"Down Town Albums Collection, The" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (February 2019 Doctor Bird Reissue - 4LPs Remastered onto 2CDs) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Spreading Love..."

Now here's a doozy worth donning your porkpie hat for. Continuing on from their 50th Anniversary celebrations of all things 'Trojan Records' (see list of reissues below) – this fantastic Doctor Bird Records 2CD set offers up a whopping four period LPs on their offshoot label 'Downtown Records' (two from 1969 and two from 1970) and even throws in three relevant bonus seven-inch cuts. There is a vat of vino to be slurped, so let's get to the vintage inside...

UK released Friday, 8 February 2019 (15 February 2019 in the USA) - "The Down Town Albums Collection" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Doctor Bird Records DBCDD-020 (Barcode 5013929272033) offers 4LPs Remastered onto 2CDs with Three Bonuses and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (76:08 minutes):

"Red Red Wine" LP by VARIOUS ARTISTS (November 1969)

1. Red, Red Wine - TONY TRIBE (April 1969 UK 7" single on Downtown DT-419, A-side - for the B-side, see Track 25 on Disc 2)

2. Games People Play - THE ISRAELITES (1969 UK 7" single on Downtown DT-421, A-side)

3. Move Your Mule - DANDY (November 1968 UK 7" single on Downtown DT-401, A-side)

4. I'm Your Puppet - DANDY (March 1969 UK 7" single on Downtown DT 416, A-side)

5. Lead Them - DESMOND RILEY

6. Love Me Tonight - AUDREY (February 1969 UK 7" single on Downtown DT-414, A-side)

7. Reggae In Your Jeggae - DANDY (January 1969 UK 7" single on Downtown DT 410, A-side – for the B-side see Track 26 on Disc 1)

8. Lovers Concerto - AUDREY (April 1969 UK 7" single on Downtown DT-418, A-side)

9. Sentimental Reason - GENE RONDO (June 1969 UK 7" single on Downtown DT-431, A-side)

10. Night Train - SONNY BINNS & THE RUDIES (May 1969 UK 7" single on Downtown DT-424, B-side of "Wheels")

11. You'll Lose A Good Thing - AUDREY (July 1969 UK 7" single on Downtown DT-436, A-side)

12. Lovers Question - GENE RONDO (1969 UK 7" single on Downtown DT-422, A-side)

Tracks 1 to 12 are the UK album "Red Red Wine" - released November 1969 on Downtown/Trojan TTL-11. Track 5 first appeared on this compilation

"Red Red Wine, Volume Two" LP by VARIOUS ARTISTS (September 1970)

13. Someday We'll Be Together - AUDREY (February 1970 UK 7" single on Down DT 457, A-side)

14. Got To Come Back - DANDY 

15. Somebody's Baby - DESMOND RILEY [as LITTLE DES] (January 1970 UK 7" single on J Dan JN 4400, A-side)

16. Spreading Love [aka "Spreading Peace"] - GENE RONDO (May 1970 UK 7" single on Downtown DT 459, A-side)

17. I'm Gonna Give Her All The Love I've Got - TONY TRIBE (August 1969 UK 7" single on Downtown DT 439, A-side)

18. Raining In My Heart - DANDY (February 1970 UK 7" single on Down DT 456, A-side)

19. Can't Get Used To Losing You - DANDY (April 1970 UK 7" single on J Dan JN-4410, B-side to "Can't Help From Crying")

20. Song Bird - LYNDON JOHNS (October 1969 UK 7" single on Downtown DT 444, B-side, for A see Track 24)

21. The Boy I Love - BLOSSOM JOHNSON

22. The Way You Move - AUDREY (January 1970 UK 7" single on Downtown DT 452, B-side to "Sweeter Than Sugar")

23. Party Rush - THE MUSIC DOCTORS

24. Don't Gamble With Love - LYNDON JOHNS (October 1969 UK 7" single on Downtown DT 444, A-side)

25. Come Together - THE ISRAELITES (1969 UK 7" single as "Let's Come Together" on Downtown DT 445, A-side)

Tracks 13 to 25 are the UK album "Red Red Wine, Volume Two" - released September 1970 on Downtown/Trojan TBL 116. Tracks 14, 21 and 23 first appeared on this compilation.

BONUS TRACK: 

26. Reggae Shuffle - DANDY (January 1969 UK 7" single on Downtown DT-410, B-side to "Reggae In Your Jeggae")

Disc 2 (71:59 minutes):

"Blow Your Horn" LP by RICO & THE RUDIES (December 1969)

1. Reco's Message

2. Niyah Man

3. Jumping The Gun

4. The Lion [by Dandy]

5. Caribbean Serenade

6. Mighty Dan

7. Quando Quando

8. Session Man

9. Doctor Sure Shot [by Dandy & The Israelites]

10. Muma Muma [by Dandy & The Israelites]

11. Biafra

Tracks 1 to 11 are the UK album "Blow Your Horn" – released December 1969 on Downtown/Trojan TTL-12

"Dandy Your Musical Doctor" LP by DANDY (February 1970)

