REISSUE

VP Records’ 17 North Parade imprint has initiated a reissue series for 2025 to honor the legacy of Skengdon Records and its founder, Jamaican producer Kenneth “Skengdon” Black. Founded in 1985, the label made its mark with singles like Cocoa Tea’s We Are The World, Super Cat’s Vineyard Party, and Nicodemus’ Suzie Wong. By the next year, Skengdon had moved into full-length albums, releasing seminal works from Super Cat, Nicodemus, and later artists like Little John and Yami Bolo. In addition to producing records, Skengdon also owned Stereomars (also known as Sturmars Sound System), which was one of Jamaica’s most influential sound systems during that era.

Tenor Saw’s Wake The Town, which was originally released posthumously in 1989, kicks off the reissue series of Skengdon classics. Produced by Sugar Minott with Skengdon serving as executive producer, this album, mixed by Crucial Bunny, features some of Tenor Saw’s last recordings made in the SKD studio in Miami. Tenor Saw’s unmistakable vocal style is paired with the riddims of Roots Radics.