[Soul Jazz Records Presents] Studio One: Music Lab

This is not one of the best compilations of studio one material,in my opinion. For a reason I can’t quite put my finger on I have been unable to play the whole cd without skipping certain tracks which doesn’t usually happen with these compilations,of which I have many

Soul Jazz have come up trumps again with this superb collection of Studio One dubs, version sides and instrumentals. The dubs are mostly of rootical rhythms, many from vocal sides previously released on Soul Jazz. The version sides are also moody and magnificent. The instrumentals vary a bit more from funky (vibes master Lennie Hibbert evoking The Meters) to rootsy (the underrated Pablove Black) to far eastern (organ maestro Jackie Mittoo exploring Arabian scales and strangely sounding like the Specials!) to weird (Mittoo again covering Cream of all things)..... oh and Roy Richards doing a little folk opera (a great version of Gershwin's Summertime).All good to great in other words and a worthy entry in this venerable series of compilations that began in 1999 (I remember it well skipping off work for an hour to buy it in the HMV on Princess Street in Edinburgh).

The sound quality is excellent considering the sources. The music is the among the best reggae you'll ever hear. Sleeve notes and compiling by Steve Barker...oooh we wawawawa ...wawawa !!!!

Just good music

What did I like? Damn near everything.