I have all the LP’s but it’s such a handy little set for the money it was hard to resist
Very tempting but my record and CD collections are already out of control!!
A possibly better sounding option is to assemble a collection of the Barry Diament remastered CD’s. These are considered the best sounding digital option.
Best
Gregg
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That’s right Greg, they are good but now collectors are cottoning on dealers are inflating prices. They were originally iirc part of Islands Reggae Refreshers low price re issues.
For around £25 The Complete Island Recordings is a great VFM way to smash n grab all the Island albums in one hit.
And remember, when the music hits you feel no pain, (sorry couldnt resist the pun)
The classic Black Uhuru Black Sounds Of Freedom Deluxe 2CD edition/stream (Greensleeves 2009)
The group had gone through some changes just prior to this recording and this is the first version of the group to include the distinctive vocal of Michael Rose.
They approached Prince Jammy and recorded an album originally released in JA as Love Crisis, Jammy later remixed the album for Greensleeves who released it as Black Sounds Of Freedom in 81 and became an instant classic.
Jammy also released the Eden Dub LP of matching dub mixes.
Fast forward to 2009 and Greensleeves release this superb Deluxe edition which includes the '81 remixed release, the dubs that came out as the Eden Dub LP (titled here Uhuru In Dub) and the original Love Crisis mix of the album.
The seeds of the classic Uhuru line up are here, soon after Puma Jones (RIP) joined Michael Rose and Duckie Simpson, Sly n Robbie became permanent members of the band recording the brilliant quartet of essential albums from Sinsemillia through to Anthem
Highly recommended
Prince Jammy a few years back released an updated version of the album overdubbing current JA artists onto the original Black Uhuru tracks
It’s interesting to hear, but imho it cant hold a torch to the original album, some things just cant be messed with, even when it’s at the hands of the original producer.
Lovely Nighthawk Records compilation from 1981. This US label released a few really good quality LP’s of Roots Reggae, one of the first labels I discovered to take the music seriously and present it with care, respect, quality mastering, and educational sleeve notes.
1982 Calling Rastafari
1983 Knotty Vision
Sublime…
Inspired after watching the excellent Black Power A British Story Of Resistance on BBC iplayer
Released in ‘78 on Virgins Frontline label sadly still so relevant…
Poet & The Roots (Linton Kwesi Johnson)
Dread Beat An’ Blood
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It was a cool and breezy afternoon… Augustus Gussie Clarke Music Works Anthology
From The Foundation
Dennis Brown’s superlative Words Of Wisdom album from 1979
Dennis had a particularly fruitful relationship with producer Joe Gibbs and so much of his Seveties golden period was recorded at Joe Gibbs. Arguable highlights imo from this period, there are so many, are the albums Visons, Words Of Wisdom & Josephs Coat Of Many Colours.
Words Of Wisdom is my favourite and includes the brilliant re recording of Money In My Pocket, fond memories of a greasy spoon cafe (The Morocco) that had a roomful of pinball and a juke box with enormous speakers, used to wake the town with this selection and AC/DC live version of Whole Lotta Rosie 
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I first discovered No Maddz a few years ago when I bought the single Shotta with Sly n Robbie as a HiRes WAV file, sounds great
A couple of albums later and a confusing name change (if trying to do a search) to The No-Maddz and now slimmed down to a duo for this album Heaven & Earth, fusing poetry, dancehall, dub, hip hop some gospel bit of funky house…
Interesting article from Rolling Stone
‘Dub Poetry’ Duo the No-Maddz Are Busting Out of the Reggae Niche
In their quest to bring their genre back to the mainstream, the Jamaican duo hooked up with Idris Elba, Major Lazer’s Walshy Fire
Digital/stream
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Nice photo of Smiley Culture RIP, Asher Senator and Papa Face (when he had hair!)
Who will be familiar to anyone who frequented Dub Vendor in Clapham Junction
(Pinched from David Rodigan twitter)
Then you had attack of the munchies. 
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Hi Dread. I’ve finally bought a Node 2i. Thanks for the advice, really impressed.
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That’s great to hear, have fun
Are you subscribing/trialling a streaming service? For my tastes, particularly JA music, I find Tidal is good and some of their playlists are great.
For classic golden era I really enjoy the Studio 17 Lost Tapes play list covering Ska through Rocksteady to early Roots material.
