Ska 264 Items

Dutch ska madman from the 80s returns! Ten tracks in signature witty manic paced 2-tone style, a true return to form from his classic albums of the early to mid 80s. A household name across Europe's ska scene, a must for fans of Madness, Specials, Arthur KAY, MR Review. Yellow repress.

Highlights!Jah Jazz Orchestra Is A Cross-Border Band Consisting Of Nine Jazz Musicians With A Passion For Roots, Ska, Rocksteady... And The Self-Imposed Mission Of Spreading Good Vibes Using Improvisation And Brilliant Jazz Technique As Weapons.This Ensemble Of Jazzmen Active On The Swiss, French And European Scene Goes Back To The Roots Of Ska - Initially, And In Extreme Summary, Is A Jamaican Take On American Jazz And Rhythm'n'blues - To Deliver Its Own Blend Of Groove, Improvisation And Big-Band Arrangements."Introducing Jah Jazz Orchestra" Is The Debut Album By This New Band.Description:This Debut Album Revisits Compositions From Jazz Legends Such As Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie And Joe Henderson As Well As Two Classics From The Skatalites Repertoire (Ska La Parisienne And King Solomon). The Original Arrangements Set These Tunes In Grooves Ranging From Classic Ska To Reggae, Strolling Through Rocksteady, With The Ever Presence Of Jamaican Jazz And The Influence Of Artists Such As The Skatalites, Ernest Ranglin, Jazz Jamaica_beyond This Diversity, The Unity Of "Introducing Jah Jazz Orchestra" Is Hinted At By Its Title: It Introduces The Listener To A New Band With A Distinctive Sound. A Powerful Horn Section That Can Build A Massive Wall Of Sound As Well As Intricate Lines And Fiery Solos. A Rock-Solid Rhythm Section That Knows How And When To React In An Interactive Way.The Twelve Tunes Presented In This Album, Recorded During An Intense Two-Day's Session, Reflect The Group's Spontaneity. The Resulting Music Is Fresh, Full Of Surprises, And Reflect The Facets Of Both Jazz And Jamaican Music: Light And Dark, Deep And Upbeat, Simple And Refined - Always Rooted In The Tradition.

Italian Jamaican boogie, calypso & ska trio's latest album now on tape for Cassette Week 2020. Includes wonderful versions of "got MY Mojo Working", "buona Sera", "l-o-v-e", "that's Amore", "down IN Mexico", and the title track. Popular in Europe and have several Japanese releases.

Cassette Week 2020 release. A classic from the Moon SKA NYC days, this streetpunk oi/ska classic was one the the labels most popular titles and is now on tape for the first time every. Expanded edition (90 minutes) with bonus material taken from early demo tapes and live shows.

This is the first volume of the HOT Sauce compilation LPs dedicated to the Trojan related UK labels between 1965 and 1975. The initial plan is for at least 3 albums of 14 titles. HOT Sauce Volume 1 features Rocksteady, Boss Reggae, early Dub & early Reggae outstanding original Jamaican tracks including rare songs, overlooked gems, hidden treasures and some hits. The record labels showcased on the first volume are Attack, Amalgamated, Black Swan, Blue Cat, Downtown, Doctor Bird, Duke, Grape, High Note, Randy’s and Trojan. The tracks here have been selected according to their musical interest firstly, their rarity, and their complementarity. These tracks are all outstanding tracks, “killer tracks”, there are no “fillers” whatsoever. Particular attention has been paid to the way the songs are sequenced (or “mixed”) so that the album builds up nicely and gradually, generally starting with the Rocksteady songs on the A side and the 70s songs on the B side. HOT Sauce is a musical journey across the early Reggae UK labels and across different Jamaican musical genres & talents and the way they interact together. Since the early 70s “Tighten Up” series, no compilation have really explored these labels in depth on vinyl…

Debut vinyl album from Boston's top roots dub reggae band, whose sound is truly of another time and place. Deeply in debt to the original Jamaican engineers of the 70s who turned mixing consoles into the lead instrument, the Vipers drop steady drum & bass rhythms w/ post punk attitude.

