Home Studio One Japanese Official Agency Dub Store Records Wholesale Distribution Online Shop Careers Company Profile
	Federal Records is a cornerstone in the history of the Jamaican music industry. It was the island's first domestic recording studio and where the pioneers of reggae, such as Sir Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd, Duke Reid and Prince Buster, recorded the earliest examples of popular Jamaican music. The name of the studio's founder, Ken Khouri, is not well known outside of Jamaica, but his contribution to Jamaican music is immeasurable and he is a well-respected figure in his homeland. He left behind many important recordings that should be passed down from generation to generation. This re-issue series will bring discerning listeners remarkable music recorded by Ken Khouri at Federal Records. We would like to dedicate this series to Ken Khouri's lasting contribution to Jamaican music. Ernest Ranglin - Guitar in Ernest CD : On Sale! Product Number: DSR CD 501 Barcode: 4571179 532013 Purchase LP : Sold Out Product Number: DSR LP 501 Barcode: 4571179 534017 More Info Track Listing  Play 1. Soul De Ern 2. Cherokee 3. Ernest's Tune 4. Green Dolphin St. 5. Jordu 6. Ernest's Delight 7. One For Robby 8. Angelima 9. Chow Mein Productions Produced by K. Khouri Recorded At: Federal Recording Studio Musicians GUITAR: Ernest Ranglin BASS: Stephen Lauz DRUMS: Carl Mcleod PIANO: Leslie Butler Count Owen & His Calypsonians - Calypsos Down Jamaica Way CD : On Sale! Product Number: DSR CD 502 Barcode: 4751179 534020 Purchase LP : Sold Out Product Number: DSR LP 502 Barcode: 4751179 532026 More Info Track Listing  Play 1. Goodbye to Rome 2. Go Fife Go 3. Yours 4. Island In The Sun 5. Aye Aye Aye 6. Lawd Some Man Could A Smart 7. Careless Hands 8. The Weed 9. Melody D'Amour 10. Kingston Town 11. Out The Fire 12. The Last Watch Productions Produced by K. Khouri Recorded At: Federal Studio Various Artists - Jamaican Skarama CD : On Sale! Product Number: DSR CD 503 Barcode: 457117953203 Purchase LP : Sold Out Product Number: DSR LP 503 Barcode: 4571179534031 More Info Missing masterpieces of the original Jamaican Ska. Recorded at the Federal Studio and released on Ken Khouri's Kentone in 1965. Track Listing  Play 1. My Daily Food - The Maytals 2. I Love You - The Techniques 3. Cry Another Cry - Dobby Dobson 4. My Darling - Eddie Perkins 5. Him Say You Say - Sneer-Towners 6. Word Is Wind - Stranger & Patsy 7. Big Brother - X-Rays 8. Take These Chains Form My Heart - Eddie & Patsy 9. Tell Daddy - Dobby Dobson 10. My Dream - Group Singers 11. One Look - The Maytals 12. There's A Place - Eric Morris Productions Produced by K. Khouri Recorded at: Federal Studio Gladstone Anderson, Lynn Taitt, Jets - Glad Sounds CD : On Sale! Product Number: DSR CD 504 Barcode:4571179 534048 Price: JPY2,500 Purchase LP : Sold Out Product Number: DSR LP 504 More Info Jamaican piano maestro Gladstone 'Gladdy' Anderson steps forward with guitar pioneer Lynn Taitt at the legendary Federal Studio in 1968. On this instrumental rocksteady gem the top-flight combo plays it blight, tight and out-a-sight! Track Listing  Play 1. Intensified '68 2. Words 3. A.B.C. Rocksteady 4. If I Only Had Time 5. Chances 6. Starlight 7. Ride Me Donkey 8. Rainbow Valley 9. Love Me Forever 10. Once Upon A Tim Hopeton Lewis - Take It Easy With The Rock Steady Beat CD : On Sale! Purchase LP : Sold Out Product Number: DSR LP 505 More Info A fundamental album released in 1966 that determined the way Rocksteady was going to journey. In 1966, Rude Boys were at the peak of the fame with their notorious behaviors, while Ska gradually started to slow down its tempo. This album paved the way for a newborn music, Rocksteady, with rather slower and tighter rhythm approach. This album should be considered as one of the ten most important albums in Reggae history. The descent from Ska, which had its derivation from Jazz or Rhythm and Blues, to Rocksteady, with its various potential elements which would be passed to the next decade of Reggae, has been allegedly created in this album with Trinidadian guitarist Lynn Taitt and his band The Jets as the backing band. Entitled “Take It Easy With The Rock Steady Beat!”, most of the tunes featured in this album were written for praising dancehall as if he’d have known this genre was going to rule the dance floors. Among the tunes in this album, “This Music Got Soul” was the coolest of