Review By Marlon Burrell:
New York based VP Records is celebrating their 40th anniversary with a one of a kind box set titled “Down In Jamaica: 40 Years Of VP Records.” This multiple formats set contains a total of 94 tracks in the form of CDs, 7 inch vinyl, and 12 inch vinyl formats. The package includes 4 CDs, four 12 inch singles, and four 7-inch singles. There is also a handy and informative booklet which contains liner notes and rare and never-before-seen by the public pictures. Compiled by curator Carter Van Pelt, this is a delightful collection that includes music from over the last forty plus years. This collection in my view accomplished its goal of showing the relevance of VP records over the past 40 years through the various phases developments and changes in reggae and dancehall music and the overall music industry. VP records has been in business long before CDs were invented, long before the advent of digital downloads, and certainly before online streaming.
Many of the tracks on the CDs are the big hits that have been included over the years on VP’s Strictly The Best or Reggae Gold series. The real treasure as far as I’m concerned, are the vinyl records collected. Many of these have been long out of print and are now being reissued for the first time. Among them, Flabba Holt’s original cut of “Heart In Danger” from 1978 which he produced himself. He later recorded another version of the song for Sly & Robbie’s Taxi label retitled “Danger Zone.” On the flip side of that 12-inch single is I Roy with Errol Dunkley on the Clive Chin produced “Created By The Father.” The next 12-inch record comes in the form of Freddie McKay’s “Fire Is Burning” with the same artist’s “Lonely Man” on the flip on VP’s long defunct Roots From The Yard imprint. Next is another 12-inch on another longtime VP imprint, Jah Guidance. This features two sides of Linval Thompson produced Echo Minott tunes with “Girls A Mad Over Me” on the A side, and “Saddest Day Of My Life” on the B side. The final 12-inch single on another long defunct VP imprint Lightning, is a couple of tracks produced by the late Sugar Minott. Junior Reid is on the A side with “What Do You Know” with Maxine Stowe as co-producer and Tenor Saw’s classic “Lots Of Sign” on the B side.
Next are the 7-inch vinyl records. The Congos’ Lee “Scratch” Perry produced “Fisherman” is a certified classic and appears on Perry’s classic Upestter label. Next is Linval Thompson’s “Don’t Trouble Trouble.” This one is a Bunny Lee production on VP’s Roots imprint. Then comes yet another VP imprint from the 70’s, Love. Freddie McKay’s “La La Bye Woman” which was produced by Ossie Hibbert is the selection here. The final 7-inch 45 is Romain Virgo & Agent Sasco’s 2015 track “Fade Away” which is seeing physical release for the first time. It is features on the very first incarnation of the VP Records imprint.
The four 20 track CDs contain no surprises. These are all hit songs that span from 1977-2018. The selections document the working relationship between VP Records and the many producers of independent record labels over the years. The ones who have been movers and shakers in the reggae and dancehall. These include Lee “Scratch” Perry, Niney The Observer, Henry “Junjo” Lawes, Lloyd “King Jammy” James, Bobby “Digital” Dixon, Steely & Clevie, Donovan Germain, Dave Kelly, Phillip “Fattis” Burrell, Dean Fraser, and the list goes on. This collection spans from classic roots to contemporary dancehall and encompasses everything in between. A real testament to to the development and changes in Jamaican popular music over the past 40 plus years.
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