sickness

Nappy New Year to all our supporters in 2007 on this blog here! Unfortunately, 1/2 of the ICOOYS team has been really sick with stomach flu and sinus infections and all types of ill sh*t - but the main soul brother AMP has been holding it down. So my apologies for not replying to comments or posting anything new on my own - but big up to my bro AMP for keeping things interesting. Much appreciated brotha. Love ya!

Myself (XMP) is taking a short hiatus from the internets altogether to get his mind and body right before coming back in full force for 2008. So thanks to everyone who supported us, and continues to support us into the new year - and have a safe and happy NYE tonight!!!


XMP

Dennis Brown Presents Prince Jammy - Umoja / 20th Century DEBwise

Dennis Brown Presents Prince Jammy - Umoja / 20th Century DEBwise
Label: Blood And Fire
Record date: 1978
Album style: Dub, Lee Library, Reggae, Roots

Since the release of the first album "If Deejay Was Your Trade" in 1994 UK-based Blood & Fire Records have established themselves a name as one of the best re-issue labels around. The Blood and Fire Crew rightfully deserves its fame as it pleases reggae fans all over the world with releases of mainly hard-to-get gems from the past presented with the best sound quality possible, excellent artwork and great sleeve notes. This release, based on the two overlooked dub albums "Umoja Love & Unity" and "20th Century DEB-wise" celebrate the meeting at King Tubby's studio of the late Dennis Brown - in his role as producer as well as vocalist - and legendary mixing engineer Prince Jammy.

Jammy shows his touch first on the Lennox Brown recut of the Soul Vendors' 1968 Studio One classic "Frozen Soul", here entitled "Cool Runnings", the beautiful "Sounds Almighty" with hardly audible vocalsnatches in the background, over the cowbells ornamenting the horns blowing over the heavy bass riddim. "Umoja" once again very heavily features the horn section Dennis Brown used as a producer for these two 1978 albums of Cedric 'Im' Brooks, Lennox Brown and Delroy Hines over a stripped down version of another Soul Vendor's Studio One gem, the 'Swing Easy'-riddim. "Guidance" is a dub with an almost Augustus Pablo-like grace, and is followed by a dub of Dennis' own immensely popular "The Half", here called "The Truth". "Cry Of The Destitute", the version of Dennis' own "Troubled World": "Mercy For The Needy", "Something Special" and the version of the three years before this dub album recorded "Children Of Israel", now called "Sons Of Dust" all keep you in this aural trip provided by the combination of Dennis Brown's tight produced riddims and Jammy's subtle dubbing of them, preceding my favorite dub of the album "Structure" with its superb bassline, and an even more shining role for the horns than in the other tracks.

Unbelievable that the "Umoja" album on initial release sold so poorly that it was never repressed. The second album included on this CD "20th Century DEB-wise" did much better commercially, although released only a couple of months later. The dubs on these second set of 10 tunes seemed to be even further stripped down, with a less prominent role for the horn section that was also featured on the original recordings of these mainly for Junior Delgado and Tamlins tunes used riddims. In my opinion tunes like "Cop's Spy", "Ting A Ling Style" and especially "Great Man Called Kenyatta" are the closest Jammy's ever stayed to this teacher King Tubby's style. And while "Thunder" stays in that same vein, "Dancing In The Streets" is approached much more to maintain a dancegroove both in Dennis' riddim production and Jammy's in-sync mixing, while "Riot In The Streets" with its bluesy guitar on top is another gem. "Open The Gate Of Rhodesia" is a superb melodic dub of Junior Delgado's 1978 "I've Got A Feeling" with full length vocal snatches in the mix, and although the vocals disappear for "Robbery In The City", "Murder" and "Ragga Muffin Style", the same mixing and dubbing approach is used by Prince Jammy for these tracks. Another classic finishes this release, the "General Version" of Dennis' own great "(Don't) Want To Be General" as it appeared on the DEB 45RPM in 1979. A brilliant tune in a brilliant Jammy's DEB-wise version to finish this must have dub collection. ~reggae-vibes.com

Tracklist:
1. Cool Runnings
2. Sounds Almighty
3. Umoja
4. Guidance
5. The Truth
6. Cry Of The Destitute
7. Mercy For The Needy
8. Something Special
9. Sons Of Dust
10. Structure
11. Cop's Spy
12. Ting A Ling Style
13. Great Man Called Kenyatta
14. Thunder
15. Dancing In The Streets
16. Riot In The Streets
17. Open The Gate Of Rhodesia
18. Robbery In The City
19. Murder
20. Raggamuffin Style
21. General Version

Producer: Dennis Brown
Mixing Engineer: Prince Jammy
Drums: Norman Grant, Sly Dunbar
Bass: Lloyd Parks, Robbie Shakespeare
Guitar: Bo Peep, Bingy Bunny, Chinna, Dennis Brown
Keyboards: Ansel Collins, Franklyn Bubbler Waul, Winston Wright
Piano: Tarzan, Winston Wright, Ernest Wilson
Organ: Ansel Collins
Horns: Cedric Im Brooks, Lennox Brown, Delroy Hines
Percussions: Sticky, Flick Wilson, Junior Delgado

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Niney The Observer Presents King Tubby - Bring The Dub Come

Niney The Observer Presents King Tubby - Bring The Dub Come
Label: Heartbeat
Record date: 197X
Album style: Dub, Lee Library, Reggae, Roots, Tubby

Around 1969 Kingston-based producers started to issue singles with instrumental "versions" on the flipside of vocal releases, which were actually the basic riddim tracks. To these "versions" one could add further instrumentation or deejay accompaniment. Within a year the inclusion of instrumental versions on the flipside was common practice among the majority of Jamaica's producers. In 1971 the first real Dub recordings began to appear, with The Hippy Boys' "Voo Doo" - the version to Little Roy's "Hard Fighter", which was mixed by Lynford Anderson a.k.a. Andy Capp - now widely acknowledged to be the first recording in the genre. But it was pioneering sound engineer and sound system operator Osbourne Ruddock aka King Tubby who did more than any other to popularize and develop the sound. He explored the possibilities of sound from his small studio, located at the back of his home, at 18 Drumilly Avenue, Kingston 11 and became the leading figure in the history of dub.

On the February 6, 1989, King Tubby returned home from a night out and was shot dead in cold blood. The senseless slaying of this mild, shy and widely loved man sent the reggae community into shock. As the news filtered out from Jamaica, communities across the whole world mourned his passing. In the UK, renowned dj David Rodigan immediately put together a tribute to Tubby. During the show he talked to King Jammy via a live link. Jammy, choking back tears at the death of his friend, sent out the following message to the killer : "You can run, but you can't hide". It was one of the most poignant moments in UK broadcasting history.

Winston Holness, a man known throughout the reggae world as Niney The Observer who has made his mark as a performer of some note is perhaps more widely acknowledged for his skills as an engineer and producer. He started his career in the sixties when he studied the art of engineering under the expert tuteledge of Lee Perry and Lynford Anderson (aka Andy Capp). He later supervised numerous sessions for illustrious producers such as Bunny Lee and Joe Gibbs prior to launching his career as an independent producer at the end of the decade. The single 'Blood And Fire' was his first major breakthrough issued on his Observer label. The single sold over 30,000 copies on the island alone and was later named 'Jamaican record of the Year' for 1971.

Over the next years Niney regularly supervised recording sessions at Dynamic, Randy's, Channel One and Joe Gibbs studios, releasing excellent sides by artists such as Max Romeo, Delroy Wilson and Ken Boothe. However, his most enduring productions during that period were those he did with Dennis Brown. During the seventies and early eighties, Niney was one of the top producers on the island.

From the vaults of his Observer label come these 22 (!) top ranking dubs, mixed by the dubmaster King Tubby, with most tracks previously unreleased. Tracks 3 to 12 were the bulk of a lost album's worth of dubs that were found at King Tubby's and are here released for the first time. The other tracks are taken from various tapes of album tracks, rare B-sides and unreleased dub mixes from the vaults of the label. Included are dub mixes of Observer label hits by Dennis Brown, Michael Rose, Horace Andy, Delroy Wilson and Big Youth.

Musicians include the Soul Syndicate band and The Cimarons on Tribulation Dub. All songs were recorded at Randy's Studio and remixed by the dubmaster King Tubby. As all Heartbeat releases, the CD comes with comprehensive linernotes including explanations for the original versions and artists. ~reggae-vibes.com

Tracklist:
1. The Bold Dub
2. Niney Skank
3. Kutchie Dub
4. 91 Orange Street
5. Kingston 11
6. Idlers Rest
7. Dub Seven
8. I Need A Dub
9. Dub A Word
10. Dromilly Skank
11. Freedom Dub
12. King Tubbys Dub
13. Rebel Dance
14. Cassanova Dub
15. Rasta Locks
16. Turntable Dub
17. Rema Dub
18. Nice Dub
19. Nice Version
20. Dub 68
21. Tribulation Dub
22. Burn A Challawa

Producer: Niney
Mixing Engineer: King Tubby
Backing Bands: The Cimarons, The Soul Syndicate
Studios: Randy's (Kingston, JA)

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Niney The Observer - Sledgehammer Dub (in the Streets of Jamaica)

Niney The Observer - Sledgehammer Dub (in the Streets of Jamaica)
Label: Motion
Record date: 1977
Album style: Dub, Lee Library, Reggae, Roots

This classic dub album was originally released (only in Jamaica) in 77 in very limited numbers (300) on the Observer label and has up to now been one of the holy grails for collectors of dub reggae. It compiled alternative mixes of Dennis Brown single B sides (from 75/76) that King Tubby had made as exclusive dubplates for his Home Town Hi-Fi sound system. Heavier than the original single B sides they combine to make up an awesome dub album. The bonus tracks all maintain the Dennis Brown link, three of them being B side dubs of Dennis Brown songs, the fourth (CD only) is an exclusive, taken from dubplate. David Katz extensive sleevenotes (12 page booklet) include an exclusive interview with Niney and detail his life and times in more depth than any previous Niney release.

