Back catalogue: Reggae Classics/Ska

Review: Doctor Bird's latest must-check double disc retrospective focuses on the work of influential Jamaican producer Lloyd Charmer during the 1970s. Each disc contains a significant, Chalmers produced album: keyboardist Harold Butler's reggae-soul/reggae-disco classic Gold Collection sits on disc one, with Debby Dobson's fine tribute to Jamaican music pre-ska, Sweet Dreams, following on CD2. In addition, each disc also features a wealth of Chalmers-produced singles and rarities, including a swathe of killer cuts from Richard Ace (the 12" version of 'Supernatural' on CD2 is particularly special), Sister Stern and Delroy Wilson. You also get a handful of surprise solo cuts from Chalmers, who of course started his music career as a vocalist-for-hire rather than a producer.

Review: While born in Jamaica, like many of the Windrush Generation Robert Thompson AKA Dandy made his name in the UK, subsequently making some of the earliest - and most successful - British Ska records with the assistance of Australian entrepreneur and Crossbow Records founder Millie Small. This fine compilation, one of the first to showcase the work of a UK-based ska star, tells the story of Thompson's work in 1964 and '65, much of it alongside fellow vocalist Keith Foster as Sugar N Dandy. There's much to enjoy throughout, with highlights including the organ solo-sporting delight of 'Oh Dear', the fuzzy jazziness of 'I'm Not Crying Now', the Mod-friendly 'Blues Got a Hold On Me' and his superb ska cover of Hermans Hermits' hit 'I'm Into Something Good'.

Review: Cherry Red's Doctor Bird offshoot continues to trawl through the archives of legendary Jamaican label Observer and its' owner and producer-in-chief, Winston Holness AKA Niney The Observer. Having previously focused on the label's 1970s output, they've now turned their attention to the early, where Holness was influential in defining the formative dancehall sound. The first disc here boasts the vocal sides of singles, with Holness and his in-house bands providing a platform for such undoubted talents as Freddie McGregor, Don Carlos, Third World, Yellowman and Sugar Minott. Disc two, meanwhile, is the one for dub heads: an exhaustive collection of instrumental 'riddims' laid down by the Roots Radics and mixed in true 'version' style by Holness.

Review: By the close of the 1960s, a number of dynamic, independent record producers were beginning to make their mark on Jamaica's fast-developing music scene. Chief among these initially small-time music-makers were the likes of Lee 'Scratch' Perry, 'Edward 'Bunny' Lee and the man whose music provides the focus of this 2CD collection, Winston Holness AKA 'Niney'. As the 70s dawned, the ingenuity, innovation and determination of these three talented individuals saw their influence match and often exceed that of long-established major operators. But while the music and careers of both Perry and Lee have been rightly celebrated, the achievements and influence of Niney have been largely overlooked. This collection is the first in a series of sets that aims to set the record straight, presenting the very best of his output during key parts of his music career. Featuring numerous hits, including the ground-breaking 'Blood and Fire', 'Message To The Ungodly', 'Hiding By The Riverside', 'Beardman Feast', 'Rasta Bandwagon' and 'When Jah Speak', the 2CD set presents 20+ tracks that have remained largely unavailable for over half a century.

Review: .This essential album from Doctor Bird highlights the great Phil Pratt's remarkable work during a pivotal era in Jamaican music. Feel Good All Over: The Sunshot Singles 1972-1973 digs into his work during that golden time and turns out both many well-known hits and some rarer gems, a total of 30 of which appear on CD for the first time. This collection captures the energy of a time when Pratt, alongside a new wave of equally bold and ambitious producers, pushed against the established norms of the island's music scene and brought in new influences. The result is a treasure trove of some of the finest and most influential reggae recordings from the pre-roots period including deep-cut gems like Delroy Wilson's aching 'Heart Made Of Stone', the romantic harmonies of The Soul Syndicate and swagger of 'Phil Pratt Thing'.

Review: Doctor Bird prescribe a new 2xCD anthology for the auralgics among fans of early UK reggae, bringing together for the first time on CD four pioneering albums from Creole Music Ltd, incorporated in May 1964 as chief outputter of prime British reggae. Bruce White and Tony Cousins took the helm, and Creole quickly became a key (and melodica) player in Britain's reggae scene. Their initial success came with The Hippy Boys' The Good, The Bad & The Upsetters, recorded on tour with Lee Perry; working with Trojan Records and eventually launching their own label, Rhino, Creole struck gold with Bruce Ruffin's 'Mad About You', helping clarify the UK reggae sound of the early 70s, and which comes rendered again here in clearest tones.