Throughout February (Jamaica’s Reggae Month), VP/Greensleeves will honor reggae icons Glen Brown, Augustus Pablo and Horace Andy by reissuing their key titles from the 1970s era. Each collection has been revamped with crisp remastered sound as well as deluxe packaging. These reggae must-haves will be available on all formats – including vinyl, CD and digital platforms.
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On Feb 12, Greensleeves will reissue three crucial LPs – Boat To Progress, Check The Winner & Dubble Attack – from the seminal Jamaican singer and producer Glen Brown. The titles were originally recorded for his record label Pantomime between 1970-74 and released on Greensleeves in 1989. A quarter of a century later, they will be available on all formats – digital (out now), vinyl (Feb 12) and CD (Feb 12) – completely remastered with an extended 12-page booklet (including the original liner notes written by Harry Wise) and artwork by Tony McDermott. Each album showcases Brown’s diverse range of talents during the prime of his career. Brown was known for his distinct voice, which can be heard on Boat To Progress, the 14-track set showcasing Brown as both a singer and producer plus a variety of all-star vocalists. On Check The Winner, his instrumental dub selection, fans can hear his superb roots reggae productions and sublime dub B-sides. He had an appreciation for jazz music, hence the use of expressive horn sections throughout his work. The “Rhythm Master” also had a knack for deejay music (as seen on Dubble Attack), nurturing some of the top artists who adapted this new “toasting” vocal style in the 1970s. Dubble Attack is the ultimate deejay collection of carefully-selected songs that were recorded at Pantomime and engineered by King Tubby. ============================================================
Greensleeves reissues Augustus Pablo’s classic album Original Rockers. Pablo is the master of melodica and one of the most revered talents in reggae music. Greensleeves originally released the LP in 1979 and hand picked Pablo’s best self-productions from his early days between (1972-75) – mostly consisting of well-received instrumentals and versions of older hits from Studio One. Original Rockers boasts Pablo’s haunting melodica and includes flashes of his dub inspiration on standouts like “Rocker’s Dub” and “Tubby’s “Dub Song.” The album is recorded in the legendary studio of the great reggae producer King Tubby. Reggae all-stars like guitarist Earl Chinna Smith, bassists Robbie Shakespeare and Aston Barrett and select vocalists like Dillinger and Hugh Mundell all shine on this collection.
To celebrate the release, his daughter and DJ, Isis Pablo, will host listening sessions in New York and Florida in February. She will play select songs from the album interspersed with influential and inspired tracks that complement her father’s sound.
VP Records vintage imprint 17 North Parade will reissue Horace Andy’s 1977 In The Light and its Prince Jammy dub companion on the Jamaican Rastafarian singer’s birthday (Feb. 19). The digital deluxe version will be before onFeb. 5. Horace Andy’s profile is already legendary in reggae circles (known for his early 70s hits with Coxsone Dodd, Bunny Lee and more) and has been internationally raised by his work with British trip-hop legends Massive Attack in the 90s until present day. The In The Light collection, which is rightly regarded as one of Andy’s strongest testaments, includes newly commissioned sleeve notes by Noel Hawks and exclusive photos in the packaging. In 1977, Horace Andy moved to Hartford, Connecticut from Jamaica and recorded this legendary album for Everton Dasilva. The two forged a musical partnership, but it came to an erupt stop two years later when Dasilva was murdered in NYC. In 1995, the revered label Blood & Fire also reissued this classic.