NINEY QUOTES (from interview for sleevenotes 2002):
'Tubbys is the one that mix Sledgehammer,' says Niney, 'hear how Sledgehammer mix: when we make the tracks, and Dennis voice them, King Tubbys mix off a set for his sound system; he skim the tape, do some things and reverb up, so that it don't sound like what you have on your tape, and he play that for the sound, but he don't throw away the tape. Gradually, when you tell him "Hey Tubbs, me want something," he go back and mix something similar to what he have on the sound for you; when me and him 'round there, he will mix two cut, one for the sound and one for you, so that is really how I get Sledgehammer.' Niney notes that King Tubby was responsible for breaking most of this hit material. 'When we make a song, we take it to him, and when he mix off the song, he keep that cut for his sound system, and then he make different cuts, and sell dubs to other sounds; he promoted the song so that when the song come to street, it hit. Tubbys was Jamaica's dancehall radio station: wherever he play the sound, people talk about what Tubbys play the next morning, so that be a demand on the street; we would give Tubby a song, and he play it like two or three months, and whenever the song reach demands, we release it. We go to him and he says "Don't release it yet, release it two weeks time," and then he makes U Roy boost that song, and then people come to the shop, asking "Do you have this song?" The word go 'round, so when it release, it's a hit.' ~motionrecords.com

Tracklist:
1. Dub Long Rastafari
2. Travelling Version
3. You're No Dub Baby
4. Burning Dub
5. Kingsgate Version
6. Dub Now
7. God Bless My Dub
8. Everyones Dubbing
9. Rich And Poor Dub
10. Tribulation Version
11. Head Line
12. New Style
13. Dub 51
14. Tenement Yard Version

Producer: Niney
Engineers: Sid Bucknor, King Tubby, Errol Thompson, Phillip Smart
Backing Band: The Soul Syndicate
Studios: Chalk Farm (London, UK) & Randy's (Kingston, JA)


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Augustus Pablo

Born 1954, St. Andrew, Jamaica, Horace Swaby aka Augustus Pablo, often in ill health, not only was responsible for putting the melodica on the musical map, but he also played a key role in the musical history of Jamaica. In his role as musician and producer he has helped to shape reggae so much that his music can easily be described as 'the sound of the Seventies'.

The legend began in 1969 when a youthful Horace Swaby was standing in Herman Chin-Loy's 'Aquarius' record shop at 9 Constant Spring Road in Kingston, holding a melodica that had been lent to him by a young girl. The instrument was used in Jamaica in school music lessons but had never before been taken seriously by professional musicians. Herman Chin-Loy, who had a much-deserved reputation for experimenting with new sounds, asked the slightly-built teenager if he could play it and was so taken with the musical response that he booked recording time that same week at Randy's Studio 17 on North Parade in the heart of downtown Kingston. With a tune entitled "Iggy Iggy" Herman Chin-Loy gave the youth his recording debut and more significantly, a new name - AUGUSTUS PABLO - which was not strictly new itself as for the past few months Aquarius record labels had sporadically appeared bearing the credit Augustus Pablo.

Herman Chin-Loy had coined the name to add a measure of mystic to the identity of keyboard players. These recordings actually feature Lloyd Charmers or the Upsetters' organist Glen Adams. The seeds of what was to become the minor-key dominated "Far East" sound of the future Augustus Pablo/Rockers team were sown. The follow-up was another instrumental - the first cut of "East Of River Nile" - with Pablo alternating rudimentary but spooky solos on melodica and organ over a jagged riddim. At the age of eighteen Augustus Pablo had his first hit at Randy's for Clive Chin's 'Impact' imprint with "Java" and he soon established himself through his releases on his own "Hot Stuff" and legendary 'Rockers' label (so named because the records were promoted on his brother Garth's fledging Rockers Sound-system). Following the release of "Skanking Easy" - an update of the Studio One Soul Vendors' classic "Swing Easy" - Augustus Pablo was soon a leading light in the upcoming band of "rebel" artists and independent producers such as Lee "Scratch" Perry, Winston "Niney" Holness and Glen Brown who were to radically and irreversibly re-define the parameters of reggae music.

Augustus Pablo was constantly setting new standards, searching for new ideas. His productions, distinctive as they already were by his "Far Eastern" style of playing, became as individual by their arrangements as, say, Coxsone's or Upsetter's were by theirs. The way in which the riddims were mixed was also important to Pablo. In common with Vivian Jackson, Lee Perry, Bunny Lee and several others he employed King Tubby to mix his productions. King Tubby's studio has always made its own highly innovative mark on Pablo's music. It actually led to the release of an album that confirmed and spread both men's reputation : the 1976 released dub set "King Tubby Meets The Rockers Uptown".

Something else that Augustus Pablo had in his favour was an uncanny knack for picking on unlikely or unknown vocalists to sing or toast over his riddims, not only providing the public with good music but also the chance to hear what these people could do given the opportunity. Perhaps the most successful example of this is Jacob Miller, who under the influence of Pablo gave the reggae massive "Keep On Knocking", Each One Teach One" and "Who Say Jah No Dread". Dillinger is another artist whom Pablo captured at his best and Hugh Mundell and Tetrack - his most exciting discoveries to date - are now held in the highest esteem by reggae consumers. Other singers such as the Heptones, Locksley Castell, Ricky Grant, Delroy Williams and Norris Reid have also met with some fame on Pablo's unique riddims.

The singers with whom Augustus Pablo had his most fruitful associations were Junior Delgado and Hugh Mundell. The latter was extremely young, barely in his teens, when he recorded for Pablo. His debut album "Africa Must Be Free By 1983" became a classic roots set and said much about the commitment that Pablo, as a producer, could inspire in even the most youthful of singers. Though Augustus Pablo's most consistent and creative period was over by the end of the Seventies, strong records have still continued to appear on "Rockers" and the newer "Message" label. The roughhouse spirit of the last two decades might not seem conducive to Pablo's laid-back approach, but he's issued good music by Junior Delgado, as well as Bunny Brissett, Yami Bolo, Spliffy Dan, cultural chatter Blacker T. and Johnny Osbourne. Regarding his own outings during this period, Pablo has not always been able to keep up the standard of his best work. However, just when the reggae cognoscenti were writing Pablo off, his reputation was restored with the 1990 released "Blowing In The Wind".

Augustus Pablo will be remembered as the somewhat frail-looking Rastaman, who made an amazing contribution to roots reggae both as a melodica/keyboards player and as a producer with an immediately recognizable style. In the hearts of his many worldwide fans he definitely will live on as "Augustus Pablo - The Original Rocker". ~reggae-vibes.com

Augustus Pablo - King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown (Deluxe Edition)

Augustus Pablo - King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown (Deluxe Edition)
Label: Shanachie
Record date: 1972-75
Album style: Dub, Lee Library, Reggae, Rockers, Roots, Tubby
Notes: A true classic. Bonus tracks 13-16.

If you had to pick just one album to represent dub "King Tubby Meets The Rockers Uptown" is the disc. The title really says it all: the collaboration between the premier engineer and the top roots producer of the mid-’70s resulted in definitive King Tubby interpretations of some of Pablo’s deepest rhythms. It also demonstrated conclusively that a studio engineer could be considered as creative as the singers, musicians and visionary producer who made the music. A dub is essentially a remix In the hands of an engineer as good as King Tubby (1941 – 1989) it became an artform, and an incredibly popular one.

For this ground-breaking disc, Pablo assembled a brilliant cast: the Upsetters/Wailers drum and bass duo of Aston "Family Man" Barrett and brother Carlton, guitarist Earl "Chinna" Smith, horns-men Richard "Dirty Harry" Hall, Bobby Ellis, Vin Gordon and bassist Robbie Shakespeare. All sessions were recorded by the engineer Errol "ET" Thompson at Randy’s Studio on North Parade. Pablo then took the tapes to King Tubby for mixing. He initially released instrumental, deejay and vocal cuts as 7-inch 45s on his Hot Stuff, Rockers and Pablo International labels, between 1972 and 75, but as the vogue for dub albums exploded in 1976, Pablo compiled twelve of his b-side dubs to make this set.

The centrepiece of the album is "King Tubby Meets The Rockers Uptown", a killer dub version of Jacob Miller’s vocal "Baby I Love You So" which almost single-handedly defined dub for a non-Jamaican audience when it was released as a single by Island Records (UK) in 1975; it also appeared on the company’s massive-selling "This Is Reggae Music" sampler.