all and called out the dawn of the Rocksteady era. This tune had a huge influence on the future developments of Reggae music. Track Listing  Play 1. Take It Easy 2. Sounds & Pressure 3. A De Pon Dem 4. Why Must I Cry 5. Let's The Little Girl Dance 6. Rock Steady 7. Cool Collie 8. Music Got Soul 9. Hard Ships Of Life 10. This Poor Boy Eric Grant Orchestra - Cool At The Casa Montego CD : On Sale! Product Number: DSR CD 507 Barcode:4571179 532075 Purchase LP : On Sale! Product Number: DSR LP 507 Purchase A masterpiece of Jamaican Jazz recorded in 1960 by the Eric Grant Orchestra, resident band of the Casa Montego Hotel in Montego Bay. Rhythm & Blues, Jazz standards, Cha Cha Cha, Merengue and Calypso all combine in this wonderful amalgamation of sounds. Produced by the first Jamaican studio, Federal Records, and its founder Ken Khouri, it is now re-issued for the first time ever. Track Listing  Play 1. Uncle Joe 2. Mr. Wonderful 3. Razor Merengue 4. Misty 5. Mother And Wife 6. Let's Fall In Love 7. Cha Cha International 8. Anema De Core 9. T'is Wonderful 10. Take Her To Jamaica 11. Mind Your Own Business 12. I Want To Be Happy Winston Turner Quintet - At the Jamaica Hilton: in the Jippi Jappa Lounge CD : On Sale! Product Number: DSR CD 508 Purchase LP : Sold Out Product Number: DSR LP 508 More Info In the heyday of the Rocksteady era of Jamaican music in 1968, the Winston Turner Quintet was blending in the cool new sound with Calypso, Jazz, Bossa Nova, Pop and Ballads down at the Hilton Hotel in Kingston. The Quintet's lost classic of down tempo and mood music, originally released on Federal, is now re-issued for the first time. This is the lounge vibe that beautifully crowned those sultry Jamaican nights. (Photograph taken at the Jippi Jappa Lounge with Madam Wasp.) Track Listing  Play 1. Obeah Wedding 2. Monday Monday 3. What A Difference A Day Makes 4. It Was A Very Good Year 5. El Cid 6. Take It Easy 7. On A Clear Day (You Can See Forever) 8. Love In The Cemetery 9. You'll Never Get To Heaven 10. Don't Make Me Over Cecil Lloyd - A Night In Jamaica With Cecil Lloyd CD : On Sale! Purchase LP : Sold Out Product Number: DSR LP 509 More Info First ever re-issue of 1965 Jamaican Latin-Calypso-Jazz album by the piano genius Cecil Lloyd, who led a 20-piece hotel band from the age of seventeen. In 1959, the maestro was asked to record an album for 20th Century Fox and he later released three albums on Studio One. Featuring a solid rhythm section with conga and percussion, A Night in Jamaica was produced by Ken Khouri for Federal's Kentone label. This enduring masterpiece still echoes across the beautiful Caribbean Sea. Track Listing  Play 1. Profile Cha Cha 2. Come Closer To Me 3. Mood For The Tropics 4. Be Mine Tonight 5. Ma Cha Cha 6. S'Wonderful 7. St. Thomas 8. Adios 9. Autumn Leaves 10. Ja Pachamsa 11. Frenesi 12. Rhumbina Leslie Butler - We've Only Just Begun CD : On Sale! Product Number: DSR CD 512 Purchase LP : Product Number: DSR LP 512 Purchase The Jamaican piano wizard, Leslie Butler presents a miraculous Jazz Funk album. Because of his superior talent and intense personality, one of the most ingenious pianists Leslie Butler had a lack of releases, however he was given an exceptional chance by the Federal Records to record this one of the most peculiar albums in the history of Jamaican music. This beautifully finished Jamaican Jazz Funk/Rare Groove album is mostly constructed with the traditional covers that all Jamaicans will know although with the wonderful arrangement, and very Jamaican, ensemble stripping aesthetics give the album a whole new character that can’t be heard elsewhere.This masterpiece should make it to the shelves of not only reggae fans but soul and jazz fans as well. Leslie always committed on making a serious piece of music - never liked to make either of Jamaican popular music or business-like commercial music. He had a strong belief of not letting others to control his talent. Therefore there were often conflicts between him and producers or he was not even given a chance to record anything at all. It’s a really sad story, but this unfortunate musician’s lifestyle can be heard on the recordings such as “Guitar In Ernest – Ernest Ranglin (DSR-LP / CD-501)” and “Reggae Rhapsody – Leslie Butler (DSR-FEDS12-001).” Perhaps with this album in addition, it might be all enough. Track Listing  Play 1. Witchita Lineman 2. Ever Constant Sea 3. We've Only Just Begun 