Jamaica Soul Shake Vol. 1

“The word timeless is applied way too often in music, but here it is
entirely justified.” - Fact

New one-off press silver coloured double vinyl edition of Soul Jazz Records’ long unavailable ‘Jamaica Soul Shake’ collection of tracks from The Sound Dimension, probably the funkiest reggae group to ever to exist on the planet. Features classic tracks recorded at Studio One.

This is the first ever collection of the music of The Sound Dimension - a mixture of classic tracks alongside super-rare singles only ever released in Jamaica.

Alongside The Skatalites, The Sound Dimension were perhaps the most important group in the history of reggae music. That they remain relatively unknown is explained by the fact that they mostly functioned as the in-house studio group at Studio One Records performing anonymously behind the stars of the day - the reggae equivalent of Motown’s Funk Brothers. In their relatively short-lived career, the group’s unique sound came to define reggae music.

During this period the group played on literally hundreds of hits with Jamaica’s finest vocalists - Alton Ellis, John Holt, Cornell Campbell, Dennis Brown, Horace Andy, The Heptones, Bob Andy, Marcia Griffiths, Freddie McGregor and many more.

Even more importantly, their countless addictive, super-tight, classic tracks at Studio One became the foundation rhythms of all reggae music, countlessly replayed in new forms by an endless list of Dancehall artists from the 1970s onwards, as producers such as Joe Gibbs, Sly & Robbie, Steely & Clevie re-interpreted these seminal tunes.

The group’s fluid line-up itself features a roll call of reggae legends - Jackie Mittoo, Leroy Sibbles, Cedric Brooks, Vin Gordon, Ernest Ranglin, Leroy Horsemouth Wallace and others.
“A funky disc, full of great, skanking rhythms and fine playing by some of Jamaica’s most revered musicians.” - Pitchfork

“Killer comp from the reissue kings” - Uncut

Tracklist

1. Heavy Beat
2. Federated Backdrop
3. Baby Face
4. Rathid
5. Bitter Blood
6. Love Land
7. Full Up
8. Upsetters Dream
9. Soul Shake
10. The Thing
11. My Heart In Rhythm
12. Man Pon Spot
13. Holy Moses
14. Doctor Sappa Too
15. Hail Don D
16. Solas