Linval Thompson - Look How Me Sexy (Greensleeves 1982)
I was about to call this a modern classic before reminding myself this was the early eighties, 40 years ago but seems like yesterday, blimey!
Linval Thompson was a roots singer during the 70’s recording classics like Cool Down Your Temper and Dont Cut Off Your Dreadlocks.
As the seventies rolled into the eighties the music started to go through one of its many changes, early Dancehall was developing and Linval Thompson kind of reinvented himself as a producer responsible for many great recordings in this period including himself on this brilliant album. Backed by the crack Roots Radics Band with the great Style Scott on Drums and Flabba Holt on Bass, their rhythms here are slow, heavy, punchy and moody perfectly contrasting Linvals sweet vocal style.
So many great recordings were made during this eighties period backed by the Roots Radics, another golden era.
Style Scott & Flabba Holt later worked with Adrian Sherwood’s On U Sound as the core of Dub Syndicate.
Love this album, spot on review from All Music
Check it out
AllMusic Review by Jo-Ann Greene
Linval Thompson’s production career has long overshadowed his work as a vocalist, which is a shame, because Thompson is a fine singer and an exceptional songwriter. He began recording in his teens during the roots era, unleashing fabulous cultural numbers that still have the power to impress. As musical fashions shifted in the new decade, culture ebbed, but by then Thompson had already established himself as a formidable producer. His dubby style was quite similar to Henry “Junjo” Lawes, not surprising considering that Lawes’ first production was in conjunction with Thompson, and both utilized the Roots Radics as their backing band. The differences are subtle, with Lawes creating a somewhat brighter sound than Thompson. Listeners can work out the rest for themselves on Look How Me Sexy, comparing the fabulous Lawes-produced title track to the rest of this flawlessly self-produced set. With culture in sharp decline, Thompson turned his attention to more personal matters, yet he still offered up thought-provoking numbers. “Baby Mother” defies the current climes with its chiding of those who would take advantage of a young, single mom. Equally startling is “You’re Young,” wherein the singer attempts to convince a willing schoolgirl to return to her own bed. The title track, too, is a surprise, not a proud boast but a plaintive plea to keep his girl from leaving. Across a host of gorgeous, delicate love songs and the dread roots of the sizzling “I Spy,” Thompson showcases his own gentle vocals to their best advantage. Regardless of the Radics’ simmering backings and his own hefty, dubby productions, Sexy has a wonderfully delicate quality that sets the whole luminescent set aglow. A masterpiece from a star producer and underrated singer.
And the following year 1983
Baby Father
AllMusic Review by Jo-Ann Greene
The follow-up to Linval Thompson’s classic 1982 album, Look How Me Sexy, Baby Father arrived the following year, and was equally masterful. Both sets were self-produced at Channel One studio, with Anthony Hamilton at the mixing board, and the Roots Radics at their finest. However, the latter album also boasted saxophonist Dean Fraser and trombonist Ronald “Nambo” Robinson, and their inclusion in the line-up seems to have pushed Thompson to even greater emotional heights.
In general, the singer had a gentle vocal style, although he imbued it with absolute conviction, leaving no doubt that when he cried “really and truly” – his dancehall catch phrase at the time, he absolutely meant every word he was singing.
This was as true on Thompson’s romantic numbers as on his cultural ones. Baby Father was stuffed with gorgeous love and lovelorn numbers, and each one was a stunner. The disappointment that fills “She Gone,” the emotional power of “Yes I’m Coming,” the beauty of “Love Me Forever,” all are fabulous and enhanced by the Radics’ own melody-strewn performances across a stream of resurrected musical gems, which keyboardist Wycliffe “Steely” Johnson infuses with a pure Studio One sound.
The cultural numbers are just as strong, and songs like “Run Down Vanity” and “Poor Man” are classics, but even more potent were “Shouldn’t Lift Your Hand,” and the title track, which tackles domestic violence and addresses irresponsible young men respectively.
To this day, Thompson’s reputation as a producer far outweighs the respect he garnered as a singer. This masterpiece again proves those comparison are unfair, and his dramatic dancehall productions here, of especial note “Tell Me the Right Time,” are equaled by his excellent, intelligent lyrics and forthright performances throughout this set.