Ska Casolà' is Mr. Freak Ska's first record and also the first “syncopated singer-songwriter” reference in Spain. Cooked slowly during 4 years was released on 2011 autumn and was the presentation of the mataronian rude boy Jaume Cuadrada, who used to belong to several jamaican music projects as The Cabrians, The Diatones or Flight 404. 17 pure traditional jamaican cuts, reggae and rocksteady with lyrics full of mediterranean acid humor.

NEW This Week Specialized charity album featuring 16 top bands covering the best 2-tone ska from Madness, THE Specials, Bodysnatchers, Selecter, Beat, BAD Manners & more. Inc BIM Skala BIM, Rude BOY George, Boss Riot, THE Fuss, Crombies, Prizefighters, THE Crombies, Scotch Bonnets & more.

A plaintive love song, in a medium tempo ska style, and R&B style organ infused ballad.

Reissue time for the 1989 debut album by the Stuttgart classic SKA maniacs originally released on the Unicorn label. No Sports were the main name in the Germany SKA-revival scene of the 80's, along with Skaos, Busters and Blue Beats. Clearly inspired by the 2-tone sounds of Madness and Specials, this legendary band went on for almost 30 years and included 27 musicians in their different line-ups. This long overdue reissue is out on the 'Black Butcher' serie from Mad Butcher Records.

This first instrumental project from Equiknoxx Music’s Nick “Bobby Blackbird” Deane, was conceptualized in 2015, after choreographer Liane Williams needed theme music for her dance documentary: “5, 6,7,8 Diaries”. Starting life as a voice note sent to musical partner Gavin “Gavsborg” Blair, the ska tune was fully conceived in Deane’s mind from keys to horns. That sound was almost still born when he met in a near-fatal motor vehicle accident in July, 2015 leaving him hospitalized and bed-ridden for near 3 months.
With time to contemplate the importance of creativity in his life Bobby emerged from recovery determined to bring the song, and watercolour self-portrait to life. While metal pins held the bones in his hand together, Bobby enlisted the talents of friends to record “The Master Blenda” at Anchor Studios in one night. The ensemble featured none other than Grammy nominated Raging Fyah band members: Anthony “ToniDrumz” Watson (drums), Delroy “Pele” Hamilton (bass), Demar “Demz” Gayle (piano), and Courtland “Gizmo” White (guitar). For added authenticity, the Equiknoxx founders called upon keyboard legend Franklyn “Bubbler” Wahl of “The Professionals” fame and Grammy winning horn maestro “Stingwray” who delivered a blazing trumpet solo on top of all horn accompaniments.
Not content with revisiting one classic genre of Jamaican music, the Equiknoxx crew went genuine dub of the track on Side B, dicing the vocals of Exile Di Brave with the reverb-laced punches led by Jordan “Time Cow” Chung, Gavsborg and Bobby Blackbird himself. The track was tied together with a mix from Olo Mothashipp in Warsaw, Poland and mastered by Nick Sinna in Manchester, UK.
The result is a global labour of love and a monument to passion in creative endeavour. Inspired by a dancer, made sound by musicians and painted by the artist: The Master Blenda is true to its name. An artisan’s take on marrying spirits to become more than the sum of their arts. Hopefully Bobby has made the famed Appleton Master Blender (and his former mentor), Dr. Joy Spence proud.

What more can be said about The Slackers? Having released over 20 albums and countless singles over a decades-spanning career that dates back to 1991, the New York City hometown heroes have managed to thrive both underground and internationally in the firmly entrenched revival scenes of ska, punk and rock 'n roll. Their generational impact may be unmatched, especially considering the incredible run and reach that they've made throughout a myriad of tours across North America, Europe and South America. Easily standard bearers for the modern day, working, independent musician, The Slackers have also embodied a very thoughtful and respectful brand of Jamaican roots music and production into their own skilled compositions and writing. It's a concrete connection to the musical roots that makes this particular one-off release on NYCT a prime example of The Slackers in their most classic and reverential stance. Two unreleased exclusive instrumentals in the canonical Jamaican stylee: one ska, one rock steady, two burners on the preferred 7-inch format.

