AVAILABLE HERE!

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WORLD EXCLUSIVE limited edition seven-inch 45 ONLY AVAILABLE to customers at Soul Jazz Records and Sounds of the Universe!

The world's greatest ever break? Here it is - The first official re-release of The Winston's Amen Brother with the LEGENDARY Amen Break as featured on 1000s of hip-hop and jungle releases. This record has been a collectors' 45 for ages and OUT OF PRINT for 50 years - sounding fresh!

Not only that but the flip-side Color Him Father is a superb Curtis Mayfield-esque ANTHEMIC soul tune - as essential as the A-side.

WORLD EXCLUSIVE limited edition seven-inch 45 ONLY AVAILABLE to customers at Soul Jazz Records and Sounds of the Universe!

THIS RECORD IS 100% ESSENTIAL and ONLY available HERE - DO NOT MISS OUT!

BACK IN PRINT!!! The ESSENTIAL book about Voguing featuring 200+ photographs, interviews and text on the LEGENDS of the House Ballroom Scene of New York City 1989-92.

Introductory essay is by Tim Lawrence, author of the seminal music books: 'Life and Death on The New York Dance Floor',‘Love Saves the Day: A History of American dance music culture, 1970-79’ and ‘Hold on to your Dreams: Arthur Russell and the Downtown Music Scene, 1973-92’.

Voguing came out of the extraordinary house ballroom scene that emerged in Harlem, New York in the 1980s where men competed against one another for their dancing skills, the realness of their drag and their ability to walk on a catwalk runway like a model.

These wild years of voguing and the house ballroom scene are vividly captured at its height in hundreds of amazing, previously unpublished photographs. A visual riot of fashion, gender, polysexuality and subversive style, Voguing and the House Ballroom Scene of New York 1989-92 is also a fascinating and timely document on sexuality and race.

In 2018 a new American TV drama series, Ryan Murphy's POSE premiered, set in the Voguing and House Ballroom world.

Photographer Chantal Regnault lived in New York between 1989-92, photographing the hidden and underground Voguing and House Ballroom Scene at its height – the book features the dancers Willi Ninja, Jose and Luis Xtravaganza (who all worked with Madonna) – LEGENDARY ‘mothers’ of the gay and transgender world – Avis Pendavis, Peppa LaBeija, Carmen Xtravaganza, Dorian Corey, Paris Dupree and more.

SELECT REVIEWS:

"Photographer Chantal Regnault immersed herself in the Voguing scene with passion, accumulating a treasure trove of unpublished photographs now gathered in this book. A beautiful subversive and rare document but also a sociological testimony of a musical movement undeniably linked to sexual and cultural identity." PARIS VOGUE

"Fabulous images documenting the phenomenon of Voguing in New York's house ballrooms in the 1980s and early 90s" THE GUARDIAN

"An amazing insight into the roots of music, polysexuality and subversive style that defined a party era." EVENING STANDARD

"This photography book captures all the fierce shade-throwing, catwalk-walking competition of gay ballroom culture in the 1980s ... 10,10,10." GAY TIMES

Read Quietus feature here

Read Guardian interview with Chantal Regnault here

See Guardian photo gallery here

200 page deluxe 24x30cm flexibound book,

Oh yes! 50 x 70cm KILLER poster!!

Choose "Poster Freepost" if you want this poster sent with any other vinyl order item (LP/12" vinyl only) at NO extra postage charge (poster will be folded into six parts)

Choose "Poster+Tube" if you want the poster rolled up and sent in a customised, protective tube (more expensive to cover postage)

THIS ALSO means if you want more than one poster then you should only put 'Poster+Tube' for one of the posters and select 'Poster freepost' for any others as the rest will be free shipping.

MASSIVE STUDIO ONE ANTHEM ALERT!!!

Willie Williams' roots rock reggae classic Armagideon Time – the rare 12" extended Discomix version split into two sublime heavyweight slices and cut super-loud on a 12" single.

Produced by Studio One supremo Coxsone Dodd this is a huge Reggae anthem on the classic 'Real Rock' rhythm, famously covered by The Clash and sampled by KRS One, The Fugees and many more.

A dancefloor devastating Reggae party bomb!

You'll never need a plastic bag again or any bag for that matter!!!  So many of our lovely customers wanted to have a more permanent Sounds Of The Universe bag and here it is!!! Will fit your 12" vinyl purchases, CD's, vegetables, baby, a stranded kitten and more....

In 1970 Miles Davis released “Bitches Brew”, which crystalised the trumpeter and bandleader’sexperiments in rhythm, electronics and musical structure which he had been building on over the previous three years. The album has since become one of the most influential in musical history and was joined over the next couple of years by “Jack Johnson and “On The Corner” in defining the future of music.

