Reggae & Dancehall 378 Items

The one arm keyboard luminary is well known in the entertainment circle of Western Jamaica. Born on the 2nd of March 1954, the accomplished singer and musician hails from Hayes, Clarendon. In 1969 he went to live in Kingston until 1973. Ancel's first effort in a recording studio was inside the popular Randy's in downtown Kingston. He did a single called 'Riding On' on the Musical Barber label out of Mandeville. In 1977 he joined a group called Solid Foundation and stayed with them for two years. After that he moved to Montego Bay to sing with Stamma and the Sounds of Mobay, with who he appeared on Reggae Sunsplash festival in 1980. Johnny made the move for the United States in 1982, and formed his first own band 'Uprisers' in Pittsburgh city. One of the things he likes to talk about is how he once reunited the famed Clarendonians with Peter Austin and Ernest Wilson. Both pioneer icons were at irreconcilable odds with each other for quite some time. When he came back to Jamaica in 1985, he invited Ernest Wilson to do back-up vocals for him. For the same studio session, he also invited Peter Austin for the same back-up duties, and that was how the reunion came about. Inside famous Aquarius studio, there was Burning Spear's personal Band called Burning. The songs recorded there were 'Moving Out' and 'True Love' with top musicians : Tony Green on the saxophone, Bobby Ellis on the trumpet, Dwight Pinkney on the guitar, Calvin on percussion, Nelson Miller on the drums and Maurice Gordon on bass. This was not the first time Ancel was working with Peter Austin. When the split came in the ranks of the Clarendonians, Ancel was asked to fill the breach. He thus teamed up with Peter Austin and their first single together was entitled 'Out Of Sight'. They later entered the annual Jamaica Festival Song competition in 1975. Their entry was entitled 'Paradise On Earth' which Ancel said was quite popular. However, it was not popular enough to prevent the late Roman Stewart from copping the award with 'Hooray Festival'. After the release of 'Moving Out', Johnny moved to Miami and continued his career as a solo artist, singing with different local bands. He did a number of singles, notably were 'Faith, Patience and Love' and 'Stand Back' for a producer called Jolly in Miami. In 1988 Powell formed his second band Benja, a band which gained increasing popularity in the time in South Florida. They have performed on several festivals, played in most major clubs and were a big success in Andros Island in the Bahamas for an audience who not necessarily consider Reggae their prime choice of music. The saddest part of his life was when he lost his left hand to what doctors termed as a cancerous situation in 1977. This did not, however, stop him from learning how to play keyboards. Initially he was taught by the late Bobby Vaugh in Montego Bay and also got further teaching from jamaican saxophinist Reuben Alexander. Now approaching 70 years old, Ancel is still very active in his music. In previous years he performed at the Marcus Garvey Celebration and is currently working with the “Synergy Band” at Royalton Hotel in Negril under the stage name “Ancel P.” Let the one arm keyboard luminary life and music live eternally !

Reissue of this 1982 release, recorded and mixed at Channel One and King Tubby's Studios. Includes killer songs such as "Reggae Dance," "Unwilling Baby Mother," "Sweet Reggae Music," and "This Kind Of Way". A dancehall classic!

Recordings from a studio jam session before Bob Marley & The Wailers’ legendary performance at San Francisco's The Matrix reissued on vinyl for the first time ever! After the release of their world debut Catch A Fire, Bob Marley & The Wailers would embark on a U.S. tour supporting the legendary Sly And The Family Stone. Yet after five dates, they were fired from the tour, supposedly for upstaging the main acts! Left with no money and nowhere to go, they performed one legendary show at San Francisco's The Matrix. These recordings, taken from a studio session before their legendary performance, find Bob Marley and The Wailers at their best. Featuring the classic lineup of Bob Marley (vo/gt.), Peter Tosh (vo/gt), Joe Higgs (per.), Earl Lindo (pf.), Family Man Barrett (b.), and Carlton Barrett (ds.), the Wailers are imbued with the kind of Rock and Roll energy that could only come from outshining Sly Stone. Even sweet rocksteady ballads such as “Stir It Up” take on the form of a rock and roll anthem in this session! Despite internal tensions that would result in Tosh leaving the band the following year, The Wailers are tight as they ever were, with their iconic vocal harmonies and rhythmic prowess on full display. Discovered and released on CD by P-vine in 2005, these mythical studio recordings are finally getting a long deserved analog release! The double LP on black vinyl comes complete with an obi-strip! Put this on your player and let Kingston come to you!

Second album reissue for Big Joe (born Joseph Spalding in 1955), Jamaican reggae deejay and record producer, who recorded extensively in the 1970s and early 1980s. This is the follow up to Keep Rocking And Swinging, released on Live & Love in 1978 and produced by Bunny Lee. A must for all the reggae and dub fanatics out on Radiation Roots.

L.A.B is a reggae band from New Zealand. Its founding members are Brad Kora (backing vocals and drums) and Stuart Kora (backing vocals, keyboard and guitar) of the band „KORA”. They soon engaged Joel Shadbolt on lead vocals and guitar, Ara Adams-Tamatea, formerly of “KATCHAFIRE” as bassist, and Miharo Gregory as keyboardist. The band mostly composes reggae music, with a mix of electronic, blues, rock and funk music.
Their song "In the Air" topped New Zealand chart in March 2020. At the end of the year, it was ranked as New Zealand's best-performing single of 2020. "Why Oh Why" also topped the New Zealnd chart in December 2020. L.A.B released 5 full length albums so far – called 1, 2, 3, 4 and V !
Echo Beach outa Germany came up with the spirit injection to let PAOLO BALDINI do some DUBs on the backcatalogue of L.A.B and to do an IN DUB album. Here we are – here we go – here we dub.
A perfect blend of POP DUB. Listen to it loud.

