Wednesday, February 27, 2013

CITY LINE / RAWSE 7" 45 RPM

DEEPER KNOWLEDGE NEW RELEASES - FEBRUARY 2013

CITY LINE / RAWSE 7" 45 RPM

DKR-124 - JOE AXUMITE - NO EQUAL RIGHTS IN BABYLON (CITY LINE)
DKR-125 - WAYNE JARRETT/JERRY JOHNSON - COME LET'S GO/ZION ROCK (DUB) (CITY LINE)
DKR-126 - DON 'JAH' CARLOS/SOUL SYNDICATE - BLACK HARMONY/BLACK LOVE DUB (RAWSE)
DKR-127 - JAH I MAZ/BABA LESLIE - FREEDOM IS A MUST/FREEDOM DUB (CITY LINE)









A long time in the making, part one of a new series of reissues produced by the great Lloyd "Bullwackie" Barnes. So many Wackie's productions are long among our personal favorites, and some helped introduce us to the wonderful world of Jamaican music. We'll be issuing many now hard to find singles as well as some previously LP-only tracks and other surprises! Our first selection of singles all appear, of course, on their original labels. Joe Axumite's tune is one we've long wanted to present, awesome tune backed by an incredible dub featuring what sounds like infinite echo. Wayne Jarrett rose to notoriety with Wackie's, and this single is one of his all-time best, backed by a great horns version by Wackie's stalwart horns man Jerry Johnson. Next, a NYC/JA collaboration with Wackie's producing an early tune by Don Carlos, originally credited as 'Jah Carlos', over a tough Soul Syndicate rhythm. This one is on the Rawse label. Lastly for this batch, Jah I Maz's great "Freedom Is a Must", fantastic roots with the trademark deep and murky Wackie's sound. The flip side is a great dub by another long time Wackie's horns man, Baba Leslie. We hope that this new singles series, along with the great foundation set by Basic Channel's amazing and standard-setting series of Wackie's reissues, will help shine an even brighter light on the wealth of fantastic music produced by Wackie's in the past several decades. Further, we are both proud and happy to announce that our Wackie's series will be released in full cooperation with our friends at Basic Channel, who will be handling the digital distribution. All releases in our Wackie's series will be available as high quality digital downloads via Basic Channel and the HARD WAX online record shop. Links to both are in the links section on the right side of this page, so check them out!

Sound Clips:
(Sorry, we're no longer using the embedded clip player as so many of them slow our website down to a crawl!)

Joe Axumite - No Equal Rights in Babylon
http://www.divshare.com/download/23767372-c5c

Bullwackie's All Stars - No Equal Rights Dub
http://www.divshare.com/download/23767371-d42

Wayne Jarrett - Come Let's Go
http://www.divshare.com/download/23767374-40a

Jerry Johnson - Zion Rock (Come Let's Go Dub)
http://www.divshare.com/download/23767383-018

Don 'Jah' Carlos - Black Harmony
http://www.divshare.com/download/23767394-4a7

Soul Syndicate - Black Love (Black Harmony Dub)
http://www.divshare.com/download/23767398-093

Jah I Maz - Freedom Is a Must
http://www.divshare.com/download/23759693-4fe

Baba Leslie - Freedom Dub
http://www.divshare.com/download/23759692-3c1


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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

CRY TUFF / UJAMA / INVADER 7" 45 RPM

DEEPER KNOWLEDGE NEW RELEASES - JANUARY 2013

CRY TUFF 7" 45 RPM
DKR-122 - JENNIFER LARA - MUSIC BY THE SCORE
DKR-123 - DEADLY HEADLEY & ASHER - DRUMS OF THE ARAB



Deep late '70s roots from Prince Far I's CRY TUFF label. Two killer tunes only ever released on JA 45, reissued for the first time. As lovers of female fronted roots tunes we had to get this killer Jennifer Lara tune out there, a rugged lick of the 'rockfort rock' riddim. Next is a monster instrumental/dub single, Deadly Headley and Asher's killer lick of the 'drum song' riddim, wicked horns, keyboard and melodica at the forefront. RIP Prince Far I, your legacy of music lives on.

