Various Artists - Soul Jamaica CD/2LP

Soul Jazz Records’ new "Soul Jamaica" brings together a wicked selection of reggae funk and soul tracks from the legendary Studio One stable, featuring a stellar line-up of artists including Jackie Mittoo, The Heptones, The Gladiators, Sim Smith, Peter Tosh and The Wailers, Cedric ‘Im’ Brooks and many more.

For a short period of time at the end of the 1960s and early 1970s, nestled between the end of rocksteady and the arrival of roots reggae, Studio One released a small stream of superb soul and funk reggae tunes – covering everyone from Sly and The Family Stone, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Nina Simone, Gene Chandler, Tyrone Davis and more.

Most of the tracks featured on Soul Jamaica were only ever released on Studio One’s UK-subsidiary label Bamboo in small-run pressings and are now consequently extremely hard to find.

The cover photograph features images of Air Jamaica, the new airline created by the Jamaican government at the end of the 1960s, showing how in the years following independence the country assumed its place on the world stage, with reggae music playing a key role in creating the island’s new cultural identity.

Tracklist:

1. Tumbling Tears [Alton Ellis]
2. Turn Back the Hands of Time [Winston Francis]
3. Sing a Simple Song [Sound Dimension]
4. Fling It Gimme [The Gladiators]
5. Soul Finger [Jackie Mittoo]
6. Groovy Situation [Winston Francis]
7. La La 69 [Calvin Marshall]
8. Way Back Home [Soul Defenders]
9. Young, Gifted and Black [The Heptones]
10. Up Fully [Im and David]
11. Keep That Light [Slim Smith]
12. Give It Away [Sound Dimension]
13. Real Gone Loser [Zoot Simms]
14. Soul Bowl [Sound Dimension]
15. Can't You See [Peter Tosh]
16. Someday We'll Be Together [Joy Roberts]
17. Give Peace a Chance [The Freedom Singers]

About this product: this release is available on CD and 2LP formats.

The 2LP is pressed on black vinyl, housed in a gatefold sleeve. Includes a download code.