VA / SOUL JAZZ RECORDS PRESENTS - STUDIO ONE DOWN BEAT SPECIAL

Released: 29/03/24

As you’d expect from what is ostensibly a Studio One greatest hits record, not every golden track released by Jamaica’s finest ever record label could make it on – the output and quality is just too great – but the inclusion of rare, and classic, tracks will be a delight  for Heads and casual fans alike. Willie Williams’ monolithic ‘Armagideon Time’ (my favourite reggae track of all time), Michigan and Smiley’s ‘Nice Up The Dance’, Dawn Penn’s ‘No, No, No’, The Wailers’ ‘Simmer Down’, The Eternals’ ‘Queen of the Minstrels’ – one of the most beautiful, heart-rending reggae tracks ever made, thanks in part to Cornel Campbell’s lovely falsetto – the list goes on. Featuring newly commissioned sleevenotes by Noel Hawks (author of the authoritative History of the Jamaican Recording Industry), and featuring a track-by-track historical and musical analysis, label scans and more, this LP is a must-have for reggae, ska and rock steady fans everywhere.