UJAMA / INVADER 7" 45 RPM
DKR-135 - NAGGO MORRIS - BOOTLEGGER
DKR-136 - INVADERS - CONQUERING LION
DKR-137 - INVADERS - HEAVEN & EARTH




A great reggae mystery, now solved! The infamous "Conquering Lion" dubplate as played by Coxsone sound, revealed! Like most who hear it, we became entranced with this infamous and awesome tune after hearing a recording of its famous broadcast on David Rodigan's Capitol Radio show, by Coxsone sound selector Festus. He announced the tune as being sung by Lloyd Ruddock, "King Tubby's from Jamaica's brother." That man of course, is better known as Scunna, the original force behind the Jayes, who had a string of massive hits in late '70s for Channel 1, like 'Queen Majesty' and 'Truly.' As Scunna is also now a Brooklyn native, we checked him to find out more about the tune. But what we found out was simple...he didn't sing it! So the mystery endured, for the moment. Until a couple years later, when a friend of ours came across a fantastic (and fantastically rare!) blank pre-release single from Jamaica, and it helped crack the case. The single was an awesome and previously unknown (to almost all, it seems!) vocal on the same riddim as 'Conquering Lion', and the voice was unmistakable, one of our favorite artists...Naggo Morris! Immediately after hearing this tune, we were eager to find out more, and like many mysteries of Jamaican music, the matrix number on the blank label 45 helped tell the tale. The matrix bore the name of another friend of ours, none other than legendary deejay and producer Prince Jazzbo! Naturally, we immediately checked Jazzbo about it, and the mystery was revealed! Jazzbo confirmed that he indeed produced the Naggo Morris tune, at the same time as the more well known "Clean Hands" 45 which appeared on his Brisco label. But this tune, called "Bootlegger", was only ever pressed in a miniscule quantity as a blank label pre-release, managing to elude most collectors of JA music for nearly 40 years! And we found out that Jazzbo did indeed produce two other cuts on the same rhythm, by The Invaders, a harmony group from Greenwich Farm and Trenchtown! One cut, "Conquering Lion" was given by Jazzbo to the then-young Coxsone sound system in London, for play and promotion on the sound. Over the years and through the Capitol Radio broadcast, the tune became legendary. The other cut, "Heaven & Earth" was released in Jamaica for the Invaders on their own new Invader label. With all this information at hand, the next move was clear. We did what it is that we do, and here now you have all three tunes on crisp 45s! Another interesting footnote to these tunes which perplexed collectors over the years, is that the dub side of the Naggo Morris 45, which is a melodica cut to the rhythm, is known to some via a mis-press from the time of it's original release. The B-side stamper for the Naggo Morris tune was accidentally used as the B-side to Sir Harry & Jah Woosh's "Way Down West" 45 on the Sir Harry label. The label states "Difendon Version" by Sir Harry All Stars, but due to a mistake at the pressing plant, the record plays the dub to "Bootlegger". This dub is also featured as the b-side to 'Conquering Lion', as we unfortunately could not locate a unique dub for this tune, though we think one surely existed so many years ago. Prince Jazzbo would also like to acknowledge the late great King Tubby, without whom these tunes would not be possible. All three were voiced and mixed by the King himself, making these yet another piece of Tubby's indelible legacy. Lastly, two further cuts on a slightly different take of this rhythm, by Big Joe and Tony Brevett, will be released a short while later this year, to complete the version excursion.

Sound Clips:

Jennifer Lara - Music By the Score


Cry Tuff & The Originals - Robin Hood Dub (Music By the Score DUB)


Deadly Headley & Asher - Drums of the Arab


Deadly Headley & Asher - Drums of the Arab DUB


Naggo Morris - Bootlegger


Invaders - Conquering Lion


Bootlegger DUB


Invaders - Heaven & Earth


Invaders - Heaven & Earth DUB


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Saturday, December 8, 2012

FOX FIRE 7" 45 RPM

DEEPER KNOWLEDGE NEW RELEASES - NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

FOX FIRE 7" 45 RPM

DKR-107 - CLIVE MATTHEWS - BIG BROWN EYES
DKR-108 - TREVOR BYFIELD - JAH GUIDE
DKR-109 - CLIVE MATTHEWS - MY GIRL HAS GONE
DKR-110 - CLIVE MATTHEWS - AM GOING HOME





Part two of the FOX FIRE series is here, with more killer 1970's roots from Clive Matthews and Trevor Byfield. 'Big Brown Eyes' is a great one from the late '70s with tough horns, in fact the crew liked this tune so much that they re-cut it in the early '80s in a more rub-a-dub style! 'Jah Guide' is classic roots, originally released only on a UK 12-inch on the Ethnic Fight label. 'My Girl Has Gone' is Clive Matthews' first recording, originally released in the mid '70s on the Percival label, and recorded at Dynamic Sound with the Now Generation Band. Last but not least, 'Am Going Home', is the third and final cut on the legendary rhythm also employed for Clive's 'Apology' and Trevor's 'Tell Me That You Love Me', both of which were released (and still available!) in our first and previous set of FOX FIRE tunes. 'Am Going Home' is just as killer as those two, and has its own unique dub side, different to either of the others, called 'Hop Ki Do Skank'!


