Soul Jazz Records is a British record label based in London.[1] Outside of releasing records, the label also publishes books, occasionally films and performs as a DJ set.[1] The music releases labels from a variety of genres, including reggae, house, hip hop, punk rock, jazz, funk, bossa nova and soul.[2]
History
Soul Jazz Records was founded by Stuart Baker in 1991.[3][4][5] Baker purchased his first record at the age of 10 and prior to starting the label, had his roots selling records at a secondhand record vinyl stall in the Camden Market in the late 1980s.[3][6]
The label initially worked doing straight reissues of old albums before releasing Nu Yorica!, a double album of classic salsa and Latin funk from the 1970s.[4] Peter Reilly spoke on the labels behalf that Nu Yorica was their first "really successful record" form Soul Jazz noting that "it was more of a kind of cult thing up until then. It opened it up to a lot of people." and that the album sold specifically well in New York.[4]
The reggae releases were praised by important people of the genre, such as Chris Blackwell of Island records who called the It's Dynamite! compilations as the "university of reggae."[3]Radio 1's Gilles Peterson commented that "Soul Jazz put out the best compilations. They've consistently done it, from the Studio One stuff to the free jazz stuff to the acid house compilations. As a reissue label, they're the best."[3]Grant Marshall of Massive Attack stated that one thing he wanted to do when entering the music business was to release Studio One records in England and tried to deal with the Coxsone Dodd of Studio One.[3] Baker managed to talk to Dodd to let him have access to their archives after Dodd had put out rare jazz compilations.[3] Dodd died in 2004 leading to the labels relationship to continue via his daughter Carol and his wife Norma Dodd, who died in 2010.[2] These deaths briefly led to breaks in releasing Studio One related material.[2]
The booklets of Soul Jazz Records album are often written by Baker himself, with Baker explaining that he likes to describe the relationships between music and society, the connections between genres, and the history of the music industry.[7]
Soul Jazz has released album through sublabels. These include Universal Sound, which was described by the Soul Jazz website as both a sister label and a subsidiary label.[5][8] Soul Jazz described Universal Sound as containing "releases that are slightly more specialist. Mainly artist releases rather than compilations they often follow on from an earlier Soul Jazz Release. Many of these releases come with extensive sleeve notes and original photos."[8] Another was Satellite Records, which was a label home to bands such as Add N to X, Sand, Bell, and Yossarian.[9]
SJR406 Studio One Records Dub Plate Special Box Set
SJR407 Congo Revolution: African Latin, Jazz And Funk Sounds From The Two Congos (1957–73)
SJR408 Punk 45: Approaching The Minimal With Spray Guns
SJR409 Deutsche Elektronische Musik (2018 Edition Reissue)
SJR411 Boombox 3: Early Independent Hip Hop, Electro, And Disco Rap 1979–83
SJR414 Black Man's Pride 2 (Righteous Are The Sons And Daughters Of Jah)
SJR415 Studio One Freedom Sounds (Studio One In The 1960s)
SJR419 Venezuela 70 Volume 2 (Cosmic Visions Of A Latin American Earth: Venezuelan Experimental Rock In The 1970's & Beyond)
SJR421 Black Man's Pride 3 (None Shall Escape The Judgement Of The Almighty)
SJR422 Studio One Lovers Rock
SJR423 Soul Of A Nation 2 (Jazz Is The Teacher Funk Is The Preacher: Afro-Centric Jazz, Street Funk And The Roots Of Rap In The Black Power Era 1969–75)
SJR424 Black Man's Pride 2
SJR428 Brazil USA 70 (Brazilian Music In The USA In The 1970s)
SJR437 Congo Revolution (Revolutionary And Evolutionary Sounds From The Two Congos 1955–62)
SJR438 Studio One Showcase 45
SJR439 Boombox 45 (Early Independent Hip Hop, Electro And Disco Rap 1979–82)
SJR440 APALA: Apala Groups In Nigeria 1967–70
SJR443 Style & Fashion (A-Class Top Notch Hi Fi Sounds In Fine Style)
SJR445 Studio One DJ Party
SJR446 Nigeria Soul Power 70 (Afro-Funk ★ Afro-Rock ★ Afro-Disco)
SJR449 Space Funk (Afro Futurist Electro Funk In Space 1976–84)
SJR450 Studio One 007 – Licensed To Ska
SJR452 Black Riot (Early Jungle, Rave And Hardcore)
SJR454 Brazil Funk Power
SJR455 Kaleidoscope (New Spirits Known & Unknown)
SJR461 Cuba Music And Revolution Experiments In Latin Music 1975–85 Vol.1
