British Council Logo UK Films Database
Project Detail

Studio 17: The Lost Reggae Tapes

Synopsis

The compelling story of the Chins, the Chinese Jamaican family behind “Studio 17” a legendary recording studio in downtown Kingston, Jamaica. Studio 17 was at the heart of the music revolution that began after Jamaican independence in 1962. In its prime, artists who recorded there included Bob Marley and the Wailers, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Peter Tosh, Gregory Isaacs, Dennis Brown, Alton Ellis, Carl Malcolm, Jimmy London and many more. But dramatically, during the political turmoil of the late 1970s the Chin family fled to New York and the studio was abandoned. 40 years on, a treasure trove of original studio tapes has been salvaged - revealing unique and stunning recordings from the ‘golden age’ of reggae, many of which were unreleased and have never been heard before. As the tapes are played they give rise to a myriad of wonderful stories and in a highly poignant conclusion, the teenage voice of the late Dennis Brown is beautifully re-recorded with the vocals of a rising teenage star, Holly Stevenson, all magically orchestrated by producer and one time Eurythmics star, Dave Stewart.
Visit Film Website

Details

Year
2019
Type of project
Features
Running time
86 min
Format
Digital
Director
Mark James
Producer
Mark James, Reshma B
Executive Producer
Waël Kabbani
Editor
Paul Burgess
Screenwriter
Commentary by Mark James
Director of Photography
Chris Morphet
Sound
Adrian Rhodes, Warner De Lane Lea
Composer
Songs by Lord Creator, Jimmy Cliff, Dennis Brown, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Augustus Pablo, Peter Tosh, Ken Boothe, Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson and many more.
Narrated by
Levi Roots. Featuring interviews with: Jimmy Cliff, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Dave Stewart, Sly Dunbar, Ali Campbell, Earnest Ranglin, Lord Creator, Bunny Lee, King Jammy, Jimmy London, Lester Sterling, Rico Rodriguez, Clive Chin, Pat Chin, Maxi Priest
Image
©Ted Bafaloukos

Genre

Music Dance

Categories

Documentary

Production Status

Complete

Production Company

Widestream Films Ltd

37 Warren Street
London
W1T 6A

Deborah Sheppard

Page updates

This page was last updated on 12th May 2025. Please let us know if we need to make any amendments or request edit access by clicking below.

Suggest amendments

See also

You may also be interested in other relevant projects in the database.

Animal Instinct Animal Instinct

Director: Mark James

Year: 2002

Darkly comic digital short about two women who are desperate to have a baby. They arrange to meet a man at a seedy industrial estate in the hope that he will make one of them pregnant.

Comedy Drama
Mr. Nobody Against Putin Mr. Nobody Against Putin

Director: David Borenstein (director), Pavel Talankin (co-director)

Year: 2025

A Russian teacher secretly documents his small town school's transformation into a war recruitment center during the Ukraine invasion, revealing the ethical dilemmas educators face amid propaganda and militarization. Official Selection Sundance Film Festival 2025 - World premiere Official Selection CPH DOX 2025 Official Selection Sheffield DocFest 2025 BAFTA Awards 2026 - Winner - Best Documentary Academy Awards 2026 - Winner - Best Documentary Feature

History Human Rights War
A Few Moments of Happiness (Quelques instants de bonheur) A Few Moments of Happiness (Quelques instants de bonheur)

Director: Shaden Safieddine Tazi

Year: 2026

A young Lebanese filmmaker in Paris watches Lebanon's war unfold on her phone from bed. In a state of paralysis, barely able to get out of bed, she calls her father everyday and begins recording her digital life. Using screen recordings, family voices, and silences, the film intimately portrays a generation witnessing their homeland's destruction remotely. Official Selection Venice International Film Festival 2026 - World premiere