VA - Dynamite! - Ska, Soul, Rocksteady and Funk in Jamaica

Its the middle of summer.
the sun is baking my brains away, leaving me with just a dazed look.
so, what is the best music to listen to when youre like that?
RAGGAE, naturally.

so, WHAT IS REGGAE?
Indigenous popular music of Jamaica developed in the late 1950’s to early 1960’s that may have found its inspiration in the emulation of American rock and roll and rhythm and blues of the same era. References point out that reggae spurred a host of permutations for both music and dance but there is indication that reggae developed out of ska and rocksteady, dance music.

The mix of African and Caribbean musical inclinations married with American music provided the synergy for ska and its slower style, rocksteady. Both styles prioritized Jamaican rhythm guitar and organ bubble with drums, bass, horns, and vocals and were designed for popular forms of social dancing.

Connected with the spiritual emphasis in Rastafari (a religious concept developed in Jamaica by Leonard P. Howell in the 1930’s) and made famous by a variety of artists but the most notable Bob Marley, reggae was an outward manifestation of disenchantment with the social-economic circumstance of Jamaica. Other styles of the reggae genre include lover's rock, and dub.

Dancehall is another type of Jamaican dub reggae that developed around 1979 which was characterized by a DJ singing and rapping or toasting over danceable reggae music. Other forms include two tone ska (developed in the U.K. 1970's), third wave of ska (American hybrid of two tone ska and punk), niyabingi (tribal Africa and Jamaican hand drums accompanied by songs and chants of Rastafari), jungle (U.K. hybrid of techno and dancehall), drum and bass (second phase of jungle) and ragga-hip hop (combination of dancehall and American hip hop).

I have thought hard about where to begin, as there are so freaking many sub-genres of raggae (dub, roots, dancehall, and more), not to mention the studios (studio one, the Ark, etc)
so i recalled this great series.
each volume is a little different, and together they will provide you with a very nice intro into raggae.

This series is made from 60s to 80s tunes, so you will be getting the creme de la creme of the golden age of raggae.
I will just mention a few tunes that might pique your interest (thank you YouTube for the vids for a quick sample) - Phyllis Dillon - Woman Of The Ghetto, Barrington Levy - Under Mi Sensi, Boris Gardiner - Melting Pot (no. not the OG, but great), Althea & Donna - Uptown Top Ranking (IIRC, remade by massive attack), Toots & The Maytals - 5446 Was My Number

i will try, in the very near future (as to not waste this summer), to post deeper and more indepth "intro" posts of the various subgenres of reggae.
plans are for these - Dancehall, Roots, Dub, Ska, Jungle, and probably a post about the major studios.
if you have more ideas, don't hesitate - comment!
ill do my best to find and post such stuff.


As mentioned earlier, its too hot to think, so this is a simple copy-paste post.
its copied from http://rastaman-drumandbass.blogspot.com/
Go there and pay your respects.
Its a tresure trove of dubs and rare plates.

100% Dynamite (Soul Jazz 1998)

100% Dynamite explores the links between Reggae, Jazz, Funk and Soul. Where Nu Yorica and Chicano Power focusses on Latin music, Soul Jazz Record's new compilation 100% Dynamite does the same for Reggae. The album is jam-packed with Reggae tunes that have crossed-over and become cult dancefloor hits in clubland such as "Greedy G", "Rocksteady" and "Granny Scratch Scratch".
Fourteen tracks of music that show the influence that American Jazz, Funk and Soul music has had on Jamaican Reggae. The proximity of the West Indies to the USA meant that many Jamaican musicians would continue to be influenced by American styles of music whilst at the same time continuing to define new styles of their own such as Ska, Rocksteady and Dub.
100% Dynamite features come serious Jamaican funk by Jackie Mittoo, The Brentford All-Stars, The Upsetters and Toots & The Maytals, the cream of Jamaica's jazz musicians such as Tommy McCook, Cedric Brooks and Lennie Hibbert and also features revolutionary tunes such as "Armageddon Time", "Drum Song" and "Cuss Cuss", songs which helped define a unique sound for Jamaican music in the sixties and seventies.
100% Dynamite is also the name of a club Soul Jazz Records have been running for the past year and this has been the inspiration for this album of the same name. Collected here are fourteen killer tracks that have rocked the crowd!

