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#Review |Duane Stephenson-Weekend Dude| New album by Duane 'August Town' Stephenson, produced by Penthouse Records' Donovan Germain featuring Josey Wales, Exco Levi & Dean Fraser. #DuaneStephenson #ExcoLevi #JoseyWales #DeanFraser #DonovanGermain #PenthouseRecords #Reggae Read the full article

#NewRelease |Penthouse Musicians-Timeless Dub| Digitally released dub counterpart of Marcia Griffiths' 2019 album Timelss. #Dub #PenthouseMusicians #MarciaGriffiths #DonovanGermain #PenthouseRecords Read the full article

Double 12" Spin #19 | This edition pays homage to the recently deceased singer Tony Tuff in combination with Jah Stitch and Cultural Roots who join forces with Trinity and Donovan Germain. #Double12Spin #TonyTuff #JahStitch #CulturalRootso #Trinity #DonovanGerman #ReggaeRewind #VinylOnly #12InchSingle #CrateDiggers #Vinyl #ReggaeHistory  Read the full article

The fifteenth installment of Double 12" Spin highlights two vocal harmony groups that have been integral to the Jamaican reggae scene for many years. These groups often emerged from the challenging conditions of Kingston's ghettos, offering a musical escape from poverty and hardship. Typically consisting of three members, these groups frequently sang about the hardships of ghetto life while also exploring romantic themes. Two such groups, The Meditations and The Mighty Diamonds, are featured in this edition.The Meditations kick off this edition with their single Carpenter Re-Build. This vocal trio, consisting of Danny Clarke, Winston Watson, and Ansel Cridland, first appeared on the music scene in 1976 with the hit song Woman Is Like A Shadow. Under the guidance of producer Roy Cousins, they achieved further success with the disco mix of Stranger In Love, while Dobby Dobson produced two albums. In 1983, The Meditations released the critically acclaimed album No More Friend, produced by Linval Thompson with powerful backing from the Roots Radics. The title track became a hit, and the album enjoyed widespread success. Following the release of No More Friend, the group gradually disbanded, though they managed to release three more albums. Earlier this year, Danny Clarke, one of the founding members, sadly passed away. The song Carpenter Re-Build, also known as Having Fun, was included on the album No More Friend. This track showcases The Meditations' exceptional vocal harmonies. The B-side of the 12-inch single features a deejay version by Lee Van Cliff, a popular figure in the deejay scene during the early 1980s, named after the actor Lee Van Cleef. Lee Van Cliff was a highly sought-after artist during the first half of the 1980s, but his career was tragically cut short in 1987 when he was murdered in Brooklyn, New York. A. Mighty Diamonds - Heads Of Government B. Unknown - Version Label: Reggae The second 12-inch platter features The Mighty Diamonds. Founded in 1969 by Donald 'Tabby' Shaw, Fitzroy 'Bunny' Simpson, and Lloyd 'Judge' Ferguson, the vocal trio achieved their breakthrough in the mid-1970s with the Channel One-produced tracks Country Living, Hey Girl, and Right Time. The success of these singles led to the release of their debut album, Right Time, in 1976, which propelled them to international recognition. Until well into the 1990s, The Mighty Diamonds continued to release albums for producers like Donovan Germain and Delroy Wright, and toured extensively around the world. Unfortunately, 2022 marked a tragic year for the group. Lead singer Tabby was fatally shot, followed by the passing of Bunny the following day at a Kingston hospital. The 12-inch single titled Heads Of Government was first introduced to the market in 1980 and has since been reissued multiple times under various labels. The song was also featured on the 1982 album sharing the same title. On the reverse side, listeners can enjoy the instrumental version, which unfortunately does not incorporate a lot of dub elements. This particular release came out under the Reggae label which was a sub-label of Donovan Germain's Penthouse Records, who was also the producer for this project. Read the full article

Howard Sweetness and His Music | Last of Eugene Pitter's four-part series will make you want to hear all about vet artist Howard Sweetness. #HowardSweetness #EugenePitter #Jamaica Read the full article

Jamwax Records reissues Wade Dyce slices | Originally released by Moving On Records in the US, the much sough-after records are available again on 2 12" singles. #WadeDyce #MovingOnRecords #Reissue #JamWaxRecords Read the full article

#Interview | JAHMALI - FROM THEN TILL NOW | In the Entertainment Report Podcast, he tells about his career, #cocoatea #kingjammys #garnetsilk #bobbydigital #donovangermain #bujubanton and more | #jahmali #reggaeinterview #jamaica #reggaelegend #rootsreggae Read the full article

MARCIA GRIFFITHS - TIMELESS | NEW ALBUM With Marcia Griffiths name duly cemented in reggae history, a Queen stands among the greats. The indelible soulful artist with the haunting distinctive voice has once again gifted music lovers with the release of her 16th album aptly titled "Timeless". Produced by renowned Donovan Germain and award-winning executive producers Tad A. Dawkins and Tad A. Dawkins Jnr, the 15 songs offering pays tribute to a beloved era and the endurance of the Studio One label catalog which boasts the most solid collection of foundation songs in the historic art forms of Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae music. Read the full article