Using his custom sliders, Tubby eases Miller’s voice in and out of the mix, adding stabs of guitar and melodica. Carlton Barrett’s explosive snare fills further serve to punctuate the elastic rhythm, which was first cut for producer Herman Chin Loy’s 1973 album Aquarius Dub. Similarly, "Frozen Dub" propelled the Heptones on a recut of their Studio One classic "Love Won’t Come Easy". Hopefully someone, some day, will undertake to present this crucial set in all its glory, with alternate mixes. ~elrockers.org

Tracklist:
1. Keep On Dubbing
2. Stop Them Jah
3. Young Generation Dub
4. Each One Dub
5. 555 Dub St.
6. Brace's Tower Dub
7. King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown
8. Brace's Tower Dub No. 2
9. Corner Crew Dub
10. Skanking Dub
11. Frozen Dub
12. Satta Dub
13. Black Gunn*
14. I Ruthland Close*
15. 1-2-3 Version*
16. Silent Satta*

Producer: Augustus Pablo
Mixing Engineer: King Tubby & Errol Thompson
Drums: Carlton Barrett
Bass: Robbie Shakespeare & Aston Barrett
Guitar: Chinna
Organ: Augustus Pablo
Piano: Augustus Pablo
Tenor Saxophone: Dirty Harry
Trumpet: Bobby Ellis
Trombone: Vin Gordon
Clavinet: Augustus Pablo
Mixing studio: King Tubby's (Kingston, JA)
Recording studio: Randy's (Kingston, JA)

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Augustus Pablo - Rockers Story

Augustus Pablo - Rockers Story
Label: RAS
Record date: 1974-87
Album style: Dub, Lee Library, Reggae, Rockers, Roots

Rockers Story is the fifth collection of Pablo's extended family of recordings and artists. Like many successful Jamaican Reggae stars, his talent, production skills and certainly finances have provided opportunities for a whole new generation of young singers and musicians. This record showcases some unknowns, lesser­-knowns and recently established stars in their own right. The late Hugh Mundell, who was bearly into his teens when he penned the chillingly prophetic (in terms of his own short stay on the planet) hymn is included herein.

DJ's who toast in a style closer to U Roy than to the dance hall trend of the 80's such as Dillenger, Ras Bull and the mysterious Prince lrey (sounding almost too much like Mundell) complement the singers Delroy Williams and Barry Reid. Tetrack, whose principal writer, Carlton Hines, has become one of the most prolific song writers in reggae today, began under Pablo's tutelage. Two of the trio's songs which do not appear on previous albums are included here. The Lennon/McCartney chestnut World Without Love is given the Rockers treatment here as well. It is very common for pop tunes to be redone with a reggae beat in Jamaica just as all aver the world. However this ditty bears the patented murky bass, slashing riddim guitar and crisp drumming that raises it out of the piano bar repertoire.

The Rockers label was named far Pablo's late brother Douglas Swaby's sound system which mashed up the island in the early 70's. It had became a training ground far musicians, a source of new and innovative rhythms and a vehicle for praises for the Most High. Together with his brother Garth, Pablo also kept a record store going an Orange Street in Kingston - Rockers International - and ran his own publishing company. ~elrockers.org

Tracklist:
1. Augustus Pablo - 555 Crown Street
2. Dillinger - Take It Easy
3. Ras Bull - Guide I Jah
4. The Rockers All Stars - Zambian Step
5. Delroy Williams - Think Twice
6. Tetrack - I'm Not Satisfied
7. Augustus Pablo - Power Of The Trinity
8. The Immortals - World Without Love
9. Prince Irey - Freedom Of Speech
10. Barry Reid - The System
11. Augustus Pablo - Struggle In Soweto
12. Tetrack - Pure Worries
13. Hugh Mundell - Africa Must Be Free

Producer: Augustus Pablo
Organ, Clavinet, Piano: Augustus Pablo
Bass: Aston "Family Man" Barrett
Drums: Carlton "Carlie" Barrett
Guitar: Earl "Chinna" Smith
Saxophone: Richard "Dirty Harry" Hall
Trumpet: Bobby Ellis

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Augustus Pablo - East Of The River Nile (25th Anniversary Edition) (re-post)

Augustus Pablo - East Of The River Nile (25th Anniversary Edition)
Label: Shanachie
Record date: 1977
Album style: Dub, Instrumentals, Lee Library, Reggae, Rockers, Roots
Notes: This is a re-post (click to view PMX's excellent original write-up), except that this is actually the special 25th anniversary edition of East Of The River Nile which includes 6 rare bonus tracks, including the never-before-on-CD original version of the title track, dubs of key album tracks and two other rare singles.

East Of The River Nile... I consider this to be the perfect introduction to Augustus Pablo. I first heard this album in 1979 and had to keep playing it over and over again. It's moody, it's tense, it's smooth and heavy. Just like its creator. The last time I worked with Pablo was in 1998. My last memory of Pablo was being in Ariwa studios with smoke so thick that we could not see the desk! This is not an instrumental album. this is not a dub album. This is something else, I am not sure what it was ahead of Its time In '79 and still sounds brilliant in 2002. Totally hypnotic! ~Neil Fraser [aka The Mad Professor]

Tracklist:
1. Chant to King Selassie I
2. Natural Way
3. Nature Dub
4. Upfull Living
5. Unfinished Melody
6. Jah Light
7. Memories of the Ghetto
8. Africa (1983)
9. East of the River Nile
10. Sounds from Levi
11. Chapter 2
12. Addis-A-Baba
13. East Africa*
14. East of the River Nile (original)*
15. Memories of the Ghetto Dub*
16. Jah Light Version*
17. Islington Rock*
18. Meditation Dub*

Producer: Augustus Pablo
Engineers: Ernest Hookim , Errol Thompson , Lee Perry , Prince Jammy , Sylvan Morris
Bass: Aston "Family Man" Barrett , Bagga , Clayton Downie , Robbie Shakespeare
Drums: Carlton Barrett , Max Edwards , Noel "Alfonso" Benbow
Guitar: Earl "Chinna" Smith
Melodica, Clavinet, Piano, Organ, Strings: Augustus Pablo
Percussion: Everton DaSilva
Studios: Harry J's, Channel One, King Tubby's, Black Ark
Give thanks to Jah-Malla band for playing on "Chant To King Selassie I" and "Natural Way"

Rastafari Iration: Give Thanks to King Selassie I for His Inspiration.

Psalm 150:
1. Praise ye, the Lord, Praise God in his Sanctuary, praise him in the firmament
2. Praise him for his mighty acts; praise him according to his excellent greatness
3. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet; praise him with the psaltery and harp
4. Praise him with the timbrel and dance; praise him with stringed instruments and organs
5. Praise him upon the loud cymbals; praise him upon the high-sounding cymbals
6. Let every thing that breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.

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Augustus Pablo - Rockers Meets King Tubby In A Fire House (Re-Issue w/ Bonus Tracks) (re-post)

Augustus Pablo - Rockers Meets King Tubby In A Fire House (Re-Issue w/ Bonus Tracks)
Label: Shanachie
Record date: 1980
Album style: Dub, Lee Library, Reggae, Rockers, Roots, Tubby
Notes: This is a re-post (click to view PMX's excellent original write-up), except that this is actually the CD reissue w/ bonus tracks 10-13.

Tracklist:
1. Rockers Meet King Tubbys Inna Fire House
2. Short Man Dub
3. Zion Is A Home
4. Dub In Matthew's Lane Arena
5. Jah Say Dub
6. Son Of Jah Dub
7. Simeon Tradition
8. Selassie I Dub
9. Jah Mouly Ital Sip
10. Son Of Man Dub*
11. Rasta To The Hills*
12. Twin Seal Dub*
13. House Of Dub Version*

Producer: Augustus Pablo
Engineer: Augustus Pablo, Prince Jammy, King Tubby
Drums: Albert Malawi, Leroy Horsemouth Wallace, Mikey Boo Richards
Bass: Junior Dan, Michael Taylor, Robbie Shakespeare & Bugsy
Rhythm Guitar: Cleon, Fazal Prendergast
Lead Guitar: Chinna, Dalton Brownie
Organ: Augustus Pablo
Piano: Augustus Pablo
Horns: Deadly Headly
Melodica: Augustus Pablo
Percussions: Teo Benjamin, Sticky, Jah Levi
Strings: Augustus Pablo
Studio: King Tubby's (Kingston, JA)

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The Congos - Heart Of The Congos

The Congos - Heart Of The Congos
Label: Blood And Fire, 1996
Record date: 1977
Album style: Black Art, Dub, Lee Library, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Roots, Reggae, Vocals

