Various - Studio One Showcase: roots, dancehall, lovers’ rock in the reggae mix

While much of the lore around Studio One has to do with its fabled releases during the 1960s, there's a lot to be said about what Coxsone Dodd and co were cooking up in Kingston during the 1970s too.

Like Berry Gordy at Motown, Dodd faced serious commercial challenges and creative adversity, not least when the fabled house bands who underpinned the Studio One sound like the Skatalites and Sound Dimension/Soul Brothers moved on.

However, like Gordy when he upped sticks and headed to Los Angeles, Studio One continued to release a fine run of music, as demonstrated here.

Indeed, in many ways, the tracks from Sugar Minott, Myrna Hague, Dillinger, Freddy McGregor and Jennifer Lara see the Brentford Road studio and label adopting to the new reality as reggae added roots, dancehall and lovers' rock to the mix.

[ souljazzrecords.co.uk ]