Willie Williams - Armageddon Time
The Maytals - Night & Day
The Marvels - Rock Steady
The Upsetters - Popcorn
Tommy McCook - Green Mango
Brentford All Stars - Greedy G
Lennie Hibbert - Red Hot
Johnny Osbourne - We Need Love
Jackie Mittoo - Stereo Freeze
Cedric Im Brooks - Give Rasta Glory
The Sound Dimension - Granny Scratch Scratch
Phyllis Dillon - Woman Of The Ghetto
Lloyd Robinson - Cuss Cuss
The Sound Dimension - Drum Song

http://www.mediafire.com/?mya02wvsh1z

200% Dynamite (Soul Jazz 1999)

BACK IN PRINT! Jam-packed with Reggae tunes that have crossed-over and become cult dancefloor hits in clubland such as "Ring The Alarm" and "Funky Kingston", 200% Dynamite explores the links between Reggae, Jazz, Funk and Soul.
200% Dynamite is the second compilation in the series of records released on Soul Jazz Records that focus on the history of Jamaican music. Carrying on perfectly from 100% Dynamite, this new compilation simply features more funk - soul - rocksteady - jazz - dub and ska tracks tracing the history of Jamaican Reggae and the influence of American styles such as Funk and Jazz had on this music.
200% Dynamite features some serious Funk and Rocksteady from the likes of The Upsetters and Toots and The Maytals throught to long out-of-print cult club classics such as Tenor Saw's mighty "Ring The Alarm" and the Skatalites much in demand funk classic "Candlelight", through to Jamaican Jazz from masters such as Tommy McCook and Byron Lee as well as some serious dub from the likes of Augustus Pablo and Jackie Mittoo.
Whereas 100% Dynamite took tracks mainly from Studio One, 200% Dynamite delves further into Jamaica's classic labels such as Treasure Isle, Techniques and the Upsetter label.
Taking music primarily from the Sixties and Seventies, 200% Dynamite takes you further into Jamaica's music such as Ska, Rocksteady, Dub etc, showing at the same time how the proximity to the USA meant that Jamaican musicians were still being influenced by US styles such as Funk, Jazz and Soul.

Augustus Pablo - Rockers Rock
K.C. White - No No No
Tenor Saw - Ring The Alarm
Tommy McCook - Heatwave
U Roy - Tom Drunk
Toots & The Maytals - Funky Kingston
Prince Buster - Sit & Wonder
Jackie Mittoo - Earthquake
Hopeton Lewis - Sounds & Pressure
Byron Lee - Hot Reggae
John Holt - I'm The One To Blame
The Skatalites - Herb Man Dub
Johnny Osbourne & The Sensations - Bewitched
Dawn Penn - Are You There
The Abyssinians - Mandela
Boris Gardiner - Melting Pot
The Upsetters - Live Injection

http://www.mediafire.com/?wzyujfryujo

300% Dynamite (Soul Jazz 1999)

Shark Wilson & The Basement Heaters - Make It Reggae
Wayne Smith - Under Me Sleng Teng
Toots & The Maytals - Broadway Jungle
Randy's All Stars - Mission Impossible
Sister Nancy - Bam Bam
Prince Buster - Cincinnati Kid
Althea & Donna - Uptown Top Ranking
Hopeton Lewis - Take It Easy
Jackie Mittoo & Randy's All Stars - Randy's Theme
Lloyd Price - Coconut Woman
Lee Perry - Jungle Lion
Johnny Clarke - Rebel Soldiering
Byron Lee - Rock Steady
Augustus Pablo - Viva Tirado
Al Brown - Here I Am Baby

http://www.mediafire.com/?v3zgijn2igb

400% Dynamite ( Soul Jazz 2000)

Hold tight! More Dynamite sounds from Jamaica. This reggae packed album brings the music into your homes, your very lives, rhythms so beautiful they make even babies cry. Ska, soul, rocksteady, funk and dub, this is the sound. Mento to digital, dancehall to DJ, dreader than dread, rougher than rough...
King Tubby has the real sound which you can't miss. Fantastic sound from King Tubby when he met the Aggrovators at Dub Station Studios, this is straight instrumental from Tommy McCook with versions. So dress up for your education of dub.
Put away agression and make it a peace and love session. This is the sweeet soul sounds from the Cimarons and Paris Connection. Tenor Saw and Buju Banton - Ring the Alarm soundboy, another sound is dying. Quick! Original Harry J-sound 'Cuss Cuss' from Lloyd Robinson.
Bobbing and weaving and coming your way, the man called Cassius Clay is here to stay. Move away Joe Frasier! Sweet Rudeboy sounds from Honey Boy Martin and his Rudies. This meeting is now called to order! Stand fast and unite fellow rudeboys.
Middle your needle and groove the right groove. If it's good to you it's got to be good for you.
From the volcano dancefloor sound of Barrington Levy's clasic 'Under Me Sensi' to the original calypso of Granville Williams to General Degree with the sound of today. This is the sound of Dynamite!
Toots and The Maytals, Prince Buster, Lyn Taitt, funky funky reggae from the masters of ska and rocksteady. There is never a Dynamite without these sounds!
So here it is, the sound of Dynamite! Sounds that are musically wild for you and your child. And remember we are all birds of a feather, so we got to love one another. Stick Together!