No reggae album more obscure than the Congos' Heart of the Congos is as rich, and no richer album is as obscure. The Congos were just a duo, airborne falsetto Cedric Myton and tenor Roydel Johnson, who got together in 1976 and approached old acquaintance Lee 'Scratch' Perry about recording an album at his Black Ark Studio. This was in a two-year period when Black Ark (along with King Tubby's) offered the most exciting, unpredictable facilities on the island and attracted top hands like guitarist Ernest Ranglin, organist Winston Wright, and percussionist Noel "Skully" Simms. During the sessions, unrepeatable chemistry resulted in Perry's finest production of a vocal group and a body of songs more vivid than anything else by the Congos. Oddly, Island Records passed on The Heart of the Congos. Perry put it out under his own Black Ark insignia. Then the Congos released in themselves. The British Go-Feet label reissued it in 1980. It has popped up several other times, each edition muddy sounding, incomplete, or both. The handsome Blood and Fire reissue package gathers every snippet; vocal renditions and their dubs, extra Perry-Congos numbers and a second CD of 12-inch remixes. This is a full-length revival meeting in the Promised Land of the Rasta faithful, though nonbelievers can still revel in its fervent activist force. Perry knots electronic and handmade beats with consummate ease while Ranglin and Wright deliver unobtrusive solos that etch like slow acid. The album swims in hazy tones, shot through with mammoth bass rumbles and slow sweet moans from background singers, most often the silky Meditations. The sound that bursts out immediately is Cedric Myton's falsetto. On "Can't Come In" and "Solid Foundation" he seems to breathe the same air as Curtis Mayfield. Roy Johnson puts the vocal dignity and assurance he learned as a member of of all-Rasta bands into his tenor work on tunes like 'Open up the Gate'. The snaps and rumbles that power 'Congoman' make it a party natural, as does the jocular mood of 'At The Feast" Passover plus ganja). Poetically twisted Biblical metaphors add mystery to 'La La Bam-Bam' and especially 'Ark of the Covenant', which fuses that ark and Noah's into a militant salvation granted to 'Even the ants / Safe in a Noah sugar pan.' Still, compassion for humans shines on Heart of the Congos. The mysterious images of 'Fisherman' flow around and around from Jah Rasta/Jesus as a fisher of men, to a provider of spiritual food, to a symbol of the congregation voyaging to redemption. All that is certain is that those who would save their souls must row to reach higher ground. No one sings the parable better than the Congos. ~bloodandfire.com

Tracklist:
Disk 1:
1. Fisherman
2. Congoman
3. Open Up The Gate
4. Children Crying
5. La La Bam Bam
6. Can't Come In
7. Sodom And Gomorrow
8. The Wrong Thing
9. Ark Of The Covenant
10. Solid Foundation
11. At The Feast
12. Nicodemus

Disk 2:
1. Congoman (12" Mix)
2. Congoman Chant
3. Bring The Mackaback
4. Noah Sugar Pan
5. Solid Foundation (Disco Cork Mix)

Producer: Lee Perry
Mixing Engineer: Lee Perry
Vocals: The Congos, Cedric Myton, Congo Ashanti Roy
Backing Vocals: Gregory Isaacs, Earl Morgan, Barry Llewellyn, Candy McKenzie, The Meditations, Watty Burnett
Drums: Sly Dunbar, Mikey Boo Richards, Paul Douglas
Bass: Boris Gardiner, Geoffrey Chung
Lead Guitar: Ernest Ranglin
Rhythm Guitar: Robert Johnson
Organ: Winston Wright
Piano: Keith Sterling
Percussion: Skully, Sticky, Lee Perry
Studio: Black Ark (Kingston, JA)

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Glen Brown & King Tubby - Termination Dub

Glen Brown & King Tubby - Termination Dub
Label: Blood And Fire, 1996
Record date: 1973-79
Album style: Dub, Lee Library, Reggae, Roots, Tubby

Glen Brown is one of the unsung heroes of Jamaican music. He began as a singer in the 60's, developed his skill as a melodica player, and then made his indelible mark as a producer in the 70's. His forte was the rhythm. Not the bouncing, melodic bass of Studio One, but the heavy pounding rhythms ideally suited to the era of Rasta militance. Typically he would develop a new rhythm, make umpteen cuts with various singers and DJs, hand them over to King Tubby for mixing, and then move on to the next one. He didn't have many rhythms, but boy were they good! ~bloodandfire.com

Tracklist:
1. Termination Dub
2. Save Our Dub
3. Leggo The Herb Man Dub
4. World Dub: Away With The Bad
5. Wicked Tumbling Version
6. Dub Universal
7. Wicked Can't Run This Dub
8. Assack Lawn No. 1 Dub (Version 1)
9. Assack Lawn No. 1 Dub (Version 2)
10. Father For The Living Dubwise
11. There's Dub
12. Version 78 Style
13. Lambs Bread Dubwise
14. Melodica International (Extended Mix)

Producer: Glen Brown
Engineers: Errol Brown, Bunny Tom Tom, Sid Bucknor, Bunny Goodison, Sylvan Morris, Karl Pitterson, Errol Thompson
Mixing Engineer: King Tubby
Drums: Carlton Barrett, Fish Clarke, Santa Davis, Winston Grennan, Boo Richards
Bass: Karl Pitterson, Family Man, Val Douglas, Jackie Jackson, Lloyd Parks, Robbie
Guitar: Eric Fratter, Willie Lindo, Ranchie, Patrick Anthony, Bo-Peep Bowen, Hucks Brown, Michael Chung, Alva Reggie Lewis, Geoffrey Chung, Glen Brown, Peter Tosh, Al Anderson
Piano: Joe White, Winston Wright, Gladdy, Ansel Collins, Earl Wire Lindo, B.B. Seaton
Organ: B.B. Seaton, Joe White, Winston Wright, Gladdy, Ansel Collins, Earl Wire Lindo
Tenor Saxophone: Dirty Harry, Tommy McCook, Lennox Brown
Trombone: Ron Wilson, Vin Gordon
Trumpet: Bobby Ellis, Sparrow Martin
Percussions: Bingy Bunny, Skully, Sky Juice, Glen Brown, Bongo Herman
Fiddle: Tommy McCook
Recording Studios: Dynamic Sounds (Kingston, JA), Randy's (Kingston, JA), Harry J (Kingston, JA), Joe Gibbs (Kingston, JA), Federal (Kingston, JA), Duke Reid's (Kingston, JA)
Mixing Studio: King Tubby's (Kingston, JA)

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Keith Hudson - Pick A Dub

Keith Hudson - Pick A Dub
Label: Blood And Fire, 1994
Record date: 1974
Album style: Dub, Lee Library, Reggae, Roots

One of the earliest dub albums to be released (1974). Ultra-heavy bass and drum rhythms propelled by Carlton and Aston Barrett (better known as the Wailers' rhythm section) collide with snatches of vocal from Horace Andy, Big Youth and Hudson himself. More than 20 years after the record's first release the raw edge of experimentation still shocks and excites. ~bloodandfire.com

Tracklist:
1. Pick A Dub
2. Black Heart
3. Michael Talbot Affair
4. Don't Move
5. Blood Brother
6. Dreaded Than
7. In The Rain
8. Part 1-2 Dubwise
9. Black Right
10. Satia
11. I'm All Right
12. Depth Charge

Producers: Aston Barrett, Keith Hudson
Backing Band: The Soul Syndicate
Drums: Carlton Barrett
Bass: Aston Barrett
Guitar: Chinna
Melodica: Augustus Pablo
Recording Studio: Harry J (Kingston, JA)
Mixing Studio: Harry J (Kingston, JA)

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Yabby U & King Tubby - King Tubby's Prophesy Of Dub

Yabby U & King Tubby - King Tubby's Prophesy Of Dub
Label: Blood And Fire, 1994
Record date: 1976
Album style: Dub, Lee Library, Roots, Tubby

Roots master Vivian Jackson, also known as Yabby U, teams up with King Tubby to create mystical dub versions of some of his greatest songs, many of which were inspired by numerous readings of the Book of Revelations. The lavish 16-page CD booklet amplifies these apocalyptic themes to stunning effect. This album was long unavailable since its first and only limited edition release in 1976. ~bloodandfire.co.uk

PROPHESY OF DUB finds the dub master himself, King Tubby, working 14 Yabby U creations through the ringer. Enduring Yabby U songs like "Conquering Lion," "Jah Vengeance," and "Run Come Rally" are here in excellent versions, but the high point is "Rock Vibration," which takes Michael Rose's "Born Free" and reshapes it into a waterfall of keyboards, echo, and reverb. King Tubby, having served as the engineer for most of Vivian Jackson's productions, has a feel for Yabby U's stunning prophesies, and the results make up one of the most disturbing and endearing dub albums of the '70s. ~cduniverse.com reviewer

Tracklist:
1. Version Dub
2. Conquering Dub
3. Jah Love Dub
4. Anti-Christ Rock
5. Beware Of God
6. Robber Rock
7. Rock Vibration
8. Zion Is Here
9. Hungering Dub
10. Love And Peace
11. Homelessness
12. Creations And Versions
13. Living Style
14. Greetings

Producer: Yabby U
Mixing Engineer: King Tubby
Drums: Horsemouth Wallace, Ben Bow, Santa Davis
Bass: Robbie Shakespeare, Clinton Fearon, Aston Barrett
Guitar: Albert Griffiths, Ranchie, Chinna
Organ: Bagga Walker, Touter Harvey, Aston Barrett
Horns: Tommy McCook, Bobby Ellis, Vin Gordon

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Yabby You - Jesus Dread 1972-1977

Yabby You - Jesus Dread 1972-1977
Label: Blood And Fire, 1997
Record date: 1972-77
Album style: Deejay, Dub, Instrumental, Lee Library, Roots, Tubby, Vocals

b. Vivian Jackson, 14 June 1949, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies. Yabby acquired his nickname from the drawn-out, chanting refrain on his 1972 debut single, "Conquering Lion": "Be You, Yabby Yabby You". Despite courting controversy in his repudiation of Rastafarian godhead Haile Selassie, in favour of a personalized form of Christianity, his output throughout the 70s and early 80s nonetheless rarely deviated far from the orthodox Rastafarianism typically expressed at the time. As leader of the Prophets (additional personnel at various times included Alric Forbes, Dada Smith, Bobby Melody and the Ralph Brothers), Yabby recorded a remarkable series of roots reggae classics, including "Jah Vengeance", "Run Come Rally", "Love Thy Neighbours", "Valley Of Jehosaphat", "Judgement On The Land", "Fire In Kingston", "Chant Down Babylon' and many others, mostly appearing on his own Vivian Jackson and Prophets labels in Jamaica. ~reggaetrain.com

