Soul Jazz Records celebrate 25 years of working in partnership with Studio One with brand new editions of five of their best-selling classic Studio One collections, released as special edition one-off pressing coloured double vinyl editions.

‘STUDIO ONE FUNK’ is made up of rare and unreleased reggae funk from the vaults of Studio One. Ever since the birth of funk in America, the sound has been an ever-present ingredient in the melting pot of Studio One’s musical output.

The music here is a combination of originals and USA soul and funk covers. Jackie Mittoo shows his appreciation for Booker T and The MGs, the studio group at Memphis’s famous Stax Records, with a previously unreleased version of ‘Hang ‘Em High’. Booker T’s superfunky ‘Melting Pot’ is also covered by the little-known Underground Vegetables.

Other covers include Isaac Hayes’ classic ‘Shaft’ by Cedric Brooks - another unreleased gem, straight from the master tapes. Motown gets a look in with Alton’s stripped-down version of the Spinners classic ‘It’s A Shame’, written by Stevie Wonder and Syreeta. James Brown is checked with the J.B.’s-inspired rare groove of Lee Arab’s ‘Now’. Lloyd Williams similarly does a fine Kingston-style version of the hardest working man in showbusiness on ‘Reggae Feet’.

Version-wise, we have ‘Idleberg’, Cedric Brooks’ tough instrumental cut to Horace Andy’s seminal ‘Skylarking’. Pablove Black’s cut of Sidewalk Doctor (aka Poco Tempo) is one of a handful of Studio One releases featuring Augustus Pablo’s trademark instrument, the melodica, played by Black himself.

Add to these original cuts from Studio One’s heavyweight session players, including Leroy Sibbles, Jackie Mittoo, Leroy Sibbles, Eric Frater, Richard Ace, Vin Gordon and more and you have one of the finest selections of reggae and funk you will ever hear.