Alley 61

Been here? Share your experience and help other music fans find this spot.

Channel One Studios — Maxfield Avenue, Kingston

29 Maxfield Avenue, West Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica

17.9976° N · -76.8134° W

Get Directions

What happened here?

Channel One Studios on Maxfield Avenue was established by Joseph 'Jo Jo' Hoo Kim and his brothers in the early 1970s, and quickly became one of the dominant forces in Jamaican music during the roots reggae era. The studio's in-house rhythm section, known as the Revolutionaries and anchored by drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare, developed the heavy, drum-forward 'rockers' style that defined late-1970s reggae production and influenced generations of producers worldwide.

Channel One produced landmark recordings for artists including Mighty Diamonds, Culture, Wailing Souls, and many others, and was a key proving ground for the deejay (toasting) tradition that would eventually evolve into dancehall. The studio's approach to rhythm tracks — tight, spare, and propulsive — made Maxfield Avenue a destination for serious musicians throughout the decade. Sly and Robbie went on to become perhaps the most recorded rhythm section in popular music history, carrying the Channel One sound to sessions across the globe.

The studio is no longer in commercial operation, and the Maxfield Avenue area remains a working-class Kingston neighbourhood. Little formal heritage infrastructure exists on site, but the address retains significant meaning for reggae historians and enthusiasts. Visiting independently is possible though the area warrants the usual caution advisable in any unfamiliar urban setting.

Plan your visit

No details provided for this visit.

Reviews

No reviews yet