Tyrone Taylor/The Black Disciples -7" - Birds of a Feather/Death Before Dishonour (Wolf) (2024 reissue)

 

Another solid reissue of Jack Ruby productions. From 1976 we have Tyrone Taylor backed up by the Black Disciples. Solid roots if not spectacular. Good enough for this lover of 1970s roots music. This is a European reissue. By the way, the Black Disciples were a top notch band made up of some of the best reggae musicians in Jamaica. When they recorded for Jack Ruby, they were the Black Disciples. When they recorded for other producers, they had other names...yeah you know who I am talking about : )

Ijahman - Moulding/Africa (Jahmani)(2024)(12")

 Wow...lucky us that Jah Fingers has reissued this fine slab of roots reggae on 12" with a killer dub included. Play this at your next dance along with some other fine Ijahman Levi' releases like Jah Heavy Load or I Am A Levi and transform your dance into a rootsman session! Get this at your finest reggae distributors. I got mine at Dub Vendor out of London. 

Playing Ijahman Levi creates a mood. Turn the lights down low, play this loud and enjoy. For advanced reggae listeners only!

Various - Masterpieces of Modern Soul (Kent Dance)(2003)(CD)

 

In my pursuit of finding Northern Soul compilations, I stumbled on this set of releases on the Kent Dance label out of the U.K. If it is on Kent, it is a must buy. The focus here is on 'modern' soul. The term 'modern' is a bit loose. For example, there are tracks from 1971 and 2003 (and all in-between). In any event, irrespective of the dates, the songs and music is superb. This is a must have. There are various volumes to this series and I plan to get them all. If you get this CD, you will get this banger, The Millionaires - I'm The One Who Loves You.  Modern soul moves me.

Various - The Twisted Wheel Story One More Time (Goldmine Soul Supply)(1997)(CD)

 

Trying to pick up as many Northern Soul compilation as I can. It is my new kick. This is a good one from 1997. Some great track on this CD but one of my faves is Now I Know What Love Is by Al Wilson. If you like this, now you know what Northern Soul is and what it sounds like. Keep dancing!

Mo Dotti - Blurring/Guided Imagery (2023)(Self Released)(CD)

Just a great slab of dream pop and shoegaze music from this band. This CD is a compilation of two EPs: Blurring (2020) and Guided Imagery (2022). I was blown away the first time I listened to it and the second time around I like it even more! Airy and pretty is how I would describe the music. Always melodic. Female vocals just give it that extra dreamy quality. Mo Dotti is on Bandcamp. Check out Glow in the Dark. Tremendous.
 

Joe Gibbs - Freedom To The People (Doctor Bird)(2022)(2CD)

 

Doctor Bird just keeps releasing fantastic early reggae music for the pleasure of all (including the hardcore reggae collectors!). This release focuses on the (very) early 70s productions of producer/engineer Joe Gibbs. This release has 54 tracks! Many of the tracks appeared on two compilation albums released by Joe Gibbs: "The Heptones And Their Friends Meet The Now Generation" (1972) and "The Heptones And Friends Vol. 2" (1973). For those that care, the base of the musicians backing up the artists on this release is the Now Generation band with offshoots of this band also billed as The Love Generation and The 3rd and 4th Generation. In other words, reggae music backing-band royalty. For those that love reggae music, this is a must purchase.

The Plugz - Live from the Kit Kat Club (recorded in Nov 7, 1982) (self released)(2025)(CD)

A fun release. The Plugz live at the Kit Kat Club from November 1982. This is a self release by Tony Marsico, bass player for The Plugz (and the Cruzados, and Bob Dylan, and Matthew Sweet). You can find him in Instagram.

While the band is described as a "Latino punk rock band", this release showcases the band moving beyond that classification. The energy is definitely there but the songs are more developed and maybe hint a little to what the The Cruzados became(?) In any event, this is quite good and worth getting. The Plugz were fairly well known in the Southern California. I think this release shows why.