Juno Recommends Reggae Classics: June 2023

Review: Thomas Blanchot has been casting a spell with his sun-soaked reggae renditions as Mato for a long time now. He's back on his regular stomping ground of Stix with a beautiful version of Roy Ayers' evergreen 'What You Won't Do For Love', with Ethel Lindsey taking on the role as singer to complement Blanchot's sweet and easy riddim. It's a tune primed to greet the warmer weather, staying faithful to the original while giving it a fresh spin. As well as the full vocal version on the A-side, we know full well you're going to love flipping it over for the consummate dub version on the B-side.

Review: Live At Roundhouse calls back to when New Zealand nu-dubbers Fat Freddy's Drop reserved their best tricks for London in the late 00s. Descending on time-honoured Camden venue the Roundhouse, the album captures the essence of one of their most renowned live sets, with energetic jamming seguing through seven original tune, showcasing their improv skills both as a band and as a dub production collective. The 15th anniversary edition here comes courtesy of Record Store Day and comes in an exclusive neon green sleeve.

Review: You might well have caught Rhoda Dakar's wonderful run of cover versions popping up on singles from Sunday Best over recent times. Now the time has come to gather them together with some additional treats and present a fully-fledged album. Version Girl is pure feel good energy, even when Dakar takes on The Smiths' 'Everyday Is Like Sunday'. From Bowie's 'The Man Who Sold The World' to Reed's 'Hangin' 'Round', Dakar has chosen tracks which don't already have reggae versions, bringing something fresh to the table with the insight of a true music lover.

Review: Max Romeo's Every Man Ought To Know is an exclusive release for Record Store Day 2023 that has been remastered from the original tapes and comes with extensive new liner notes from Peter Simon. This is one of his landmark albums and a titan of the classic reggae and ska scene. Romeo himself is still active and is in fact about to embark on a final live tour to mark his retirement while also serving up a new album alongside it. This one came back in 1974 and this is the first reissue of an underground classic that hasthe legendary Bunny Lee on production.

Review: Leon Leiffer formed The Blackstones in 1974, but since then the band has been through a number of different line-up changes. The current lineup features Leiffer with Tony Mahoney, Jr. Bailey and A.J. Franklin and this new 7" offers two tunes from their tried and tested repertoire. First is a contemporary rework of William DeVaughn's US 70's soul classic that Massive Attack sampled so well, namely 'Be Thankful', and on the flip is a version of Yabby You's roots reggae cut 'Deliver Me' from the 1970s. Both are packed with heat and great musicianship to update them for modern sound systems.

Review: Rock A Shaka out of Japan always cook up the good and for this new 45rpm they bring low slung funk, disco and boogie to a dubbed out reggae vibe thanks to a superb a-side from Ronnie Butler. 'Funky Rasta' has tinny analogue drums and crisp 80s production style with a great female vocal. Willie Lindo on the backside then offers up the more laid-back and horizontal dub sounds of 'Midnight' complete with natty acoustic chords and island-life atmospheres. Pure sunshine music for good times only, as always with this label.

Review: Reggae is a broad and deep world with many artists all with their own style. This new collection is compiled from the vast array of Jamaican artists, groups and its diaspora and gets form the genres early days right through its many subtle evolutions. As such it incudes gems from Jimmy Cliff, sonnet cold classics from Third World, Peter Tosh and Toots & The Maytals, some seductive lovers-rock from Dennis Brown, Linton Kwesi Johnson and Gregory Isaacs and and chart topping hit from Althea & Donna in the form of 'Uptown Top Ranking'.

Review: This is an exclusive for independent stores only this Record Store Day and a fine one it is too from the one and only welder turned reggae kingpin that is Bob Marley and his Wailers. This is a vital one for the collection that has been pressed in limited quantities and is a non-album 45rpm that he recorded for legendary producer Bunny Lee at Randy's in Jamaica. This 7-inch single has a Custom Gorgon label and features the happy-go-lucky dub of 'Mr Chatter Box' with Bob's smoky but smooth vocals and a version on the flip.

Review: The very best of John Holt's work has been assembled here in an Essential Artist Collection that is the latest drop in Trojan Records' newly launched range, all designed with he aim of showing off the work of the best-loved foundational artists from Jamaica. Holt made it onto the world stage in 1974 with his legendary 1000 Volts of Holt album and its raw mix of rhythm and sophisticated orchestral arrangements. He had a global hit with 'Help Me Make It Through The Night' and was one of the standout solo performers of his era. This mighty collection shows just why he was so well-loved and respected.

Review: The renowned Jamaican reggae singer Winston Reedy is someone who has had several solo number-one hits that have made him widely known in the reggae world. He was also the lead singer for top reggae band The Cimarons with whom he saw much more success. He leads this new 45rpm with the super laid back and vibey 'Pirate' and it is paired with a 'Steady Rock' dub by The Inn House Crew, then backed with Jamaican-born, London-based artist, songwriter and producer Barry Issacs and a Germany-based Jamaican in Juliaiasiah whose 'Secret' is a sun-kissed delight.