12. Here I Go Again

13. I'm Gonna Give Her All The Love I Got

14. Run Girl

15. Doctor At Work

16. Running Wild

17. Meeting Over Yonder

18. Voicing Our Choice

19. Everybody Loves A Winner

20. Music Doctor

21. Gumption Feeling

22. Touch Of Poison

23. Come On Home

Tracks 12 to 23 are the UK LP "Dandy Your Musical Doctor" – released February 1970 on Trojan TTL-26

BONUS TRACKS:

24. Won't You Come Home – DANDY (December 1969 UK 7" single on Downtown 453, A-side)

25. Blues - RICO RODRIGUEZ & THE RUDIES as THE RUDIES (April 1969 UK 7" single on Downtown 419, B-side to "Red, Red Wine" - for A-side see Track 1 on Disc 1)

The 16-page booklet is the usual feast of memorabilia, some really great foreign picture sleeves, master tape boxes, trade adverts and reviews and walls of those gorgeous mottled Downtown 45 labels. ANDY LAMBOURN [aka Charlie Chalk) and MARC GRIFFITHS of Bosssounds provide the superb liner notes – deep level info on all four of the albums. With its fourteen schillings and six pence sticker – along with "Tighten Up" Volumes 1 and 2 – the Various Artists compilation "Red, Red Wine" was the second most common British Reggae album you saw in second hand record shops (with the Dandy album probably a close second). But how good is it to see pictures of and details on those other two harder-to-find pieces. Best of all is new mastering by my face Engineer ANDY PEARCE – a gent with a huge Rock catalogue to his name and now many of these new Trojan related releases as well. Best I’ve ever heard these...

While the collection of popular 1969 singles that is the "Red Red Wine" compilation album will tickle many (it even had the first single release on Downtown Records DT-401 – the cool "Move Your Mule") - I’m loving the obscure "Blow Your Horn" album – Rico blasting that trumpet with such feel and dare we say it - Soul. And I’d forgotten just how much Dandy Livingstone contributed in those amazingly productive years too. It’s all so good.

What a winner and a top reissue...recommended big time...

2017 and 2018 Doctor Bird Records CD Reissues
(Featuring Larges Amounts of Trojan Records, Treasure Isle, Pama 60s & 70s etc)

1. BOB ANDY & MARCIA GRIFFITHS - Young, Gifted And Black/Pied Pier (May 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-014 - Barcode 5013929271432)

2. ERROL BROWN/THE REVOLUTIONAIRES – Dubb Everlasting/Dub Expression [1977 and 1978 High Note 2LPs on 1CD] (November 2017, Doctor Bird DBCD-07 – Barcode 5013929270732)

3. DAVE & ANSEL COLLINS – Double Barrel (June 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-016 - Barcode 5013929271630)

4. DESMOND DECKER & THE ACES – Action!/Intensified (August 2018 2CD Set, Doctor Bird DBCD-025 – Barcode 5013929272538)

5. DESMOND DEKKER – You Can Get It If You Really Want (September 2018 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-015 - Barcode 5013929271531)

6. DESMOND DEKKER – Double Dekker [1973 UK 2LP set onto 1CD] (November 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-018 – Barcode 5013929271838)

7. PHYLLIS DILLON – One Life To Live (September 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-021 – Barcode 5013929272132)

8. ETHIOPIANS – Reggae Power/Woman Capture Man (January 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-10 – Barcode 5013929271036)

9. MARCIA GRIFFITHS – Naturally/Steppin’ [1978 and 1979 2LPs on 1CD] (August 2017 CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-002 – Barcode 5013929270237)

10. DERRICK HARRIOTT & THE CRYSTALITES – Psychedelic Train (October 2017 CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-05 – Barcode 5013929270534)

11. HARRY J. ALL STARS - Liquidator (June 2008 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-012 - Barcode 5013929271234)

12. JUSTIN HINDS & THE DOMINOES – From Jamaica With Reggae (February 2018 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-09 – Barcode 5013929270930)

13. THE KINGSTONIANS – Sufferer (September 2017 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-03 – Barcode 5013929270336)

14. THE MAYTALS – Monkey Man/From The Roots (July 2018 2LPs on 1CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-017 – Barcode 5013929271739)

15. THE PIONEERS – Long Shot/Battle Of The Giants (September 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-019 – Barcode 5013929271937)

16. THE UNIQUES - Absolutely The...Uniques (January 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-011 - Barcode 5013929271135)

17. THE UPSETTERS – The Upsetter/Scratch The Upsetter Again (October 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-022 – Barcode 5013929272231)

18. THE UPSETTERS – Return Of Django/Eastwood Rides Again (May 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-013 - Barcode 5013929271333)

19. VARIOUS – Dancing Down Orange Street [Trojan 1969 LP] (September 2017 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-04 – Barcode 5013929270435)

20. VARIOUS – Gay Feet, Every Night (October 2017 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-06 – Barcode 5013929270633)

