Studio 17: The Lost Reggae Tapes

Studio 17 was located above the record store ‘Randy’s’ in the heart of downtown Kingston, first established in the late 1950s. Both were generically referred to as ‘Randy’s’ - Randy, being the nickname of founder Vincent Chin. With its central location, Randy’s Studio 17 became the nerve centre of Jamaica’s music revolution that followed the country's independence from Great Britain on August 6, 1962. Shot in Jamaica, London, New York and Hamburg, the film follows Clive Chin, Vincent Chin’s son, as he retells his extraordinary story from his childhood memories of the studio, as a magical musical playground, through his work as a pioneering music producer and the impact of the political turmoil that later engulfed Jamaica and ultimately forced ‘Randy’s’ closure.

A treasure trove of rescued tapes revives the golden age of reggae and reveals the fascinating history behind one of Jamaica’s most legendary recording studios, Randy’s Studio 17.