One of the most crucial B&F compilations, if also one of the most obsessive - no less than five versions of 'Jah Vengeance', for instance, follow the original at the close of the first CD. This is one reason why it's so great though - few other collections give you the chance to see rhythms evolving into so many amazingly diverse and subtle new forms, especially in Tubby's hands. Dillinger's version of the Vengeance rhythm, 'Freshly', is probably the deepest bit of dub Tubby ever produced, absolute genius and well worth the admission price by itself. ~discogs.com

Tracklist:
Disk 1:
1. Yabby U - Love Thy Neighbour
2. Yabby U - Conquering Lion
3. Tommy McCook & Vin Gordon - Fisherman Special
4. Big Youth & Yabby U - Yabby Youth
5. King Tubby - Big Youth Fights Against Capitolism
6. Yabby U - Covetous Man
7. Yabby U - Run Come Rally
8. Lee Perry - Rally Dub
9. Yabby U - Anti Christ
10. Dicky Burton - God Is Watching You
11. Augustus Pablo & Yabby U - Pablo Dread In A Red
12. King Tubby - King Tubby's Rock (Dub)
13. Prophets - Warn The Nation
14. King Tubby - Honey Dub
15. Yabby U - Carnal Mind
16. Yabby U - Love Of Jah
17. King Tubby - Love Of Jah Version
18. Yabby U - The Man Who Does The Work
19. Yabby U - Jah Vengeance
20. Tommy McCook - Revenge
21. Dillinger - Freshly
22. Tappa Zukie - Natty Dread On The Mountain Top
23. Trinity - Gwan Anf Lef Me
24. King Tubby - Tubby's Vengeance
25. Tommy McCook - Death Trap

Disk 2:
1. Wayne Wade - Man Of The Living
2. King Tubby - King Tubby's Special
3. Wayne Wade - Lord Of Lords
4. King Tubby - Lord Dub
5. Errol Alphonso - Chant Jah Victory
6. King Tubby - Jah Victory Dub
7. Yabby U - Walls Of Jerusalem
8. King Tubby - Jerusalem Dub
9. Prophets & Trinity - King Pharoah's Plague (Vocal & Dj)
10. Tommy McCook - Plague Of Horn
11. King Tubby - King Pharoah Dub
12. Trinity & Dillinger - Jesus Dread
13. Prophets & Trinity - Chant Down Babylon (Vocal & Dj)
14. King Tubby - Chanting Dub
15. Tommy McCook - Hornsman Chant
16. Yabby U - Fire In A Kingston
17. King Tubby - Fire Dub
18. Yabby U - Judgement On The Land
19. King Tubby - Repatriation Rock
20. Yabby U - Deliver Me From My Enemies
21. Michael Rose - Born Free (Extended Mix)
22. King Tubby - Love Thy Neighbour Version

Producer: Yabby You, Trinity, Fat Man
Mixing Engineer: King Tubby, Phillip Smart, Prince Jammy, Lee Perry
Drums: Leroy Horsemouth Wallace, Carlton Davis, Sly Dunbar, Ben Bow
Bass: Clinton Fearon, Robbie Shakespeare, Aston Barrett
Guitar: Earl Chinna Smith, Albert Griffiths, Bertram Ranchie McLean
Piano: Bernard Touter Harvey, Augustus Pablo
Organ: Aston Barrett, Pablo Black, Earl Wire Lindo, Bagga Walker
Trombone: Vin Gordon
Saxophone: Tommy McCook
Trumpet: Bobby Ellis
Fife: Richard Hall
Percussions: Uziah Sticky Thompson, Bunny Wailer
Melodica: Augustus Pablo
Recording Studio: Black Ark (Kingston, JA), Channel One (Kingston, JA), Dynamic Sounds (Kingston, JA)
Mixing Studio: King Tubby's (Kingston, JA)

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The Heptones - Unreleased Night Food & Rare Black Ark Sessions

The Heptones - Unreleased Night Food & Rare Black Ark Sessions
Label - Aural*x
Recorded - 1976-77
Style - Ska, Dub, Rare, Reggae, Lee Library, Black Ark

(review from rasputinmusic)
After their five-year contract with Coxsone was up, the Heptones went freelance and recorded at an array of other studios, but it was their classics "Country Boy" and "Book of Rules" for Harry J that endured. Though it's touted with the mystical Black Ark label, most of this album was recorded at Harry J's studios. On the verge of success, the Heptones were booked to tour the UK with the Wailers and Toots and the Maytals in 1973 but Leroy Sibbles got married and emigrated to Canada leaving Barry and Earl high and dry. Two years later he got back with them to record Night Food for UK-based Island records. This high profile issue recut their previous Studio One and Harry J hits and added a dreamy version of Holland-Dozier-Holland's "Baby I need your loving." After Night Food, Island had the ideas of sending the trio into the Black Ark and having Lee Perry, then at the height of his creativity, work his metaphysical magic on them. Party Time was their most challenging and complex album since On Top (Studio One). It includes a sublime version of Dylan's biblical "I shall be released." (Disclaimer: this is the only time you will hear me use "sublime" and "Dylan" in the same sentence.) The Heptones in fact were friends of Perry and added backing vocals to seven of his greatest works. Earl Morgan recalled:

"We go there one night and he doing an album with Max Romeo and he say ‘Come do some work,’ so we do War Inna Babylon. Just start hum a little thing behind ‘it sipple out there.’ We harmony Junior Murvin's Police and Thieves, Columbia Colly with Jah Lloyd, we do the Congos album..."

With Sibbles back in town the trio appeared on the "ethereal dub masterpiece" Super Ape. This new CD then presents the out-takes of both albums. The Night Food session, recorded 30 years ago at Harry J and backed by the Wailers band, without overdubs, has a pleasingly big booming sound. Sibbles' lyrics are to the fore and each song has a dub plate companion. The songs alternate between mushy romanticism ("Crying over you") and politically conscious ones ("Mr President"). These outtakes, taken alone, may not have spurred many buyers, but as lagniappe we get the extended mixes of four of the Black Ark sides which are familiar but again different as they have Ranking King, an obscure deejay (with a dubby name!), toasting on them in different mixes from those Scratch previously issued. The cuts are a bit choppy when he slices into another take with, say, nyabingi drumming, but any new Black Ark material from this era is a revelation. They are like lost Mozart sonatas. However Ranking King is not too original, and how can you top a lyric like "Mystery Babylon's" "When the wine is in the wit, Rasta don't drink wine"? It's Shakespearean! The new mix of "Sorrows" quotes George Harrison's "Something in the way she moves." This is not necessarily a good thing, but an unmistakable hook! "Mystery Babylon" and "Party Time" are classic songs, worth hearing over and over again. Aside from the cover, the package is handsome & informative, and there are wonderful photos by Adrian Boot, but above all some of Jamaica's finest artists return in their peak in clean and clear sound.-- Alastair Johnston

Tracklist:
1. The Heptones - Poverty In The Ghetto
2. Wailers All Stars - Salt Dub
3. The Heptones - Warden
4. Wailers All Stars - Warden Dub
5. The Heptones - Garden Of Life
6. Wailers All Stars - Shake Up Dub
7. The Heptones - Richard Khoury
8. Wailers All Stars - They Say Dub
9. The Heptones - Living Up On A Hill
10. Wailers All Stars - Hill And Dub
11. The Heptones - Party Time (Extended Mix)
12. The Heptones - Come Into My World (Extended Mix)
13. The Heptones & Ranking King - Mystery Babylon (Extended Mix)
14. The Heptones & Ranking King - Sorrows (Extended Mix)

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Michael Rose/Mafia & Fluxy - Dub Wicked

Michael Rose/Mafia & Fluxy - Dub Wicked
Label - Heartbeat
Released - 1998
Style - D-D-Dweet, Dub, Reggae, Lee Library

Editorial Notes
Personnel: Michael Rose, Mafia, Fluxy, Red Eye. Engineers include: Clive Goddard, Gussie P, Indian Mark, Mikey Bennett. Recorded at Wessex Studio, Montrose Studio, Matrix Studio, A Class Studio, Baterry Studio, London, England; Grafton Studio, Kingston, Jamaica.

This one's a personal favorite of ICOOYS crew! And for some reason, it's not easy to find copies of this album anymore. We love pretty much anything Dub featuring the vocals of Michael Rose (Black Uhuru vocalist). After hearing this, hopefully you will too. D-D-DWEET!

(review from reggae-vibes.com)
Heartbeat recently released the album 'Dance Wicked' from former Black Uhuru lead vocalist Michal Rose. "Dub Wicked" features the 12 dubs to the vocal cuts of "Dance Wicked". Mafia and Fluxy produced both albums and play all the instruments (additional musician : Red Eye). Mafia and Fluxy have tried to produce a dub album inna " original old school, heavy dubwize, bass and drums and echo, extra echo, Tubby's style, yardee style" fashion. The result sounds wicked ! It's a real dub album, with the vocals of Michael Rose echoing and fading, deep bass sounds and distorted drumrolls as the solid foundation. "Dub Wicked" is one of the few true dub albums of the Nineties!