Bongo Herman - Chairman Of The Board
Tenor Saw & Buju Banton - Ring The Alarm Quick
Prince Buster - Girl, Why Don't You Answer
Barrington Levy - Under Mi Sensi
The Cimarons - We Are Not The Same
Lloyd Robinson - Cuss Cuss
King Tubby - King Tubby Dub
Honey Boy Martin - Dreader Than Dread
Dennis Alcapone - Cassius Clay
Toots & The Maytals - 5446 Was My Number
General Degree - Pot Cover
Paris Connection - Who's That Lady?
The Granville Williams Orchestra - Hi Life
Lynn Taitt - Soul Food
U Roy - Stick Together


http://www.mediafire.com/?muz22xwuitk

500% Dynamite (Soul Jazz 2001)

More Dynamite! Soul Jazz Records brings you Ska, Soul, Rocksteady, Funk, Dancehall, Dub!
This next instalment of the Dynamite! series continues to make the picture - Super Funky Ska from Byron Lee , Dub from Augustus Pablo and Joe Gibbs, Dancehall Kings and Queens Red Rat and Sister Charmaine all alongside Roots classics such as Freddie McGregor and Jacob Miller and Lovers Rock from Marcia Aitken and much more!
Classic Reggae such as Augustus Pablo's "East of The River Nile" alongside rare-groove Reggae such as Freddie McGregor's rare soulful anthem "Natural Collie", Mudie's All Star's deep soulful funk classic "Loran's Dance". Rocking Ska such as Byron Lee's "Frankenstein" alongside contemporary classics such as the Hip-Hop/Regaae classic Tiger Rank's "Party Wit Me" and Morgan Heritage's "Guns In The Ghetto". This is the sound of Dynamite! Ska, Soul, Rocksteady, Funk, Dancehall, Dub!
The Dynamite! series on Soul Jazz Records brings you easily more of the finest Reggae ever made!


Morgan Heritage & Bounty Killer - Guns In The Ghetto
Augustus Pablo - East Of The River Nile
Red Rat - Goody 2 Shoes
The Mudies All Stars - Lorna's Dance
Jacob Miller - Healing Of The Nation
Joe Gibbs - African Dub Chapter 3
Sister Charmaine - The Body
Byron Lee - Frankenstien
Freddie McGregor - Natural Collie
Tiger Ranks - Party Wit Me
Marcia Aitken - I'm Still In Love
Toots & The Maytals - Bam Bam

Download Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/?ogarvwtjimx

600% Dynamite (Soul Jazz 2003)

More party classics from the series that has now sold over 250,000 copies worldwide.
Non-Stop Reggae anthems such as Tenor Saw’s "Golden Hen", The Uniques "Queen Majesty", Johnny Osbourne’s "Buddy Bye", Yabby You’s "Conquering Lion" and many more!
Classic artists such as Dennis Brown, Johnny Osbourne, I Roy, Yabby You and Tenor Saw feature alongside classic tracks by lesser known artists such as The In Crowd, Tall T and The Touchers, Prince Mohammed and more.
600% Dynamite carries on giving you Reggae music in all styles from the classic Roots of Earth & Stone and Yabby You to the Dancehall style of Alozade & Hollow and Papa San. From the Funky Rocksteady of Dennis Brown and Johnny Osbourne to the Lovers style of Sandra Reid and the In Crowd. It’s all here!
Featuring tracks from all the major Jamaican producers - Lee Perry, Winston Riley (Techniques), Bunny Lee, Sly and Robbie, Harry Mudie, Lloyd Charmers, Niney the Observer, Jo Jo Hookim (Channel One) and more, 600% Dynamite is simply the next instalment in a series that’s becoming a who’s who of Reggae music.

Alozade & Hollow Point - Under Mi Sensi
Johnny Osbourne - Ready Or Not
Cynty & The Monkees - Lady Lady
Tenor Saw - Golden Hen
Prince Mohammed - Come Make We Rub A Dub
Tall T And The Touchers - Touching The President
The Uniques - Queen Majesty
Papa San - Give Her The Credit
Dennis Brown - Westbound Train
Sister Nancy - Transport Connection
I Roy & Dennis Walks - Combination Drifter
Johnny Osbourne - Budy Bye
In Crowd - His Majesty Is Coming
Sandra Reid - Ooh Boy
Yabby You - Conquering Lion
Exterminator - Love Line Version
Earth & Stone - In Time To Come

Download link:
http://www.mediafire.com/?dwomi3mzuz1

All download links found on : http://rastaman-drumandbass.blogspot.com/