The Discography Of Jamaican Music
Editors: Michael Turner & Robert Schoenfeld

 



 
  Introduction: The attempt to document 30+ years of Jamaican musical history is something often imagined by reggae collectors but few expected it would ever materialize. The seeds for this project began on the Internet in the reggae music newsgroup and the database itself was initially built from files we created to catalog our own collections. Thanks to the help and support of many contributors, it has grown to be the most advanced reference work of its kind.

News: Roots Knotty Roots is going digital. Nighthawk Records is very pleased to announce the first release of a new software platform designed to provide virtually unlimited access to the most comprehensive discography of Jamaican music ever published. In response to requests for more advanced research tools, the Roots Knotty Roots database is now available on CD-Rom in a unique software program for Windows PCs.

 
 

Articles: Matrix numbers are a simple, coded method used by a pressing plant to identify the records manufactured by that factory. The numbers assigned to a specific title are either hand-etched or die-stamped directly into the metal parts that are used to press the record. A better understanding of the matrix number system used for both Jamaican and UK releases can provide collectors with a more complete picture of the production side of almost any record or series of records.

 

Reviews: Theophilus Beckford is a seminal figure of Jamaican music despite the fact that his music is little known outside of hard-core collector circles. That is a real shame, but thankfully Jamaican Gold has given us a gem of an album that anyone who appreciates early Jamaican music will enjoy.

 
 

Featured Profiles: This issue features the Top Deck label discography from the 1960's and a discography for producer Roy Francis' Phase One label from the seventies.

Statistics: Approximately 24,000 titles currently have dates assigned. Those dated titles break down, year by year, as displayed here in a bar graph.

 
 

Updates: Update to the latest version of the RKR database. Register your copy of the software program.

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Audio Files: The current menu of unidentified records for preview listening. Let us know if you can help identify any of these titles and artists.

 
 

Bulletin Board: Check our the new bulletin board for posting questions and replies on all the topics raised by the discography.  Who is that singer or DJ?  Who played the drums on that cut?  Who sang the harmony parts on that record?



Nighthawk Records, PO Box 1432, Maryland Heights MO. 63043
Phone: 314-576-1569 | Fax: 314-576-2644
Email: Robert Schoenfeld / Robert@nghthwk.com ~  Michael Turner: Oldbroom@aol.com