Tracklist:
1. Dub well happy
2. Wicked dub
3. Lion jungle dub
4. Gold mine
5. Dreadlocks in dub
6. Reality dub
7. Straight to landlord's head
8. Blinding version
9. Goodbye
10. Mind this yah dub
11. Dub up
12. Ghetto life

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Various - Dub Chill Out

Various - Dub Chill Out
Label - Music Club
Released - 1996
Style - Reggae, Dub, Tubby, Jammy, Lee Library, Chill Out

Take a look at the tracklisting, and you'll understand why no review is necessary..... Tubby, Jammy, Pablo & Perry. It's a wrap!

Tracklist:
1 King Tubby - Zion Gate Dub (3:15)
2 King Tubby & Augustus Pablo - King Tubby's Borderline Dub (3:07)
3 Lee Perry - Venus (3:28)
4 King Tubby - Money Dub (3:00)
5 Lee Perry - Lee Perry Upsetting Dub (4:00)
6 King Jammy - Slow Motion Dub (3:12)
7 King Jammy - Black & White Dub (3:02)
8 King Tubby - The Battle Axe Dub (3:26)
9 King Jammy - Dub It In The Dancehall Dub (3:14)
10 King Tubby - Fittest Of The Fittest Dub (4:10)
11 Scientist - Rasta Dub It Everywhere (3:00)
12 King Tubby - Dark Destroyer Dub (3:00)
13 King Jammy - Jump Song Dub (2:41)
14 Sly & Robbie - Hypocrite Dub (3:41)
15 Lee Perry - Lee Perry Special Dub (3:39)
16 King Tubby - Rock With I Dub (3:56)
17 King Tubby - Fat Man Dub (3:26)
18 Lee Perry - Hold Of Death (3:03)
19 King Tubby & Augustus Pablo - King Tubby's Rock On Time Dub (3:24)
20 Lee Perry - Black Street (3:25)
21 Sly & Robbie - Burial Dub (4:22)
22 Lee Perry - Lee Perry Guiding Star Dub (3:30)
23 King Tubby - Dawn Dub (2:27)

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Sly & Robbie at Prince Jammy's - Dub Transmission Specialists
Label: Fuel 2000
Record date: 1982-83
Style: Dancehall, Dub, Lee Library, Reggae

Tracklist:
Disk 1:
1. Bad Girls Dub
2. Loving Tonight
3. Jah Is With You
4. Weeping Willow
5. Rise Up
6. Sound Man Style
7. African Culture
8. Tonight Is The Night
9. Eden Dub
10. Pure Is The Soul

Disk 2:
1. Double Trouble
2. Dance Dub
3. Pumping Dub
4. Crisis Dub
5. Reggae Style
6. Mystic Style
7. His Imperial Majesty
8. Chopping Dub
9. Firehouse Special
10. See No Evil

This is yet another repackaging of these two outstanding releases:

Prince Jammy - Uhuru In Dub
Label: CSA/Charley Records
Recorded: 1982
Notes: Dub versions of Black Uhuru's first album "Love Crisis" (1977).
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Prince Jammy - Osbourne In Dub
Label: CSA/Charley Records
Recorded: 1983
info

Producer: Prince Jammy
Engineer: Prince Jammy
Backing Band: The High Times Band
Drums: Sly Dunbar & Ben Bow
Bass: Robbie Shakespeare
Lead Guitar: Chinna
Rhythm Guitar: Fazal Prendergast
Piano: Tony Asher
Organ: Tony Asher & Tarzan
Horns: Deadly Headly & Bobby Ellis
Recording Studio: Channel One (Kingston, JA)
Mixing Studio: King Tubby's

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Sly And The Revolutionaries With Jah Thomas - Black Ash Dub

Sly And The Revolutionaries With Jah Thomas - Black Ash Dub
Label: Trojan
Record date: 1980
Album style: Dancehall, Dub, Lee Library, Reggae

Tracklist:
1. Marijuana
2. Herb
3. Collie
4. Lambsbread
5. Rizzla
6. L.S.D.
7. Acapulco Gold
8. Cocaine
9. Black Ash
10. White Rum

Producer: Jah Thomas
Mixing Engineer: Prince Jammy & Scientist
Backing Band: The Revolutionaries
Drums: Santa Davis & Sly
Bass: Robbie & Flabba Holt
Rhythm Guitar: Bo-Peep Bowen & Bingy Bunny
Piano: Gladdy
Organ: Ansel Collins
Horns: Deadly Headly & Bobby Ellis
Percussions: Sticky & Scully Simms
Recording Studio: Channel One (Kingston, JA)
Mixing Studio: King Tubby's (Kingston, JA)

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Black Uhuru - The Dub Factor

Black Uhuru - The Dub Factor
Label: Island
Record Date: 1983
Album style: Digital Dub, Dub, Electronic, Lee Library, Paul 'Groucho' Smykle
Comments: This is the CD reissue with three bonus tracks. This is a dub masterpiece! The original album changed my life.

Since Black Uhuru is, with the possible exception of the original Wailers, the most famous vocal group in reggae history, a full dub album might seem an odd career choice. But 1983's THE DUB FACTOR is one of the decade's finest dub efforts. With classic reggae voices like those of Michael Rose and Puma Jones at hand, it's no wonder producers/bandleaders Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare use more vocals than are common in dub.

The vocals are treated as accents, or processed beyond recognition (as on the wild "Android Rebellion"). This leaves the focus squarely on Sly and Robbie's staggering bass/drum interplay and on the inventive keyboards of Wally Badarou. His unique synthesizer style has been so widely used and imitated that, by decade's end, it was almost a cliche. THE DUB FACTOR, however, remains as fresh and exciting as it sounded the year of its release. ~review @cduniverse

This is DUB the way DUB should be! Ten mighty riddims layed down by Sly & Robbie for various Black Uhuru albums are mixed in a Special Dubwise style by Paul "Groucho" Smykle. Originally mixed in 1983, this album hasn't lost any of it's quality for me, it remains one of my favorites from the day that is was released. I dare to say that if you don't have this album in your DUB top ten, you don't know what DUB is! Paul Smykle completely changed the vibe of every single track in a very skillfull way. All tracks completely differ from their original versions and have been blended together into one mix for a Dubwise experience extraordinairy! That's right, all the riddims are presented in one big mix, and you'll bound to listen to it from the top to the very last drop once you've started playing the album.

It is simply impossible to ignore THE DUB FACTOR. This album is mixed in 1983, but it will still beat most of the DUB's that are created today. When you'll play it in a chill-out room, people would love it. And that is why you can't ignore it. The further we go in time, the more people like it.

Unfortunately Paul Smykle hasn't released much more of his special DUB mixing. The brethren is well gifted with a lot of talents. He is not only a killer DUB mixer, but also a great painter: the cover art for Aswad's New Chapter of Dub was from his hand. ~dubroom.com

Tracklist:
1. Ion Storm
2. Youth
3. Big Spliff
4. Boof´n´baff´n´biff
5. Puffed Out
6. Android Rebellion
7. Apocalypse
8. Back Breaker
9. Sodom
10. Slaughter
11. Cool Off *
12. Destination Unknown *
13. Fire And Brimstone *

Producer: Sly Dunbar & Robbie Shakespeare
Engineer: Kendall Stubbs, Maxie, Stephen Stanley, Soljie Hamilton, Frankie Gibson
Mixing Engineer: Paul 'Groucho' Smykle
Black Uhuru: Michael Rose, Duckie Simpson, Puma Jones (vocals)
Guitar: Ranchie McLean, Radcliffe "Dougie" Bryan, Mikey Chung, Barry Reynolds
Piano: Ansell Collins, Robbie Lyn, Keith Stirling
Synthesizer, Vocoder: Wally Badarou
Bass: Robbie Shakespeare
Drums, Electronic Drums: Sly Dunbar
Percussion: Sky Juice, Sticky Johnson
Studios: Channel One (Kingston, JA), Compass Point (Nassau, Bahamas), Fallout Shelter (London, UK)

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Sly & Robbie - A Dub Experience

Sly & Robbie - A Dub Experience
Label: Island
Record Date: 1984
Album style : Digital Dub, Dub, Lee Library, Paul 'Groucho' Smykle

A Dubwise Experience? Wrong! Eight Dubwise Experiences as I would say. Mixed by the hands of Paul "groucho" Smykle, the same who mixed the legendary DUB FACTOR (Black Uhuru) and the arguably even more legendary Ini Kamoze mini LP back in the 1980's, this album belongs in my personal all time top ten of favorite Dub Albums. The music on the album, needless to say actually when it's Sly and Robbie, is super tight! 1983. Digital Devices were not so common as today, and people were complaining about what they called a plastic sound. It's in this time, that Paul Smykle mixes some of the weirdest dubs with the use of these so-called plastic devices, at such a high level of skill, that many of today's DUB producers can only dream of making dub mixes like the ones presented on this CD. Without apology. Decennia later, this album is still ahead of it's time!

DUB is de-constructing and remixing reggae tunes. Smykle does that to the extreme, in this dubwise attack to your brain! Many wouldn't recognize the original even when they hear it. Most of the original tracks for this album, by the way, are pretty hard to get and have been topic of discussion in reggae newsgroups for a long time. Very special is "Danger Zone", sung by the legendary Errol Flabba Holt, super bassist from the Roots Radics in their Channel One period.