Miles was the master bandleader and his LPs at the time declared that these were his ‘Directions In Music’, but he forged them with the help of a hand-picked group of musicians who proved themselves good enough to share his space on stage and in the studio. These players would all become central to jazz’s continued relevance and many would go on the record best-selling jazz records of their own. This compilation looks at the records that they made around the time they played with Miles and how they fed into or were fed by their time in his group.

So we have Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul with versions of tracks they cut with Miles. Herbie Hancock’s journey into the electronic instruments that Miles convinced him to play, and Keith Jarrett’s firm rejection of them. Lonnie Liston Smith borrows the Indian percussion from “On The Corner” for his take on electronic funk. Chick Corea, John McLaughlin and Gary Bartz all show their distinctive talents that were allowed to shine in Miles’ band. As a bonus, we have Miles’ musicians alongside Betty Davis (his wife at the time) on a take of Cream’s ‘Politician Man’ and Miles’ 1970 group live at The Cellar Door on Joe Zawinul’s ‘Directions’.

BACK IN PRINT!!!!!!! 2xLP now with bonus download code!

Heavy, heavy tunes! Studio One instrumentals are the foundation of Reggae. These rhythm tracks became the basis for all Dancehall as countless artists and producers re-versioned these classic Studio One instrumentals.

REVIEWS:

" sheer volume of output from Studio One is astonishing, combined with the fact that the quality of the recordings never seem to diminish. These instrumentals touch on ska, rocksteady, dub, and begin to hint at the reggae sound of the late '70s. Each instrumental is perfect and has the feel that it could hardly be improved upon. Soul Jazz has once again put together a wonderfully rounded collection of music from Studio One". All Music

"I think if a nuclear family could have a soundtrack, ours would be the Soul Jazz comp Studio One: Scorcher. I wouldn't say it's the best record ever made, but if I heard it every single day for the rest of my life, I'd be 100% cool with it." DJ

"Compilation of essential & rare Studio One instrumentals" Hard Wax

"Studio One Scorcher is the latest of these, collecting instrumental tracks spanning the years from the late-'60s rocksteady vogue through the onset of dancehall and digital rhythms in the early 80s featuring The Skatalites, trombonist Don Drummond, Pablove Black and others." Billboard 

Comes as Triple LP + download code, CD, Digital album.

NEW COLOUR!

It's a classic! "Soul Jazz Records" T-shirt - White on Navy Blue!

Limited Edition first copies bought directly from us here only come with free poster (with 3x LP edition) + free badge and sticker (with Deluxe 2xCD edition )!!!!

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Soul Jazz Records’ new Boombox 3 continues the story of the first rap records to be put onto vinyl. It is a jam-packed collection of original independent ‘old-school’ hip-hop, created with just one thing in mind – to get this party jumping!

After the explosion of hip hop in the parks and clubs of The Bronx in the mid-1970s, it was in Harlem where the first rap records emerged at the end of 1979 - an avalanche of superb rap tracks released on small independent labels all trying to capitalise on the success of ‘Rappers Delight.’

Like hip hop culture itself, these first rap singles are the product of their own unique set of aesthetics – exciting and innovative rap performed with Bronx block party B-Boy funk breaks, disco jams and Jamaican sound system culture.

The extensive sleevenotes discuss hip-hop’s trajectory from the first wave of Bronx creativity – the legendary DJs Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa – through to its arrival in Harlem via the entrepreneurism of old-school African-American rhythm and blues producers and émigré Jamaican producers all living in New York. Along the way the notes discuss everything from the New York power blackout of 1977, the Italian mafia involvement in the music industry, the links between rap and Jamaican dancehall and more besides!

Boombox 3 features a line-up of stunning, near unknown New York rap artists, classic disco breaks (including Chic’s omnipotent Good Times, MFSB’s Love Is the Message, Queen’s Another One Bites The Dust etc.), proto-electro and more. And by the early 1980s the first rap records outside New York began to emerge – Los Angeles, Houston, Milwaukee, Phoenix – and the first of these are also featured here in this new collection.

This Soul Jazz Records album is released on heavyweight triple vinyl (+ download code) with full notes, double CD pack with 44-page outsize booklet and slipcase, and digital album.

Reviews of Boombox series:

‘The vital launch pad between hip-hop’s birth and its worldwide impact’ THE WIRE

‘This compilation of early rap is a legit party in a box, one of the best Soul Jazz Records releases in years.’ FACT

JVC FORCE STRONG ISLAND SAMPLE - The ultimate soul break!! What a tune!

Tom Moulton in the Mix!

The triple threat production force of Holland-Dozier-Holland put their special touch on Freda Payne - The Unhooked Generation for Invictus back in 1969. Much loved in the sampling world for its killer guitar hook intro, most famously used in JVC Force - Strong Island, this Tom Moulton remix has never been pressed as a single before.