The originators of Jamaican ska release their latest album on vinyl with JUMP UP RECORDS. Two of the tracks feature original 60's era drummer LLOYD KNIBB plus it also captures alto sax player LESTER STERLING and vocalist DOREEN SHAFFER. Includes three bonus dubs from the session.

Spain's top act returns with a new punky 3rd wave meets 2-Tone ska sound for fans of THE INTERRUPTERS, TIM TIMEBOMB (RANCID). Lead by captivating vocals of ISA GARCIA over a driving ska beat that is very reminiscent of 90's American ska, following albums on GROVER and LIQUIDATOR.

Over 50 minutes of classic traditional ska from the Founding Fathers of ska The Skatalites and the Godfather of ska Laurel Aitken! - This historic recording represents the reunion of these two groundbreaking artists in 1996 some 30 years after their original meeting in Jamaica! - The studio tracks feature excellent new versions of Aitkins classics "Rudy Boy Dreams" and "It's Too Late" plus Skatalites performing "Come Down!"

1988 debut from these US ska legends, finally reissued.

Punky reggae rockers from Baltimore, fearlessly lead by singer-guitarist LADY HATCHET. An infectious sound that blends classic Jamaican grooves with 2-Tone spirit, produced/mixed by DAVE HILLYARD & AGENT JAY of THE SLACKERS. Includes a funky reggae cover of LORDE's "ROYALS".

Debut Epitaph/Hellcat release for the pietasters. Produced by Brett Gurewitz of Bad Religion/Epitaph Records. Peaked at #44 on 10/25/1997

Brand new album by the Jamaican legend Roy Ellis
and the Transilvanians backing band, who have been
touring with Roy for the last 10 years. This new album
features 12 songs that goes from Ska to Reggae and
including some cover versions that Roy Ellis takes to
his own territory, adapting to his style and giving
these tracks quite a new dimension.
Transilvanians prove to be a perfectly greased
machine, contributing with a perfect rhythm section,
full brass and even strings on the great ‘You'll Never
Find Another Love Like Mine’

There were some cool ska albums released at the turn of the millennium, including 2 albums by THE SPECIALS! Both “SKINHEAD GIRL” and “CONQUERING RULER” dig into the TROJAN RECORDS songbook, and the band’s sound was top notch, lead by RODDY RADIATION, NEVILLE STAPLE, HORACE PANTER, and NEOL DAVIES. The release of these records on vinyl from Black Butcher Classics gives the albums a new lease on life and will be enjoyed by an entire generation of vinyl fans!

Studio One Freedom Sounds is the new collection from Soul Jazz/ Studio One focussing on the intense period in the second half of the 1960s when Studio One’s vast and unbeatable output of ska, soul, rock steady and reggae made it literally one of the hottest musical empires in the world.
During this highly successful period, Clement ‘Sir Coxsone’ Dodd released hundreds and hundreds of superlative singles seemingly on an almost daily basis, in the process making huge stars out of Jamaican singers such as Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson, The Wailers, Slim Smith, Jackie Opel and many more.
Powered by the finest in-house musicians working in Jamaica, whether it was The Skatalites, Jackie Mittoo’s Soul Brothers, The Sounds Dimension or The Soul Vendors, Studio One functioned as hit factory on the scale of Motown in the USA, shaping and defining reggae music for decades to come.
Singlehandedly Studio One’s founder Clement Dodd was able to create the most successful vertically-integrated record company that Jamaica had ever known with pressing plant, printers, studio, shops, and sound systems all running at once, with over 50 employees and hundreds of artists working with Studio One during this time.
Studio One Freedom Sounds tells the story of Studio One in the 1960s with a stunning set of ska, soul, rock steady and reggae killer tunes as well as informative sleevenotes and track-by-track info by Noel Hawks. The album is released as heavyweight double vinyl (+ free download code), deluxe CD and digital album.