If you like dub, if you like Sly and Robbie, then this is an absolute must in your collection. ~dubroom.com

Tracklist:
1. Destination Unknown
2. Assault On Station 5
3. Joy Ride
4. Demolition City
5. Computer Malfunction
6. Jailbreak
7. Skull & Crossbones
8. Back To Base

Producer: Robbie Shakespeare & Sly Dunbar
Mixing Engineer: Paul 'Groucho' Smykle
Backing Band: The Taxi Gang

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King Tubby meets The Upsetter - At the Grass Roots of Dub

King Tubby meets The Upsetter - At the Grass Roots of Dub
Label - Studio 16
Recorded - 197x
Style - Roots, Dub, Reggae, Request, Tubby

* REQUEST!

Mixing Engineer : Lee Perry & King Tubby
Producer : Winston Edwards

Studios :
Mixing : Black Ark (Kingston, JA) & King Tubby's (Kingston, JA)

Tracklist:
A1 Blood Of Africa
A2 African Roots
A3 Raw Roots
A4 Wood Roots
A5 Luke Lane Rock
B1 People From The Grass Roots
B2 Crime Wave
B3 No Justice For The Poor
B4 300 Years At The Grass Roots
B5 King And The Upsetter At Spanish Town

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King Tubby - Surrounded By The Dreads At The National Arena

King Tubby - Surrounded By The Dreads At The National Arena
Label - Studio 16
Recorded - 1975
Style - Dub, Reggae, Request, Roots, Tubby

* REQUEST!

Featuring [Backing Band] - Natty Locks Band Jamaica
Producer - Winston Edwards
Notes: Original cat # FMLP 307

So this lp is based upon some of the various tracks that king tubby played at the national arena that night. a few of tubbys dubs appear on this new album either as naked and delightful as they were at the national arena - the dreads hail the king. he continues to be the king of dub rock, at his musical chamber. recorded at the king tubby studio, played by natty locks band jamaica.



Tracklist:
1. I Am, I Am The King
2. Most High in Dub
3. Teacher of Dub
4. King of Kings in Dub
5. Coxson Down Beat Fall.
6. Unit Dub
7. Black Harmony Stop Play
8. Come On Little Girl (w. Tony Brevitt)
9. Come On Little Girl (Second Cut)
10. Ethiopia Land of My Father (w. Prince Hernon)
11. Ethiopia Land of My Father (Second Cut)
12. I Will Be Waiting (w. Capt. Bradford)
13.I Will Be Waiting (Second Cut)

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King Tubby - Dub From The Roots

King Tubby - Dub From The Roots
Label - Total Sounds / Culture Press
Recorded - 197x
Style - Dub, Reggae, Tubby, Lee Library

Tracklist:
1. Dub From The Roots
2. Iyahta
3. Mine Field
4. Hijack The Barber
5. African Roots
6. Double Cross
7. East Of (Arrows Hi-Fi)
8. Invasion
9. Dub Of A Woman
10. Dub On My Mind
11. Steeling
12. Dub Experience
13. Declaration Of Dub
14. A Truthful Dub

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King Tubby & Friends - Dub Gone Crazy

King Tubby & Friends - Dub Gone Crazy
Label - Blood & Fire
Recorded - 197x
Style - Reggae, Dub, Lee Library, Tubby

The second release for new revival label Blood & Fire, again featuring some vintage Bunny Lee productions, this time dub instrumentals from the years 1975/9. All the tracks were mixed at King Tubby's studio in Kingston, either by the late dubmaster himself or one of three engineers who graduated in turn from Tubby's academy of dub on Drumlie Avenue with flying colours. Dub was then exploring brave new frontiers, soon reaching unparalleled heights of innovation and execution. Whilst its origins have recently been brought into question by certain elements of the reggae press, few would dispute that King Tubby was at the heart of its development. In his hands the raw rhythms laid by musicians such as Sly, Robbie, Carlton and Family Man Barrett, Earl 'Chinna' Smith, Jackie Mittoo, Santa Davis, Winston Wright and other Jamaican greats were transformed into spiritually charged panoramas driven by pounding bass and wracked by shuddering delay, fizzing hi-hat and searing horn lines as fragmented vocals swooped eerily through the mix like an angelic host. Here lies the power and the glory of reggae dub at its magnificent best.; accept no substitute because in these few short years Tubby and star apprentices 'Prince' Phillip Smart, Prince (now King) Jammy and later Scientist set the standards for the world to follow. Two decades later their influence on modern popular music is incalculable. For proof listen to 'No Love Version', Leroy Smart's soulful wail echoed to infinity over the Agravators' sublime cut to 'Zion Gate'. Or the woodwind cut to Dillinger's 'Jah Love', even a hitherto little-known dub to Johnny Clarke's 'Rastafari'. You'll find several of the vocal cuts on Fatman's "Barry Brown And Johnny Clarke Sing Roots & Culture' in fact; 'Peace & Love In The Dub" is Johnny Clarkes 'Peace In The Ghetto', 'Step It Up In Dub' is an instrumental to Barry Brown's 'International Step'. 'Dub To The Rescue' is a stripped down version of the Wailers 'The Sun Is Shining' but is a different mix to that found on Jammy's 'Lion Dub' and the King Tubby mix on 'Dub Fi Gwan' is previously unreleased. Throughout the quality of mastering - and in some cases remastering from vinyl - is superb, as is the overall presentation (and timing!). Revival album of the year, so far. John Masouri - Echoes, May '94

Tracklist:
1 The Champion Version
2 Satta Dread Dub
3 Real Gone Crazy Dub
4 Exalted Dub
5 Dreada Version
6 No Love Version
7 Peace and Love in the Dub
8 Wreck Up a Version
9 Hold Them in Dub
10 Jah Love Rockers Dub
11 Step it up in Dub
12 Dub with a View
13 Dub to the Rescue
14 Dub Fi Gwan

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King Tubby & Prince Jammy - Dub Gone 2 Crazy

King Tubby & Prince Jammy - Dub Gone 2 Crazy
Label - Blood & Fire
Recorded - 197x
Style - Dub, Reggae, Tubby, Jammy, Lee Library

Dub music is a spin-off of reggae music, where the studio's mixing board is used as an instrument, an artfully used device for taking a finished song and de- and re-constructing it in unusual ways. Two of dub's leading lights, the influential King Tubby and his protege Prince Jammy, take songs by Johnnie Clark, Jackie Mittoo, and Delroy Wilson and add explosions of echo and eerie sound effects, de-emphasizing certain instruments and distorting others, until the result is completely their own.

Tubby was and remains a major influence on reggae, dub, electronica and experimental rock bands--the music of Mad Professor, Tricky, and Laika, among others, bears the stamp of his uniquely inventive style. The musicians on this collection include such reggae stars as Earl "Chinna" Smith, Ansell Collins, and the ubiquitous rhythm team Sly & Robbie. DUB GONE 2 CRAZY is highly recommended to reggae fans who like their sounds less polished, fans of modern dub acts such as the Dub Syndicate and the Bush Chemists, and rock fans who like "spacey" sounds with deep rhythm.

Tracklist:
1. Dub Of Rights
2. Living Version
3. The Poor Barber
4. Higher Ranking
5. A Heavy Dub
6. A Stalawatt Version
7. King Tubby`s In Fine Style
8. Afirican Sounds
9. Version Of Class
10. Channel One Under Heavy Manners
11. Breaking Up Dubwaise
12. Channel Get Knockout
13. Channel Is A Joker
14. Drums Of Africa

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Prince Far I & The Arabs - Cry Tuff Dub Encounter, Chapter 1

Prince Far I & The Arabs - Cry Tuff Dub Encounter, Chapter 1
Label - Danceteria/ROIR
Recorded - 197x
Style - Dub, Overdub, On-U Sound, Lee Library, Reggae, Rasta

British dub master Adrian Sherwood collaborated with iconic Jamaican toaster Prince Far I for the first time on this powerful slice of version reggae, which includes performances from the likes of Sly Dunbar, Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace, Earl "Chinna" Smith, and Dennis Bovell. While Prince Far I's vocals are not to be heard on these sessions, the deep-rooted presence of his personality is certainly felt, and the strength of the rhythms bubbling up through Sherwood's layers of echo and reverb are striking in and of themselves. While these cuts sound fathoms deep, on closer examination Sherwood's arrangements are pleasingly uncluttered, and while he certainly avails himself of the many possibilities of his mixing board, the effects thankfully don't wear out their welcome -- the strength of the performances and the skills of the musicians are what shine brightest on these tracks, and the dub trickery only enhances their work rather than interfering with it. While Cry Tuff Dub Encounter, Chapter 1 lacks the righteous Rasta fire of Prince Far I's toasting, the shamanistic power of these dub mixes speaks to the soul as much as the eardrum, and the results are a landmark of the form. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide

Tracklist:
1 A Message
2 The Visitor
3 The Right Way
4 Long Life
5 The Encounter
6 Ghardaia Dub
7 Mansion Of The Almighty
8 Mazabites
9 Prince Of Peace
10 Abderrahane

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The Skatalites & King Tubby - The Legendary Skatalites In Dub

Combine the talents of Lee Perry, the Skatalites and King Tubby all at the height of their powers, and the results were bound to be spectacular. Sessions at Lee Perry's Black Ark Studio and Aquarius Studio resulted in the release of an instrumental album, The Legendary Skatalites (1975). Soon after, a dub set, Herb Dub Collie Dub, appeared in very limited numbers. In 1998 Motion Records released a companion set of alternative dubs on Heroes Of Reggae In Dub, to widespread critical acclaim. A vinyl re-issue of Herb Dub Collie Dub in 2001 also gained a great reception. The Legendary Skatalites In Dub completes the set with the pick of the remaining tracks from the 1975 sessions plus a sought-after vocal cut entitled 'Starlight'.