There is a dub series that has been causing a furor for years, and that since the release of "KING SIZE DUB 1" (then in cooperation with the cult magazine SPEX) in 1994! In the series there were always excursions to obscure counting methods (Vol.69) and specials about certain regions (Dub In Germany), labels (ON-U Sound Records from London) or bands (Dubmatix from Toronto)! Wonderfully, now KSD 25 is another compilation of the series Dub as a multi-layered art of sound mixing. In this edition, old and new friends of Echo Beach dub each other or present their own versions of pop and reggae hits by the Ramones, Bob Marley, Blondie, Robert Palmer and David Bowie, among others. The music suggests sunshine and sound systems, hot sand and cool drinks, the bass shuffles serenely but also provocatively rebellious. Dub is the art of the disc jockey, which they first elevated to stardom in Jamaica. In the fifties, music mobiles there, the "sound systems," were the substitute for missing radio stations. The DJs, intent on exclusivity, soon recorded their hit singles themselves, with instrumental backings for jokes and announcements. By the end of the sixties, this dub took on a life of its own as technology advanced. King Tubby and Lee "Scratch" Perry played with reverb, echo and regressing tapes. Dub broke away from Jamaica and went to New York or London, where its militancy fit in well with punk.

Enigmatic power-pop quartet the Fans formed in l978, spurred into action by the Bristol area’s vibrant new wave scene. Singer/guitarist George Smith previously fronted the Dragons (with future Tom Robinson collaborator Jo Burt) and guitarist Rob Williams was in Uncle Po (with future Dexy’s violinist Helen Bevington); they split after two singles for Fried Egg, but regrouped in 2OlO following a Japanese hit cover of their dejected ‘You Don’t Live Here Anymore.’ This dynamite collection joins the Fried Egg work with rare demos and live recordings, the definitive picture of one of Avon’s most impressive new wave guitar bands.

Producer Jeremy Harding has delivered an update on dancehall reggae classics with vocals by some of Jamaica's most exciting artists these days including Naomi Cowan, Kabaka Pyramid, Blvk H3ro, Runkus, Bugle and Royal Blu, alongside veterans like Beenie Man, Sean Paul, Wayne Marshall and Agent Sasco. Now available as LP-vinyl - ten songs that will move the massive in full lenght, all with a deep respect to the originators including Michigan & Smiley, Tenor Saw, Half Pint, Garenett Sik, Ken Boothe, Yellowman and Tiger, on original riddims like "Real Rock", " Shank I Sheck", "Death In The Arena", "Answer", "Mad Mad" and more!

Stix Records proudly presents Push Push by Taggy Matcher (aka Bruno « Patchworks » Hovart), back with upraising singer LMK, with a strong message to all the street stalkers harassing women! After the success of “My Man”, from Singasong album in 2014, every visit from LMK at Taggy Matcher’s studio is the occasion to embrace their shared love for vintage “Rub A Dub”, a genre that she champions. “Push Push” is an assumed tribute to the early digital productions of King Jammy, one of the best references when it comes to marry Lo-Fi & strongness. LMK sings with conviction a clear message to all the stalkers: “Push Push / Get Out Of My Way”… the message is quite clear! On B side, you’ll find the instrumental version for all DJ’s & MC’s ready to blast through their soundsystems.

Liam Bailey comes out swinging with "White Light," an instant-classic, dancefloor filler. The rough and tough drum break intro catches you from the first beat before the track gives way to an infectious and uplifting reggae-dis- co number. Liam's instantly recognizable voice showers his muse with praise over deep round bass lines and a four on the floor beat. The combination of Leon Michels' crushing production and Bailey's lyrics like "You love yourself, you're so exciting, like no one else"... is sure to make this a staple in dj sets around the globe.The B side "Cold & Clear" is a proper lighters in the air, slap the wall, top ranking tune. The track struts in the door with a natural and undeniable confidence. Liam weaves a heavy metacognitive story over the one drop drums, perfect basslines, and organ stabs that will have people stepping in rhythm. The lo-fi production weaves elements from the finest early rocksteady era with touches from the late 70s / early 80s digital era and takes the entire vibe into the present with unorthodox arrangements and vocal treatments. Bailey has a tune here that will hold up next to the classics in the dancehalls from the yards of Jamaica to the discotheques in his homeland of England.

Joseph White aka Joe White is a foundation of Jamaican music. He started singing in the late 50's and did his first recordings for Duke Reid in the early 60's. He moved to Sonia Pottinger's label later and get a first success in 1965 with the song « Every Night ». He also recorded for Prince Buster, Coxsone Dodd and Rupie Edwards. In the 70's, Joe White was one of the only melodica player in Jamaica with Augustus Pablo, Peter Tosh and Bobby Kalphat. He released beautiful melodica instrumentals like « Kenyata », « Call Me Trinity » for Derrick Harriott and « Cheer Up » for Glen Brown. Joe White was also a member of the famous BB Seaton's backing/studio band « The Conscious Minds ». In the mid seventies, he moved to London and released his classic album « Love For Every Family ».
Joe White formed the group Roots, Trunks & Branches to release several tracks on the label Splendour Heights. “Forward To Zion” was released in 1979 and became a truly reggae roots stepper banger for sound system across the globe. Probably electronic music fans will appreciate the futuristic dubwise. “Forward To Zion” is a song of peace, love, freedom and emancipation of people. Uplift your selection, listen to the words of the prophet, it's time for us to get together; we are going forward to Zion. Jah don't care whether you are a natty dread or you're a baldhead, just as long as we unite and stop the fight, we are going forward to Zion!

Stix is back in 2014 with a scorching Disco Reggae Volume 2!