21. VARIOUS – Greater Jamaica Moonwalk Reggae/Reggay At Its Best (October 2018 2CD Set, Doctor Bird DBCDD-030 – Barcode 5013929273030)

22. VARIOUS – Hot Shots Of Reggae (November 2017 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-08 – Barcode 5013929270831)

23. VARIOUS – King Size Reggae (November 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-026 – Barcode 5013929272637)

24. VARIOUS – No More Heartaches/What Am I To Do? [2LPs from 1969 and 1970 onto 1CD] (August 2017, Doctor Bird DBCD-01 – Barcode 5013929270138)

25. VARIOUS [Duke Reid and Treasure Isle Productions] – Soul Of Jamaica/Here Comes The Duke (August 2018 2CD Set, Doctor Bird DBCDD-024 – Barcode 5013929272439)

2019 Doctor Bird Records CD Reissues

1. ROLAND ALPHANSO & THE ORIGINAL ORCHESTRA – ABC Rock Steady (April 2019 Expanded 2CD Set with 43 Bonus Tracks, Doctor Bird DBCDD-023 – Barcode 5013929272330)

2. DENNIS BROWN – Just Dennis/Deep Down (April 2019 2CD Expanded Set, Doctor Bird DBCDD-027 – Barcode 5013929272736)

3. ERROL BROWN & THE REVOLUTIONARIES – Culture Dub & Medley Dub (12 July 2019 2CD Expanded Set with 25 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-038 – Barcode 5013929273832)

4. ERROL BROWN & THE SUPERSONICS – The Treasure Dub Albums Collection (13 September 2019 2CD Expanded Set with Eight Previously Unreleased, Doctor Bird DBCDD-043 – Barcode 5013929274334)

5. ALTON ELLIS – Greatest Hits/Mr. Soul Of Jamaica [known as Greatest Hits in the UK] (11 October 2019 Expanded 2CD Set with 47 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-045 – Barcode 5013929274532)

6. THE ETHIOPIANS – Engine No. 5 (17 May 2019 1CD Expanded Set with 17 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCD-035 – Barcode 5013929273535)

7. THE GAYLADS – Fire And Rain (14 June 2019 1CD Expanded Set with 13 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCD-036 – Barcode 5013929273634)

8. JOHN HOLT – Like A Bolt (January 2019 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-029 – Barcode 5013929272934)

9. THE MELODIANS – Rivers Of Babylon (9 August 2019 Expanded 1CD Set with 15 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCD-041 – Barcode 5013929274136)

10. DERRICK MORGAN – Moon Hop/Derrick Morgan In London (April 2019 Expanded 2CD Set, Doctor Bird DBCDD-032 – Barcode 5013929273238)

11. DERRICK MORGAN – Derrick Morgan And His Friends (12 July 2019 Expanded 2CD Set with 24 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-039 – Barcode 5013929273931)

12. SONIA POTTINGER – Put On Your Best Dress: Ska & Rock Steady 1966-1967 (14 June 2019 Expanded 2CD Set with 35 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-037 – Barcode 5013929273733)

13. LORD TANAMO & FRIENDS – Festival Jump-Up [1965] (15 November 2019 Expanded 2CD Reissue of 1965 LP with 40 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-046 – Barcode 5013929274631)

14. LINVAL THOMPSON – The Linval Thompson Trojan Roots Album Collection [including two LPs by Big Joe & The Trinity called “African Princess” and “Rock In The Ghetto” and one Linval Thompson LP called “I Love Marijuana”) (11 October 2019 Expanded 2CD Set with 10 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-044 – Barcode 5013929274433)

15. LINVAL THOMPSON & THE REVOLUTIONAIRES – Negrea Love Dub/Outlaw Dub [1978 and 1979] (15 November 2019 Reissue featuring 2LPs onto 1CD (no bonus), Doctor Bird DBCD-047 – Barcode 5013929274730)

16. THE UPSETTERS featuring LEE 'SCRATCH' PERRY – Clint Eastwood/Many Moods Of The Upsetters (April 2019 2CD Expanded Set, Doctor Bird DBCDD-034 – Barcode 5013929273436)

17. VARIOUS – The Down Town Albums Collection [Down Town Label] (February 2019 2CD Set, Doctor Bird Records DBCDD-020 - Barcode 5013929272033)

18. VARIOUS – Gay Jamaican Independence Time – Boom Sha-Ka-La (17 May 2019 2CD Expanded Set with 35 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-028 – Barcode 5013929272835)

19. VARIOUS – Greatest Jamaican Beat... (March 2019 2CD Set, Doctor Bird DBCDD-033 – Barcode 5013929273337)

20. VARIOUS – Independence Jump Up Calypso (9 August 2019 2CD Expanded Set with 46 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-040 – Barcode 5013929274037)

21. VARIOUS – The Treasure Isle Ska Albums Collection (January 2019 2CD Set [4LPs and more], Doctor Bird DBCDD-031 – Barcode 5013929273139)

22. VARIOUS – You Can’t Wine/Music Alone Shall Live (13 September 2019 2CD Expanded Set with 33 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-042 - Barcode 5013929274235)