Classic 1995 third wave ska classic pressed on vinyl for the very first time! One of THE TOASTERS best selling albums of all time, released in the USA, Germany, Japan with a worldwide tour in support of the album. 14 trax on marble vinyl, now in a full picture sleeve. Repressed!

Originally released on MOON NYC in 1997, this third wave ska classic back on vinyl once again. Feat big MTV hits "I WASN'T GOING TO CALL YOU ANYWAY" & "2 TONE ARMY", 14 total tracks. Finally repressed with a full picture sleeve.

A 12-inch featuring classic roots/dub tracks, originally recorded in 1978.

Heavy roots reggae album from 1988 by avant-jazz horn player Jamaiel Shabaka. Remastered and released as a double LP gatefold sleeve in an edition of 500. With its unusual jazzy/improv'd sonic essays among straight-up heavyweight roots tracks, saying that 'The Land Of The Rising Sun' is an unusual-sounding reggae album is an understatement, and far from a surprise: after all, who in the reggae world started improving for days on end with Sun Ra?

The Sound of Studio One can be identified by the great singers that it cultivated along the many great songs that these singers released. But as studio 1’s dominance was slowly pulled away by the up and coming new breed of producers many of the artists would inevitably end up working for these new camps and so the songs and singers found a new audience. The reggae sound of the Studio 1 would make a great combination and the man to pull this was together Bunny Lee.
The 1960’s in Jamaica was run by two main factions, Coxsonne’s Studio 1 and Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle. These two leading protagonists saw what some of the other great Sound System men like ‘ Tom The Great Sebastian’ had not taken onboard, that when the tunes they imported began to dry up from the USA, their future lied in producing music. Tunes that suited the musical styles that the people of Jamaica still enjoyed. By the late 1960’s thse supremacy was being challenged by the up and coming new producers on the scene, Lee Perry being one, and the other being ‘Ghost of the Studios’ himself, Bunny Lee. Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee may have inherited the moniker ‘Striker’ from his liking of a particular TV show called ‘The Hitch-Hiker’, but it would soon stand also for the considerable hits he would obtain as he was declared producer of the year in Jamaica in 1969, 1970,1971 and 1972.
For this release, we have compiled many of the great Studio hits that Bunny Lee recorded with the singers that had originally cut at the famed Studio 1. Bunny Lee’s sprinkling of magic over some classic tunes….the sound of Studio 1 backed up this time Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee’s set of star musicians The Aggravators. Proving you can’t keep a good tune down, or a great producer pushing forward…..Bunny Lee strikes back….
Hope you enjoy the set…..

"Skinhead Moonstomp Revisited" is a new recording of the classic album with Roy Ellis.

A reissue of a classic dub/reggae album, originally released in 1982.

Brand New 2017 Recut - finally available on Vinyl for the First time. 2LP+Mp3 in full Original Coverart. The legendary movie soundstrack based out of Kingston, Jamaica in April 2008, telling the story of the original vocalists and musicians involved. The sixteenth release on the Moll-Selekta label shares its title with a wonderful film, a heartwarming homage to the golden age of rocksteady. It documents the recordings being made for this very album at the Tuff Gong studios, Kingston, Jamaica in April 2008, telling the story of the original vocalists and musicians involved. Excerpts from an all star reunion concert staged in Kingston and older archive material complete the picture. Never before in the history of Jamaica, which already occupies a unique place on the world map of song, its sound embraced by western popular music, has such an illustrious collection of singers and players been assembled. The album showcases 15 rocksteady classics in sparkling, deeply inspired new versions, recorded in the studio which also played host to album sessions of a certain Bob Marley. Under the musical direction of Ernest Ranglin, a guitarist of considerable renown not only on the reggae circuit, but also on the jazz scene, mixed by legendary engineer Errol Brown - in Duke Reid’s employ at the Treasure Isle studio in the sixties - and freshly arranged by Lynn Taitt.

Originally released in 1987, this album is considered by many to be the birth of modern "third wave" ska in the USA. Remastered audio with "new" artwork that includes illustrations by legendary comic book artist BOB FINGERMAN.