INSANE and awesome record from one of the first and finest San Francisco punk bands ever! Originally released in 1978 on Chris D's own Upsetter Records. Bespoke reproduction with open out double-sided 4 page sleeve. Out of print for 30 yrs! Four tracks of raw energy for ten quid - or u can buy the original for a few £100! The bomb!

Soul Jazz Records' journey into Dub and beyond, released to coincide with the new DVD film. Featuring an array of both legendary and current artists and producers connected to Dub.

This monster double CD / triple LP is a lightning journey through Dub featuring Jamaican originators such as King Tubby, Lee Perry, Prince Jammy and Bunny Lee, alongside electronic futurists and Dubstep artists such as Kode9, Harmonic 313 (Warp) and LV (Hyperdub), as well as hip hop pioneer Roots Manuva and original junglist Congo Natty. Musical worlds collide as Francois Kervorkian meets Jamaican DJ legend U-Roy, and German techno giants Rhythm & Sound meet Cornell Campbell.

This album is a celebration of all things Dub and related, featuring rare classics alongside new tracks from the pioneers and futurists of this electronic musical form.

REVIEWS
The Times 

This is very, very rare and very, very deep!

Don Cherry and the Organic Music Society super hi-quality audio, recorded by RAI (Italian public broadcasting company) in 1976 for TV. Don Cherry and his family-community’s musical belief emerges in its simplicity, with the desire to merge the knowledge and stimuli gained during numerous travels across the world in a single sound experience!

Don Cherry's pocket-trumpet + the great Brazilian percussionist Nana Vasconcelos + the Italian guitar of Gian Piero Pramaggiore + the tanpura drone of Moki.

In the Organic Music everything becomes an act of devotion and love, an ecstatic dwell in the dimension of a sacred free-rejoice." Indeed!

This is the bomb!

The story of two outsiders and obsessives whose collision prompted an evangelistic alliance on the furthest frontiers of underground music.Steve Davis first met Kavus Torabi - guitarist with Gong, Guapo, Cardiacs and Knifeworld - in the mid-2000's at a gig by French underground rock legends Magma. Over the next few years, this unlikely duo's shared affinity for visionary psychedelic music would become the foundation of not only a firm friendship, but also the most infectiously inclusive broadcasting style since the much-mourned death of John Peel.

In their weekly radio shows and a one-of-a-kind live DJ roadshow which included a legendary appearance at Glastonbury, Steve and Kavus mapped out a musical landscape of rare enchantment, where the only passport needed was a pair of open ears. No-one, least of all Davis and Torabi themselves, was expecting the 6-time former World Snooker champion and a British-Iranian underground rock musician to become one of the most trusted brands in British alternative music.

As Steve and Kavus were starting to get to grips with the challenge of their newfound status, events took a further unexpected turn. Suddenly they found themselves in a band together. And not just any band ... as two thirds of Britain's (if not the world's) leading harmonium, guitar and analogue synth power-trio (with Michael J.York of Coil)The Utopia Strong, the two friends found themselves plunging into a vortex of spontaneous compositional excitement. How Steve and Kavus pulled this off is just one of the many questions MEDICAL GRADE MUSIC will try to answer.

Part sonic memoir, part Socratic dialogue, part gonzo mission to the heart of what makes music truly psychedelic this book is the first work of joint autobiography to ever trace the evolution of a life-changing friendship through the discographies of Gentle Giant and Voivod. From the chip-shops of Plumstead to the the wildest shores of Plymouth's nineties thrash scene. it's a funny and fearless buddy movie of the soul, with a soundtrack that will make your eyes bleed.

Poom-pow, poom-pow. Seminal Deutsche electronicists pay homage to French bicyclists. Repackaged and remastered edition. 

‘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

Get down with the get down! Fantastic new season colours in Soul Jazz Records' classic 12" & 7" Record Bags (holds about 30 LPs). Fantastic for DJing, impressing your stylish friends or just 'carrying stuff'.

As well as the classic blue bag with white strap and stripes these are now available in limited edition red, green, cyan and more with matching straps - 'nuff colours!

**SOTU EXCLUSIVE!** VERY LIMITED - EXCLUSIVE TO SOUNDS OF THE UNIVERSE!

Two of the key tracks from Femi Kuti and Made Kuti's 'Legacy +' album - only available here online and instore! Available 2 weeks after the album

Insane percussive heavy 60s party Mambo recorded in the Bahamas + Hypnotic 60s calypso recorded in Port-au-Prince. 

Caribbean party vibes on this Soul Jazz Records 45 only available EXCLUSIVELY to customers of Soul Jazz Records/Sounds of the Universe! Very limited 300 copies!

The Holy Grail of modern soul!  Share in the secret and find out why this album is so highly regarded!

Very highly recommended!

Seminal, uplifting, righteous, soulful roots anthem!