On the occasion of this anniversary, the London-based reggae and dancehall label has decided to think big. It is participating fully in the Notting Hill Carnival, which takes place from August 27 to 29, and the music by its artists will be everywhere, starting with the release of a CD, on August 19. “Greensleeves Records has been providing the soundtrack to Notting Hill Carnival since 1977 and you’ll never fail to hear classics from our catalogue being played to a rapturous response from the Carnival faithful. So we’re releasing a special limited edition exclusive CD with HMV which features tunes like Wayne Wonder’s “No Letting Go” on Steven “Lenky” Marsden’s “Diwali” Riddim, Beenie Man’s “Who Am I” and Tony Matterhorn’s “Dutty Wine” are certified anthems and guaranteed crowd-pleasers with the Soundsystem floats & processions. Carnival is not just about Reggae & Dancehall, you can also hear certain sounds like Rampage & Sir Lloyd switching it up into Jungle & Dubstep, tunes like Coki’s remix of Mavado’s “Weh Dem A Do” & X Project’s (AKA Congo Natty) remix of the crucial classic from Barrington Levy “Under Mi Sensi” are sure to get a big forward!“, the record company explained.
In addition, this year, the label is sponsoring the legendary Channel One Soundsystem at the Notting Hill Carnival and on Sunday, August 28 at 4:00 pm, Mikey & Ras Kayleb will perform a selection of Greensleeves. Channel One will be located à Leamington Road Villas.
To celebrate the anniversary at the Notting Hill Carnival, the label said: “We paved the streets with reggae”. And to be in with a chance of winning a Greensleeves gift box, you must photograph yourself in front of the label’s billboard on Ladbroke Grove and send your photos to them via this link.
About Greensleeves Records
1977. Shepherd’s Bush, London. A record shop at 44 Uxbridge Road, selling Jamaican music, decides it’s time to release its own tracks. The mission is clear – to arm every DJ and reggae fan in the UK with the latest sounds from downtown Kingston, Jamaica.
And so, into a golden era of Reggae, Greensleeves Records was born – a label that soon became synonymous with all the latest Dancehall & Reggae hits from Jamaica, and the artists that made them. During the late 70s, 80s and 90s, Greensleeves took the crown as the number one British destination for both the sound of Jamaica, and for Caribbean-influenced black British music, creating a distinct reputation as a pioneer in Dancehall music and the Rub-A-Dub style. Just like Motown or Blue Note it defined a genre.
Many artists and prominent producers released on the label including Dr Alimantado, Augustus Pablo, Wailing Souls, Barrington Levy, Yellowman, Eek-A-Mouse, Gregory Isaacs, Dennis Brown, Freddie McGregor, Sister Nancy, Shabba Ranks, Shaggy, Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Mr Vegas, Red Rat, Elephant Man, Vybz Kartel, JC Lodge, Deborahe Glasgow, Henry ‘Junjo’ Lawes, Linval Thompson, King Jammy and Gussie Clarke.