Sound Clips:
Clive Matthews - Big Brown Eyes


Clive Matthews - Big Brown Eyes DUB


Trevor Byfield - Jah Guide


Trevor Byfield - The Father Version (Jah Guide DUB)


Clive Matthews - My Girl Has Gone


Clive Matthews - My Girl Has Gone DUB


Clive Matthews - Am Going Home


Clive Matthews - Hop Ki Do Skank Version (Am Going Home DUB)


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Friday, November 9, 2012

JAH DYNASTY 7" 45 RPM / CHANNEL 1 7" / 10" / 12" 45 RPM

DEEPER KNOWLEDGE NEW RELEASES - OCT. 2012

JAH DYNASTY 7" 45 RPM




DKR-074 - KEITHUS I - RED HOT 7"
DKR-078 - KEITHUS I - JAH CHILDREN COOL 7"
DKR-079 - KEITHUS I - PROPHECY 7"

The long awaited second batch reissues from Milton "Keithus I" Samuels and his Jah Dynasty imprint are available now! "Red Hot" is an utter masterpiece of raw, rough and ready roots from 1975, and Keithus' first tune. Utilizing a killer rhythm provided by the Barrett Bros. of the Wailers band, and one of the deadliest organ lines from Tyrone "Organ D" Downie! The dub is mixed in a live sound system style with Family Man at the controls. Purely killer tune which desperately needed to be available. "Jah Children Cool" is from a year later, with Keithus showing a more mature voice and singing style, but none the less killer and militant. Lastly, his last released tune, "Prophecy", long desired, this one was only ever released on 7-inch in Canada via King Culture. A majestic tune with triumphant horns, finest caliber roots reggae.

CHANNEL 1 7" / 10" / 12" 45 RPM




DKR-116-JJ - AL CAMPBELL - DOWN IN A BABYLON 7"
DKR-117-JJ - ERNEST WILSON/REVOLUTIONARIES - I KNOW MYSELF/MEGATON DUB // VERSION 1 (JA)/VERSION 2 (UK) 10"
DKR-118-JJ - WAILING SOULS - VERY WELL/VERSION 12"

Two undeniable classics and one killer unreleased blast, straight from 29 Maxfield Avenue. Ernest Wilson's "I Know Myself" is simply put one of the best reggae tunes of all time (and our personal favorite rhythm EVER!), criminally unavailable on vinyl for many years. Consider this 10-inch now to be its definitive release, the original vocal paired with THREE DIFFERENT dubs, all of which saw release in various places around the time of the tune's original release back in the late '70s. Next up the Wailing Souls' "Very Well", all-time epic roots reggae, and as impassioned a song about repatriation as ever sung. This 12-inch reissue replaces the B-side "Fire Coal Man" from the original release with a full extended dub of "Very Well"! Lastly, a previously unreleased heater from Al Campbell. From the same sessions as produced his great tune "Jah Army" (coming soon!) is this gem, fantastic early '80s roots, licking back some lyrics he did earlier for producer Larry Lawrence's Ethnic label.

Sound Clips:

Keithus I - Red Hot


Keithus I - Red Hot Dub


Keithus I - Jah Children Cool


Keithus I - Dread A Rule Version (Jah Children Cool Dub)


Keithus I - Prophecy


Keithus I - Prophecy Dub


Al Campbell - Down in a Babylon


Al Campbell - Down in a Babylon DUB


Ernest Wilson - I Know Myself


Revolutionaries - Megaton Dub


Revolutionaries - I Know Myself Dub (Version 1 JA)


Revolutionaries - I Know Myself Dub (Version 2 UK)


Wailing Souls - Very Well


Wailing Souls - Very Well Version


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Saturday, September 29, 2012

