MIRAMAR – 17 North Parade is proud to present the most comprehensive collection to date from the legendary George Phang’s Powerhouse label. Taken straight from the studio archives, Selector’s Choice – Powerhouse Productions Volumes 1-4 feature both the rare and classic material that played a crucial role in the evolution of dancehall.
Organized by riddim, these must-have selections define the critical period between the heady days of roots reggae and the evolving originality of ‘80s dancehall. This classic collection was released October 7th, 2008.
New York Daily News’ Jared McCallister says, “VP Records’ 17 North Parade music label, dedicated to vintage reggae from the ’60s and ’70s, is living up to its goals with the release of music from producer George Phang – a pioneer in the evolution of dancehall.”
Entering the business in the early 1980s, before the advent of digital riddims, Phang was one of the first producers to unite instrumentalists possessing strong roots credentials – most notably the Riddim Twins, Sly & Robbie – with dancehall vocal pioneers. Mixing roots vibes with dancehall innovation, Phang set a tone for the 80s that reverberates powerfully to this day with Powerhouse hits still mashing up the dance as well as holding a permanent grasp on the collective memory of dancehall fans worldwide. Beginning with Half Pint’s dancehall classic, Greetings, and Barrington Levy’s Money Move, Phang continued to score hits with Frankie Paul’s Tidal Wave, Roll Call from Tenor Saw, Sugar Minot’s Buy Off The Bar and Galong Galong Galong from Yellowman, not to mention countless others. For the first time, Selector’s Choice – Powerhouse Productions Volumes 1-4 puts them all within easy reach.
The quality as well as the quantity of hits Powerhouse strung together between 1984 and 1989 underscore its legacy and critical place in reggae collections everywhere. The 160 tracks featured in this 8-disc compilation (and sold separately on four double-discs), including foundation riddims such as Final Mission, Answer and Lecturer, are a roadmap to Phang’s genius. For those curious about the changeover from roots reggae to dancehall, this unparalleled set of Powerhouse productions will undoubtedly help make the transition understandable. Specially packaged with new liner notes and photos, Selector’s Choice – Powerhouse Productions Volumes 1-4, is both a cool and deadly collector’s item and a comprehensive go-to resource for the casual music fan.
