Sounds and Pressure Volume 3 (Pressure Sounds, 1997)

A worthy addition to this underrated series, Volume 3 continues Sounds and Pressure's tradition of finding examples of rock steady, roots, dub, and instrumentals that weren't necessarily the biggest hits back in the day, but that are no less stellar embodiments of the great sound of the golden age of Jamaican music.  Dubs and instrumentals rule this edition, with Skatalites keyboardist Jackie Mittoo contributing the keystone of this album, 1977's groovyfunkyjazzy "Disco Jack" -- as wicked an instrumental as you're liable to hear, ever.  A "version" of the tune closes the album, but it adds little and sounds basically the same as the original.  Another excellent instrumental comes courtesy of The Overnight Players (AKA The Revolutionaries, according to the liner notes); "Shaka The Great" features an acoustic guitar, saxophone, and regal horns suiting the king Shaka Zulu.  Another king, Tubby, scores with "King At the Controls," which has a sparse, hypnotic early dancehall vibe reminiscent of Don Carlos' "Lazer Beam" (It's actually a version of Ray I's "Weatherman Skank."), and "Purify Dub" is is an effective dub of Johnny Osbourne's classic "Purify Your Heart" (see Trojan Roots Box Set) that is credited to The Techniques, although it's more accurate to say that it was released on the Techniques label.  Of the 4 vocal tracks, only "Holy Mount Zion" by Gladstone Anderson (normally a keyboard player, but he holds his own here singing) rivals the quality of the dub/instrumental tunes, although Alton Ellis' cover of the Cornelius Brothers' R&B hit "Too Late to Turn Back Now" (also a minor hit for Maxi Priest and Tumpa Lion in 1993; see Strictly the Best Volume 12) is decent -- its version being included on Augustus Pablo's debut, This Is Augustus Pablo.  I would've preferred a little more material on Sounds and Pressure Volume 3 -- effectively there's only 9 songs -- but I suppose short and sweet is better than long and sour.