CHANNEL 1 10" / LTD 7" 45 RPM

DEEPER KNOWLEDGE NEW RELEASES - SEPT. 2012

CHANNEL 1 10" 45 RPM

DKR-114-JJ - ONEIL DYER/UNKNOWN - APARTMENT / HEY NATTY DREAD
DKR-115-JJ - HORACE FERGUSON - REALITY / YOUTHMAN






The Channel 1 Lost & Found series of previously unreleased music continues with two more killer ten inches. Oneil Dyer's "Apartment" was only ever issued on a small press blank label Hitbound 10" in New York, unnoticed by all but the most hyper astute collectors. Heavy tune, with a killer dub, serious 1982 Scientist/Radics style. The B-side of this record features an unknown killer roots tune from around the same time, dubplate material which unfortunately on tape carried no markings as to who the singer is. We absolutely love good female-voiced roots and this is no exception, purely wicked tune. If anyone knows who sings this tune, let us know, as no one including some of those folks involved in making the tune could place it! One thing that is clear however is the voice of Sugar Minott on harmony. Unfortunately no dub version was found for this tune. Next up, two heavy shots from Horace Ferguson. Before hitting with "Sensi Addict" for Prince Jazzbo, Horace Ferguson voiced some tunes for Channel 1, like "Fever" and "Walk Out On Me", both of which were issued on 12"s on CH1's JEDI imprint. However, there was more on tape, and how these two bombs didn't end up on release, we don't know, but here they are now. Strictly early 1980's reality style, again in a heavy style that bears the hallmarks of the Roots Radics/Scientist combination. Both tunes with dubs.

LTD 7" 45 RPM

DKR-119 - EVERTON DACRES - JAH JAH AH COME


This tune needs little introduction, monster roots from 1977. Everton Dacres, cousin to Barrington Levy and member of the Mighty Multitudes group along with Barrington, cut only a few tunes as a solo artist and this is one of them. Produced by Lloyd 'Charmers' Tyrell, issued on his LTD label.

Sound Clips:

Oneil Dyer - Apartment


Oneil Dyer - Apartment Dub


unknown - Hey Natty Dread


Horace Ferguson - Reality


Horace Ferguson - Reality Dub


Horace Ferguson - Youthman


Horace Ferguson - Youthman Dub


Everton Dacres - Jah Jah Ah Come


Everton Dacres - Jah Jah Dub


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Thursday, August 30, 2012

ROYCO INC. & MODERNIZE MUSIC 7" 45 RPM

DEEPER KNOWLEDGE NEW RELEASES - AUGUST 2012

ROYCO INC. 7" 45 RPM
DKR-101 - I-ROY - SET THE CAPTIVES FREE/BUBBLING JUG VERSION
DKR-111 - I-ROY - FIRE IN A WIRE/WARLORD OF ZENDA VERSION





Throughout the 1970's, I-Roy recorded for tons of producers, and eventually began bartering with many of them for cuts of rhythms to voice himself on, as his own productions. Through his popularity in the UK, I-Roy got a deal with Virgin Records to release many of these new self-productions. Tucked away on these albums are this pair of wicked tunes, prime for release on singles, and here they are. 'Set the Captives Free' was originally released on the 'World on Fire' LP, a very tough rhythm. The voice of Freddie McKay is heard singing behind I-Roy, and despite our best efforts, we were still unable to find out more about this mystery vocal! On the flip of this single is the killer horns dub to this rhythm, called 'Bubbling Jug', which was released on I-Roy's 'Cancer' dub LP. Apparently this dub and the Freddie McKay vocal were run on dubplate by Jah Shaka back in the day. The second single is 'Fire in a Wire', originally released on I-Roy's 'The General' vocal & dub double-album, and as a 12-inch single. Here we have the album cuts, vocal and it's dub, entitled 'Warlord of Zenda' (presumably named after the novel/film 'The Prisoner of Zenda'). These tunes are re-presented on the Royco Inc. label, I-Roy's own original label used in the early 1970's.


MODERNIZE MUSIC 7" 45 RPM
DKR-112 - HORACE MARTIN - BAD BOYS 7" *PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED*
DKR-113 - DOUGLAS BOOTHE - HOLY MT. ZION 7" *PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED*




Winston "Prince Huntley" Dakin has quietly been an integral part of the Kingston reggae scene for nearly 40 years. Operating the Modernize Printery on Nelson Road, off Maxfield Avenue, and a stone's throw from Channel 1 studio, Huntley printed the labels for thousands of reggae records in the past four decades. In addition, Huntley is an accomplished producer and artist, all along issuing a steady stream of tunes on his main imprints such as Modernize Music, Greedy Puppy and others. One of our favorite early '80s tunes is produced by Huntley and voiced by his long time spar Horace Martin, called 'Me Rule.' A very tough rhythm with killer synths, this was reissued not long ago. When we did some printing work in Jamaica with Huntley not long ago, we got to talking about his catalog and when discussing 'Me Rule', were overjoyed to find out that there were unreleased cuts on the rhythm. So we ran off the master tapes and gave them a listen, and found these two killer cuts. Horace Martin's second voicing on the rhythm, titled 'Bad Boys', is a reality tune about the runnings of the day, while another one of Huntley's longtime spars, Douglas Boothe, voiced 'Holy Mt. Zion', some classic repatriation lyrics. Both tunes come with different and unique dub versions as well. We will have some more surprises from the Prince Huntley catalog coming in the future, so keep an eye out!