4. Theme From "Love Story" 5. Anyone Who Had A Heart 6. Aquarius 7. Evil Ways 8. Shaft 9. Booty Butt 10. Funky Miracle The Maytals & Don Drummond - Coppa 7inch Vinyl : On Sale! More Info Freshly dug out uptempo Ska beats by Toots Hibbert and Don Drummond - apparently never been released before! Recorded in 1965 when Ska was at its peak, those are the typical Maytals uptempo beats with an unmissable Don D’s solo part on both. Taken directly from the great Daddy Ken Khouri’s master-tape which belongs to the Federal Studio. It’s quite a combination to pull both the Maytals and the Skatalites together, although what’s more remarkable is the fact they have been unreleased for the whole time. Track Listing  Play A side) Artist: The Maytals & Don Drummond Title: Coppa B side) Artist: The Maytals & Don Drummond Title: Come Along With Me Clive Wilson & The Skatalites - One Ska, One Ounce of Weed, One Beer 7inch Vinyl : On Sale! Purchase Based on the Rhythm and Blues classic, this is a super rare uptempo Ska cover and for all Ska Man and the DJ’s! Originally sung by Amos Milburn, in the 50’s this had been a sound system classic in Jamaica. There is nowhere else in the world but Jamaica could produce such a cover version and utterly convincing Drummond’s solo works nicely as a spice of this tune. Originally released on a blank label although it’s a super rare one to find - a proud copy to own and must have for all Ska Man. On the flip is a great vocal Ska yet the singer’s detail is completely unknown. *Recommended to pair this title with the instrumental version by Don Drummond on this very same series(DSR-FW7-04) Track Listing  Play A side) Artist: Clive Wilson & The Skatalites Title: One Ska, One Ounce of Weed, One Beer B side) Artist: Federal Singers Title: Love Is All I Have Federal Singers - My Love 7inch Vinyl : On Sale! Purchase Previously unreleased mysterious uptempo vocal sung by unknown female (or boy) singer! Typical but good female vocal style and the harmonica solo makes it even sweeter – not to miss for all Ska fans. Although we could be a little familiar to her voice, it is hard to define her name since there was no mention on the master-tape. Another mysterious vocal on the flip makes this 7” a generous double-sider. Track Listing  Play A side) Artist: Federal Singers Title: My Love B side) Artist: Federal Singers Title: What To Do Don Drummond & The Skatalites - One Beer, One Scotch, One Burbon(Take 1) 7inch Vinyl : On Sale! Purchase Previously unreleased rare instrumental Ska masterpieces based on Rhythm and Blues classic! These are the previously unreleased two instrumental cuts of the cheerful cover of Amos Milburn’s Jamaican sound system classic in the 50’s sung by Clive Wilson. Clearly great and with full of vibes, if your are a Ska Man there is no way to avoid these special tunes. *Recommended to pair this with the vocal version by Clive Wilson released on this very same series (DSR-FW7-02) Track Listing  Play A side) Artist: Don Drummond & The Skatalites Title: One Beer, One Scotch, One Burbon(Take 1) B side) Artist: Don Drummond & The Skatalites Title: One Beer, One Scotch, One Burbon(Take 2) Cavaliers - Blue Ska 7inch Vinyl : On Sale! Purchase Track Listing  Play A side) Artist: Cavaliers Title: Blue Ska B side) Artist: Cavaliers Title: I Man Cavaliers - Tribute To Ska 7inch Vinyl : On Sale! Purchase Track Listing  Play A side) Artist: Cavaliers Title: Tribute To Ska B side) Artist: Cavaliers Title: Dip Them Ernest Ranglin - Mod Mod Ranglin LP : On Sale! More Info 'Mod Mod Ranglin' is a fusion of Ska and Caribbean instrumentals by Ernest Ranglin recorded in 1966 while Ska was changing towards Rocksteady. Although Ernest Ranglin recorded 8 solo albums at Federal Records, 'Mod Mod Ranglin' was only the album with Ska instrumentals, interestingly. The album consists of classic Ska, Mento and Carribean songs of all times. From the start to the end, Ernie's guitar playing flutters like Caribbean breeze. An instrumental song entitled 'Felicia' is just for the Ska lovers. Track Listing  Play 1. La Bostella 2. Walk Away 3. More & More Amore 4. Blowing The Wind 5. Spanish Eyes 6. Archie 7. What Now My Love? 8. Lemon Tree 9. You Won't See Me 11. Born Free 12. Felicia 13. Somewhere My Love George Moxey, Ernest Ranglin - Plays Music For Dancing LP : On Sale! More Info George Moxey"King of the Ivories" the legendary pianist in the Caribbean The leading pianist of Jamaican