Here is an impressively authentic-sounding ska coming to us from Los Angeles, California (my home town). The Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra boast of combining Jamaica’s greatest contribution to the world and a big-band sound. They pull this combination off flawlessly, and they must have one very impressive live act Continue Reading
Reggae
Various Artists – Tape Rolling! with Bunny Lee and Friends
England’s Pressure Sounds continue to release mind-blowingly good reggae compilations. This one features the production work of Bunny Lee pairing up with such luminaries as Eric Donaldson (whose raw version of Cherry Oh Baby adds grit to the warmly produced original. From the Bandcamp release website: “In 1971, despite his Continue Reading
Various Artists – Studio One: Dancing the Ska
I can’t think of a music more joyful than ska. Jamaica’s finest export (next to reggae and its sub-genres, of course) is wonderfully represented on this compilation put together by the legendary Kingston-based record label Studio One. Lee Perry, Delroy Wilson and The Wailers feature prominently on this comp, and Continue Reading
Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry – Part 1 : The Truth As It Happens
What a terrible thing to wake up to… The legendary dub producer Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry has left the mortal coil today. Billboard Magazine has a nice obituary and remembrance for the King of Dub. May he have safe travels back to his spiritual home.
Various Artists: Habibi Funk 015: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World, Part 2
Our friends at Habibi Funk are becoming legendary as their roster grows. What impresses me the most about the folks who run the label is their absolute passion for music from the Maghreb which has been criminally underrepresented throughout the world for decades. It’s shameful that the labels in the Continue Reading
Togbe Adjos – Maman Tchamba
When reading tags about vodun jazz, a reggae vibe wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. Still, Togbe Adjos produces an album mixing the rhythms of the Caribbean with those of his native Benin. This is a mellow but lively album which wouldn’t feel out of place among that massive stack Continue Reading
Various Artists – Color De Tropico Vol 2 Compiled by El Drágon Criollo & El Palmas
Spanish imprint El Palmas Music has released this compilation of music from Venezuela that covers reggae, salsa, soul, cumbia and joropo music. There are two tracks available to listen to until the release date of May 14, 2021, but judging by these, this compilation will be pretty damn good. From Continue Reading