Sound Clips:

Horace Martin - Bad Boys


Horace Martin - It's a Shame Version (Bad Boys Dub)


Douglas Boothe - Holy Mt. Zion


Douglas Boothe - Zion Dub


I-Roy - Fire in a Wire


I-Roy - Warlord of Zenda Dub (Fire in a Wire Version)


I-Roy - Set the Captives Free


I-Roy - Bubbling Jug (Set the Captives Free Version)


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Monday, July 2, 2012

TAURUS 7" / CHANNEL 1 7" & LP / SNOWBIRD 7"

DEEPER KNOWLEDGE / DIGIKILLER NEW RELEASES - JUNE 2012

TAURUS 7" 45 RPM

DKR-052 - JUNIOR MURVIN - MAKE IT AND SET IT 7"



Self-produced by Junior Murvin at King Tubby's in 1987, and released via Tubby's then-active Taurus imprint. Fans of digital reggae are well aware of the brilliant and unique digital riddims being cut at Tubby's in the late '80s by the likes of Asher, Peego, Fatman, Benbow, and others. But besides the immortal 'Tempo' riddim and its variations, there are monsters like 'Babylon', 'Inna De Ghetto', 'Grammy', and many more. And then there is this one, perhaps more singular and deadly than almost all of them, yet only lesser-known by virtue of its rarity. Junior Murvin's beautiful falsetto floats on top of a monstrous and mind-boggling one-away riddim that could only have come from Dromilly Avenue.

CHANNEL 1 / WELL CHARGE LP / 7" 45 RPM

DKR-097 - CHANNEL 1 - SATTA DUB LP
DKR-098 - CHANNEL 1 - FULL CHARGE REVIVAL DUB ROOTS NOW LP
DKR-106 - FRANKIE PAUL - WORRIES IN THE DANCE 7"





Two legendary Channel 1 dub albums, unavailable for 30+ years. Originally released only in JA, in silkscreened jackets featuring the iconic Well Charge star logo. Each LP features a selection of evergreen Channel 1 rhythms recorded, mixed and dubbed to perfection at 29 Maxfield Avenue. These are crystal clear reissues cut straight from the original master tapes, and come again in hand-silkscreened jackets, each in two different colors, exactly as the originals.

"Worries in the Dance", in our estimation the best rhythm of the early '80s and perhaps the entire decade, nothing short of a masterpiece. This rhythm and this tune really represent the refinement and zenith of heaviness in reggae as achieved by Channel 1, also in our opinion still unequaled then or now. This is a reissue of the rare JA 45 pressing of this tune, which features vocal & dub mixes different to any of the more common LP cuts. As if the rhythm wasn't enough, this is one of FP's best vocal outings, and the lyrics provide a brilliant and vivid snapshot of the climate in the area of 29 Maxfield Avenue at the time.

SNOWBIRD 7" 45 RPM

DKR-099 - BARRY BROWN - LAND OF THE LIVING 7"
DKR-100 - BARRY BROWN - STONE OF THE ARRIVAL 7"




Two of the hardest and best Barry Brown tunes. From the early '80s, and self-produced, released, and distributed by the late Barry Brown and his wife Lisa, on their own Snowbird label. Both songs only ever issued in tiny quantity on 45 in JA, until now of course both very hard to find.

Sound Clips:

Junior Murvin - Make It and Set It


Junior Murvin - Make It and Set It DUB


Channel 1 - Satta Dub LP - SIDE A


Channel 1 - Satta Dub LP - SIDE B


Channel 1 - Full Charge Revival Dub Roots Now LP - SIDE A


Channel 1 - Full Charge Revival Dub Roots Now LP - SIDE B


Frankie Paul - Worries in the Dance


Frankie Paul - Worries in the Dance DUB


Barry Brown - Land of the Living


Barry Brown - Land of the Living DUB


Barry Brown - Stone of the Arrival


Barry Brown - Stone of the Arrival DUB


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