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One index for everything published: records, stories, watchable media, community memories and places. 343 records match.
"Bam Bam" is Sister Nancy's 1982 song, produced by Winston Riley for his Techniques label over the Stalag riddim (built from Ansel Collins's 1974 "Stalag 17"); it is now regarded as one of the most sampled reggae recordings in hip-hop history.
recording · Well supported"Breakfast in Bed" -- Lorna Bennett'Breakfast in Bed', Lorna Bennett's 1972 cover of the Baby Washington soul song, was commissioned by producer Harry J and arranged by Geoffrey Chung; the single's success made Bennett the first woman to top the Jamaican singles chart, and its Scotty-voiced deejay B-side is a landmark of the toasting era.
recording · Well supported"Dat Sexy Body" -- SashaSasha wrote and recorded 'Dat Sexy Body' in 1998 on a variation of the Bookshelf riddim; the track became a sleeper hit that only reached its full chart impact roughly five years after release, and was later remixed with reggaeton artist Ivy Queen.
person · Well supported"Deadly" Headley BennettFelix Headley "Deadly Headley" Bennett (1931-2016) was a Jamaican alto saxophonist trained at Alpha Boys School who worked as a session player from the 1950s, performing in the Studio One house band, Lynn Taitt's Jets and the Revolutionaries. He played on a vast number of ska, rocksteady and reggae recordings, including Bob Marley's first single "Judge Not" for Leslie Kong. Source note: Headley Bennett Wikipedia and AllMusic.
recording · Well supported"Diseases" — Michigan & Smiley"Diseases" by Michigan & Smiley is a key early-1980s dancehall recording tied to the Diseases rhythm family, built around the duo's call-and-response style and the shift from roots-era studio bands toward rub-a-dub and early dancehall performance.
recording · Well supported"Easy Snappin'" — Theophilus Beckford"Easy Snappin'," recorded by Theophilus Beckford around 1959, is frequently cited by historians as a transitional record between Jamaican R&B/shuffle and the ska sound that would emerge within a year or two - one of the clearest audible steps in ska's formation.
recording · Well supported"Full Up" - Sound DimensionSound Dimension's Studio One instrumental for Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, built on Leroy Sibbles's bassline and Jackie Mittoo's keys; the rhythm later carried the Mighty Diamonds' "Pass the Kouchie" and, through it, Musical Youth's global "Pass the Dutchie.".
recording · Well supported"Girl I've Got a Date" - Alton EllisAlton Ellis's 1966 Treasure Isle single, produced by Arthur "Duke" Reid and often cited among the first rocksteady records as the ska tempo eased into a cooler, bass-forward groove; its bassline is frequently traced into later international hits.
recording · Probable"Gotta Be Mine" — Beenie ManBeenie Man's "Gotta Be Mine" voiced producer Tony Kelly's 2001 Buy Out riddim, one of the era's most-versioned dancehall rhythms, also carrying cuts from Sean Paul and T.O.K.
recording · Probable"I'm Still in Love With You Boy" — Marcia Aitken"I'm Still in Love with You Boy" by Marcia Aitken is a late-1970s female-voiced answer/version in the Alton Ellis song family, a compact example of Jamaican versioning across gendered perspectives and eras.
recording · Well supported"I'm Still in Love" — Alton Ellis"I'm Still in Love," Alton Ellis's 1967 rocksteady ballad, became one of Jamaican music's most durable rhythms - reworked, versioned and sampled across reggae and dancehall for decades, including well-known dancehall re-cuts that introduced the melody to entirely new generations of listeners.
recording · Well supported"Java" - Augustus PabloAugustus Pablo's 1972 melodica instrumental, cut at Randy's with producer Clive Chin for the Impact! imprint and voted a top Jamaican instrumental of the year; a foundation of Pablo's rockers sound.
recording · Well supported"Never Let Go" — Slim SmithSlim Smith's 1967 Studio One rocksteady single for Coxsone Dodd is widely cited by riddim historians as the horn-and-bassline source for one of Jamaican music's most versioned rhythms, later renamed for dancehall audiences after Lone Ranger's "The Answer" rode the same track.
recording · Well supported"None Shall Escape the Judgement" - Johnny ClarkeJohnny Clarke's 1974 hit for producer Bunny Lee, backed by the Aggrovators and mixed at King Tubby's - a defining record of the mid-1970s "flying cymbals" sound.
recording · Well supported"Oh Carolina" — Folkes Brothers"Oh Carolina," recorded by the Folkes Brothers in 1960 and produced by Prince Buster, is built on Count Ossie's Nyabinghi drumming - a rare case of Rastafari ceremonial drums appearing directly on a commercial Jamaican pop record, years before that influence became widely recognized in reggae history.