dance music since the 1930s, this is the only jazz album he recorded in the 60s. George Moxey has made an effort in the making of Jamaican dance music since the 1930s, teaching local musicians and has been praised as “Uncle George”. Born in Nassau, the capital of Bahama, Moxey moved to Jamaica in the 1930s where he formed and led an 8-piece band since 1939. His band took a big part in developing the local ballrooms and radio stations, therefore by the 1950s, he was a vital musician in Kingston music scene. This is a lounge style Caribbean jazz by himself and the Ernest Ranglin trio. By the young Ranglin at the time, Moxey must have appeared like a giant although the trio’s performances beautifully support Moxey at all times. It would be hard not to pay attention to the combination of this piano and guitar geniuses, the whole album is mainly constructed with the traditional calypso and jazz standards, though it also contains solo piano and organ ballads as well. As Moxey used to play organs for churches, it’s interesting how you can hear bits and pieces of those influences in his music, however it may be difficult to separate the Churches and Bibles by the background of Jamaican music. After leaving Jamaica, he became an ambassador of the Caribbean music and by the 50s he already become a legend there. This sound is the zest of good ole’ days, daddy Ken Khouri's Federal Records and having it as a real background, Jamaican music develops into Ska, Reggae to modern Ragga. Everything has its own roots, so as the Jamaican music. Track Listing  Play 1. The Breeze And I 2. Medley (a) I Love You Truly (b) Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes 3. Medley (a) Mary's Lamb (b) Grandfather's Clock 4. C'est Magnifique 5. Sonata 6. Stardust Melody 7. I Love You Truly 8. Sol Tropical 9. Autumn Leaves 10. Medley (a) As Time Goes By (b) I Didn't Know What Time It Was 11. I Hear A Rhapsody Ernest Ranglin - Mr.Ernie Ranglin With Soul LP : On Sale! Purchase A very rare Rocksteady album by the Jamaican guitar virtuoso, Ernest Ranglin Unlike all the other musicians in those days, Ranglin was not allowed to go between studios to record and release music as he wished because he was an exclusive employee of the Federal records. Thus it’s really hard to find a Rocksteady record with his name on it. Although whenever he finds a spare time, he would go to Duke Reid’s studio and play the guitar and bass as a sideman, often playing sessions with Lynn Taitt. According to Ranglin himself, “I felt really comfortable being at Duke Reid’s studio”, though sadly there have not been a single release of his solo guitar tune which was recorded there. So here comes the album, it’s the rare Rocksteady instrumentals by the man himself. Some of the main features would be “Summertime”, “Flamingo” and “Hold Me Tight”, the wickedest selection of the moist Rocksteady that will certainly catch your heart. Other than that, it’s got an exotic intro and uptempo “Sling Shot”, relatively arranged towards pop direction “Don’t Sleep In the Subway” and some ballads to represent the Federal’s widely ranged style that won’t go off after a long time, exactly how this one of the biggest leading labels in Jamaica had thought of. This may not make Rude Boys in downtown growl, although it will clearly last eternally as Ranglin’s 60s best album to the future generations. Track Listing  Play 1. Hold Me Tight 2. Story Book Children 3. Don't Sleep In The Subway 4. She Wears My Ring 5. Am I That Easy To Forget? 6. This Is My Song 7. Summertime (Rock Steady) 8. Julie 9. Flamingo (Rock Steady) 10. Sling Shot Ernest Ranglin - Jazz Jamaica LP : On Sale! Purchase Recorded in 1964 at the Federal studio, this elegant yet unique previously unreleased album is said to be the origin of the Jamaican Mento meets 4 Beat Jazz. This brilliant album is one of the most important Jamaican Jazz recordings that Ernest Ranglin has ever made. Everything in this album starts with the traditional Caribbean Jazz classics and then develops into 4 Beat Jazz. Produced by Godfather of the Jamaican music, Ken Kouri, this album is nothing but deserves its title. You may want to add this next to the Guitar In Earnest [DSR-LP/CD-501] in your collection. Track Listing  Play 1. Sky Mongoose 2. Gimme Back Me Shilling 3. Solus Market 4. Water Come To Me Eye 5. Hold Him Joe 6. Emmanuel Road 7. Linstead Market 8. Make Him Tan De Burn 9. Iron Bar
	Privacy Policy Contact Us