Harlem Shuffle Vinyl & CDs

Review: Historic British label Harlem Shuffle Records reissue a rare rocksteady track by the Jamaican singer Jeff Barnes, backed by the Jamaican band Tommy McCook & The Supersonics, here. A single-sided 7" vinyl comes with but one dubby audio-delight: the original 1970 version of 'The Rooster', a catchy, whistlingly haunting but no less upbeat song produced by Duke Reid and first released on his eponymous Duke Records label. Harlem Shuffle now add it to their catalogue, which charts only the best in ska and rocksteady.

Review: Dice The Boss's 'Gun The Man Down', originally released in 1969 on Trojan's Joe sublabel, embodies the essence of skinhead reggae. Its irresistible beats and meaningful lyrics enrapture listeners, solidifying its place as an enduring classic. Similarly, 'Your Boss DJ' highlights the era's cultural significance, brimming with energetic melodies and musical expertise. These reissued singles are essential for collectors, providing a window into the rich tapestry of Jamaican music history in Britain. With their profound impact and cultural significance, they are indispensable additions to any aficionado's collection.

Review: Dice The Boss (Hopeton Reid) is a rags to riches story in music.Coming from a very poor area in Kingston Jamaica to then emigrating to London in the late 60s where he MC-ed for Duke Vin & recorded many great records for the UK/Jamaican booming new Reggae market in its infancy on the shoulders of the Bluebeat & Ska & Rock Steady music scene. Two of those early classics are 'Tea House From Emperor Roscoe' and 'Brixton Cat'.from 1969 and 1970 respectfully. Both influential and very rare to be had on an original physical copy. Thankfully, Harlem Shuffle is here to make these gems more available.

Review: It's time to do the Harlem Shuffle once more here and lock into the rhythms of Ray Martell. His 'She Caught The Train' is something of an early reggae classic that now makes its way onto 7" vinyl for the first time. It was originally released in 1970 on the Trojan sub-label Joe in the UK and then rose to fame once more as a cover version from UB40 in 1983. The original has been on a load of compilations but has never stood alone on wax. When it came first as a single it was backed with 'Tea House From Emperor Roscoe' by Dice The Boss but here the label adds a super rare Ray Martell song in the form of 'Cora'.

Review: This killer double sided single form 1968 finds its way onto 7" for the first time ever. Back then it was actually put out as a blank label and was mistakenly credited to The Bleachers, ratter than The Race Fans who actually wrote it. On the B-side is a totally different tune, 'Bookie Man,' which is a gem in its own right. A rare sound and killer groove, it's a great yin to the yang of the a-side and this is the first time both of these have been pressed up together at the same time.

Review: Harlem Shuffle present the first 7" re-release of a legendary late 60s reggae cut with a fascinating backstory. Both sides are credited to Joe Gibbs on the buttons, but there has always been debate about who is singing on 'People Grudgeful' and 'Pan Ya Machete'. The smart money is on it being The Pioneers, not least given the A side tune is a sharp riposte to Lee 'Scratch' Perry taking a pop at the group on his track 'People Funny Boy'. It's heartening to know there were beef tracks even back then, no matter how sweet the ska skank sounds on record.

Review: The reissue of Let It Be/Big Dog by The Soulettes and The Upsetters revives a sought-after gem from 1970, originally on the Upsetter label. This double-sided classic showcases Lee Perry's exceptional production skills. On Side-1, The Soulettes deliver a mesmerising reggae twist on The Beatles' 'Let It Be,' infusing the track with a catchy rhythm and soulful charm. Flip it over to Side-2 for 'Big Dog Bloxie,' an even more eccentric take on the same theme, brimming with Perry's signature experimental flair. This reissue celebrates a distinctive moment in reggae history.

Review: Two rare instrumental covers of the 1969 classic 'Spinning Wheel' by Blood, Sweat & Tears. Produced by the legendary Lee "Scratch" Perry in 1970, these were first released on the highly exclusive Spinning Wheel label, and, as the label name suggests, both tracks are fortuitous roulettes encircling dusty instrumental dub. It also happens to be the first ever release on Harlem Shuffle, marking the start of a small, pantherine catalogue. For the rather fast brachiations of 'Haunted House' - a poltergeist of a track, fettered to the weathered-down needle nib on our own turntable, causing psychokinetic rotary reactions - and the bicyclic, two tone dub reinvention 'Double Wheel', these tracks showcase Perry's technologising approach to dubbing, prioritising energy above all. Fitting for Perry's lifelong kinghood over dub music at large, the subgeneric name was, of course, baptised "boss reggae".

Review: Since launching late last year, Harlem Shuffle Records has reissued a string of killer reggae recordings from the 1960s and 70's. Here the imprint offers up its first compilation, a 14-track selection of early reggae, dub and rocksteady hand-picked from the vaults of such legendary labels as Black Swan, Blue Cat, Duke, Doctor Bird, High Note and Trojan. It's a fine and hugely entertaining collection all told, with highlights including the easy, laidback skank of Stranger & Patsy's 'Tell it to Me', the trumpet-laden instrumental shuffle of 'Walk With Des' by Des All Stars, the Hammond-powered dancefloor heaviness of Clancy Collins' 'Brother Moses' and the prototype dub brilliance of 'Black Out' by the Hardy Boys.

Review: Harlem Shuffle knows what's up when it comes to reggae and few labels did it better than the legendary Trojan Records. The ongoing Hot Sauce series hits a fourth volume here with another red hot mix of gems from Trojan's vast vaults and plenty of classics sit next to a few lesser-known delights. Standouts come thick and fast but include a levied up vibe from The Rulers & The Carib Beats on 'Let My People Go (As The JJ All Stars)', a keys lead wobbler from The Hippy Boys on 'Wondering' and Dennis Alcapone who is in fine form delivery his patois over fat drums on 'Shades Of Hudson.'

Review: The Versatiles were a Jamaican reggae group whose expression hardly matched the stereotype of a musician working in the style nowadays; they wore matching white suits and bow-ties, and worked in a more jubilant, clean-cut style than what we're used to. 'Lulu Bell' is a rare and much-sought-after original from the band, released in 1969 and not released on a single reissue since. The B-side on this reissue from Harlem Shuffle, 'Long Long Time', is similarly rare, and it lyrically urges generational communities to come together in song and dance.

Review: This limited reissue revives an ultra-rare 1968 reggae anthem, originally released on the Blue Cat label. Featuring Dennis Walks' 'Belly Lick' and Drumbago & The Blenders' 'The Game Song', both tracks epitomise late 1960s Jamaican music as a genre with bite, as these contemporaries foregrounded womp-basses and impactful offbeat guitars, as always emphasise the 2s and 4s, and infusing the world-famous reggae genre with the lesser-spotted, banjo-led Jamaican music category of mento. Written by Walks and produced by Joe Gibbs, these gems were once highly collectible, fetching blasphemously high prices, but this reissue brings the them back for collectors to enjoy for their own sake.