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Maxi Priest & Caution - Your Safe (1985 10 Records)
Maxi Priest started out as a vocalist on Saxon Sound System which launched a number of talents including Barry Boom, Phillip Levi and Tippa Irie.
In '85 Maxi Priests debut LP crossed over into the mainstream and brought him to wider attention, many of the tracks here had already been hits on the Sound Systems and Reggae fraternity, a classic slice of eighties UK Reggae.
My all time favourite in the Lovers Rock genre, the great Winston Reedy.
In the early eighties he dominated the UK Reggae charts and this cornerstone album is pure class.
Recorded between Channel One in Jamaica and Easy Street in London, produced and arranged by the great Jackie Mittoo and a cream of assembled musicians with backing vocals including Carroll Thompson, Janet Kay, Joy Mac this album has real pedigree.
One side lovers style but the other in a more rootsy vibe.
Absolutely brilliant album without argument, never been re issued on any format afaik. Winston has re recorded some of the songs on later CD’s with electronic backing, avoid those there nothing like this gem. original vinyl is the only way to go with lovely sound
Winston Reedy is renowned as one the most successful and popular UK based reggae singers. Born Winston Reid in the Jamaican parish of St Catherine, he attended local school Mount Industry before arriving in Britain in 1967, where he settled with his parents in north London.
His first foray into music making came when he joined popular local band X-Press as their lead singer. The group came to prominence after backing Ginger Williams on her recording of ‘I Can’t Resist Your Tenderness’, a massive hit in UK West Indian circles during 1973 and one of the precursors of the lovers rock style that Winston was to mine to winning effect as a solo singer a full decade later. He sang back up vocals on Ms Williams’ recording and soon came to the attention of veteran Jamaican born singer and local talent scout Denzil Dennis, who introduced him to Pama Records. His first single for the label was a rendition of US soul artist Baby Washington’s ‘Breakfast In Bed’, which was produced by Ranny Williams and issued on the company’s subsidiary Pama Supreme label.
Shortly after this, he joined forces as lead vocalist with one of the UK’s top reggae bands The Cimarons and embarked on a long career in their company. The band made a trip to Jamaica in 1975 to record an album called ‘Harder On The Rock’, issuing a version of Bob Marley’s ‘Talking Blues’ from the set with Winston performing lead vocals and scoring a surprise hit on the island with the tune. After signing a deal with Polydor, the group then released an album entitled ‘Maka’ and made further inroads on the local scene as part of the Rock Against Racism collective, working alongside punk bands like Subway Sect and Sham 69 and even recorded a song entitled ‘Rock Against Racism’. By the latter part of the decade, The Cimarons were regarded as one of the UK’s leading reggae acts and toured Europe, the Middle East, Far East, Japan and the West Indies. This created the opportunity for Winston to work with some of the industry’s top names, including Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley, Dennis Brown, The Pioneers and Paul McCartney.
The McCartney association came about when the former Beatle wanted an accomplished act to record reggaefied versions of Beatles and Buddy Holly songs, McCartney having acquired the rights to the Texan rock’n’roller’s back catalogue. This resulted in Winston appearing in the video of Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder’s collaborative ‘Ebony And Ivory’, a worldwide hit.
By 1982, it had become clear to Winston that he had gone as far as he could as a band singer and he decided to embark on a solo career, changing his stage name to Winston Reedy in the process. His first solo single after leaving The Cimarons was a composition of his own entitled ‘Daughter Of Zion’, which immediately soared to the top of the Black Echoes reggae chart and added greatly to his profile as a singer. This was followed by a string of top selling singles, including ‘Paradise In Your Eyes’, ‘Moi Emma Oh’ and, in particular, ‘Dim The Light’, also written by Winston himself, a record which topped the Black Echoes reggae chart for an astonishing nine weeks and remains one of the most popular UK reggae hits of all. As a result of all this activity, Winston was voted Best British Male Vocalist by the listeners of BBC Radio London for three consecutive years in 1982, 1983 and 1984.
This success in turn led to Winston being invited to tour alongside UB40 and following on from this signed a contract with the group’s record label Dep International. An album for the label called ‘Cross Over’ yielded another number one single in ‘Baby Love’. His last tour with the group was also the setting for a video called Winston Reedy Live, which was later broadcast on the programme Cutting Edge courtesy of US MTV.
Reedy continues to perform Live still displaying those signature dulcet tones he first became famed for.