The list of musicians on this album reads like a Who's Who of Jamaican music, and includes Roland Alphonso, Lloyd Brevett, Tommy McCook, Ernest Ranglin, and Augustus Pablo. The music itself is classic seventies dub reggae built on the acoustic bass of Lloyd Brevett and the horn section of The Skatalites. ~motionrecords.com

The Skatalites & King Tubby - The Legendary Skatalites In Dub
Label: Motion (CD 2002)
Record date: 1975
Album style: Dub, Lee Library, Roots

Tracklist:
1. Starlight Version
2. Middle East Dub (Give Thanks)
3. Fugitive Dub [Herb Man Dub]
4. Whispering Dub
5. Kimble Dub
6. Roots Dub
7. Bottom Dub [747 Dub]
8. African Roots Dub [Zion I Dub]
9. Dumboo Dub
10. African Dub
11. Herb Dub-Collie Dub
12. Candlelight Dub
13. Starlight (Featuring Tony Brevett)
14. Middle East (Dub of Love)
15. Sealing Dub (Rhythm Recorded at Black Ark)

Recording Engineer: Lee Perry
Mixing Engineer: King Tubby
Backing Band: The Skatalites
Mixing Studio: King Tubby's (Kingston, JA)

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Burning Spear - 100th Anniversary (Marcus Garvey + Garvey's Ghost)

1975 to 1976
Rodney retires to St. Ann’s Bay to contemplate his next move. He is approached by local sound system operator Jack Ruby, who offers a 50/50 partnership. The first single the pair produces, “Marcus Garvey," provides a new template for Burning Spear, now a trio with the addition of Delroy Hinds (brother of ska vocalist Justin Hinds). The partnership between Ruby and Spear produces one of the all-time great reggae records, Marcus Garvey. Whereas the Studio One sound is increasingly stuck in the past, Marcus Garvey is the sound of the present, blending the early ‘70s Wailers sound (best captured on Burnin’ and Talking Blues) with plaintive horns, chanted lyrics and jazz-tinged guitar work from veteran session player Earl "Chinna" Smith. Always intended as an album-length statement, each song iterates different aspects of Garveyism and Rasta teaching. The title tune single-handedly revives interest in Garvey's life and teachings, which had been overshadowed by the more radical black leaders of the ‘60s.

Ruby, in an interview with Carl Gayle in the liner notes of 2001 Spear Records compilation Spear Burning, recounts: “The first evening Burning Spear album come out, two thousand album come in [the office] and I couldn’t get a copy to carry home. People line up; two thousand record come without jacket and I, the producer, couldn’t get a copy.”

Internationally, the album is released on Island. As had been done with Marley's Island releases, the mix of the album is lightened, lessening the bass and speeding up tracks. Rodney’s take on this, from Spear Burning’s liner notes, is less furious than philosophical: “Island never notify the artists but try to adjust and fit in with the vibes that were going on at the time. Changed up everything. Better they left the album the way it was created.” Many fans castigate Island to this day for messing with this masterpiece and subsequent recordings. Rodney starts Spear Records as an outlet for his own productions without the interference of other parties; the label would last until 1979. Despite his lack of hands-on studio experience or musical training, Spear is able to achieve his own sound without Jack Ruby’s production expertise. In 1976, the first of his many dub albums is released: Garvey’s Ghost. ~exclaim.ca

Burning Spear - 100th Anniversary (Marcus Garvey + Garvey's Ghost)
Label: Island
Record date: 1976
Album style: Dub, Lee Library, Reggae, Roots

Tracklist:
1. Marcus Garvey
2. Slavery Days
3. The Invasion
4. Live Good
5. Give Me
6. Old Marcus Garvey
7. Tradition
8. Jordan River
9. Red, Gold & Green
10. Resting Place
11. The Ghost
12. I And I Survive
13. Black Wa-Da-Da
14. John Burns Skank
15. Brain Food
16. Farther East Of Jack
17. 2000 Years
18. Dread River
19. Workshop
20. Reggaelation

Producer and Dubbing Producer: L. Lindo (Jack Ruby)
Engineers: George Philpott and Errol Thompson
Dubbing Engineers: John Burns and Dick Cuthell
Mixed at Joe Gibbs Recording Studio, Retirement Crescent, Kingston, Jamaica, (W.I.)
Recorded at Randy's Studio
Dub Mix at Island Studios, Hammersmith
Special Thanks to LLoyd Coxone
The Black Disciples:
Bass - Robert (Rabbi) Shakespeare, Aston (Family Man) Barrett
Lead Guitar - Earl (Chinna) Smith
Rhythm Guitar - Valentine (Tony) Chin
Drums - Leroy (Horse) Wallace
Organ-Piano - Tyrone (Organ 'D') Downie, Bernard (Touter) Harvey
Clavinet - Bernard (Touter) Harvey
Trombone - Vincent (Trommie) Gordon
Tenor Sax - Richard (Dirty Harry) Hall
Alto Sax - Herman Marquis
Trumpet - Bobby Ellis
Flute - Carlton (Sam) Samuels

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Gregory Isaacs - Dub A De Number One

With over 25 years of experience in the reggae industry the one and only, veteran sound of Gregory Isaac"s has become world renown. A whole generation of Jamaicans and reggae fans literally grew up with his music. Nicknamed The Cool Ruler, Gregory Isaacs, born 1951, Kingston, Jamaica, has produced during a three decade career a trailer load of reggae classics. His effective combination of cultural songs and soul-wailing love songs was irresistable. He easily adapted the new digital style of the mid 80s, and his popularity further increased with consistent albums for King Jammy, King Tubby and Gussie Clarke. With dozens of excellent album releases like 'Extra Classic', 'More Gregory', 'Mr. Isaacs', 'The Lonely Lover', 'Night Nurse' and 'Red Rose For Gregory' Gregory Isaacs' catalog is immense. Gregory's voice and style are unique and are highly respected in the reggae arena.

Some of his best work has been for producer Alvin Ranglin. The pair teamed up in 1974 to record Gregory's first major hit, "Love is Overdue," and went on to record a series of classic albums. At the end of 2002 they released the excellent album "I Found Love". This current HeartBeat collection features excellent dub versions of tracks from that album, along with the dubs to many of his hits from throughout his long career including "My Number One" (Dub A De Number One), "Border" (On The Edge), "Tumbling Tears" (Teardrops Dub) and his very earliest, "Love Is Overdue" (Overdue). These dubs come from the vaults of G.G. Records in Jamaica and most are previously unreleased. The tracks were recorded at Channel One, Harry J, Randy's and Treasure Isle studios. Credited as engineers/mixers are Ernest Hoo Kim, Maxie, Sylvan Morris, Errol Thompson and Byron Smith with backing provided by the Revolutionaries, the Soul Syndicate Band and the G.G. All Stars. ~reggae-vibes.com

Gregory Isaacs - Dub A De Number One
Label: Heartbeat
Record date: 197X
Album style: Dub, Lee Library, Reggae

Tracklist:
1. Changing Dub
2. You're Not My Enemy
3. Waterfall Dub
4. Stand Up For Justice
5. Circuit Court
6. Heatwave
7. Jury Must Stand
8. Equal Share
9. Teardrops Dub
10. Fugitive Dub
11. Interrogation
12. Lonely Dub
13. Overdue
14. On The Edge
15. Dub A De Number One

Engineers: Ernest Hoo Kim & Maxie & Sylvan Morris & Errol Thompson
Producer: Alvin Ranglin
Backing Bands: The G.G. All Stars & The Revolutionaries & The Soul Syndicate
Studios: Channel One (Kingston, JA) & Randy's (Kingston, JA) & Treasure Isle (Kingston, JA)

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Gregory Isaacs - Slum In Dub

Songs from Slum In Dub have popped up on dub compilations for years, and on the comps I own with songs from Slum always ended up being my favorites, but the actual album of this has eluded me for years. I was completely stunned to simply find it inconspicuously sitting in a record shop bin in NY on a recent trip. It's that familiar routine: there's some running mental list of records that seem to be nothing but elusive and so many bins end up being checked when away from home that the expectations are next to zero. Now I'm more than thrilled to know it is now being widely distributed again thanks to Mr. Isaacs' own African Museum label.

As aforementioned these songs always stood out above the rest on dub comps: deep and dirty sounds were soaked with soul and almost completely void of vocals. Bass and drums groove along with the rhythm guitar while a keyboard instrument (melodica or organ) takes the lead. More than likely there's somebody present whose primary function is to trigger echoed delays on the right instruments at the right times. The sound is hypnotic and its effects are euphoric. Slum is fourteen tracks of gems like this that I wish went on much longer.

There's magic is in the simplicity of playing, as it's a jam but not by a collection of soul-less music school students showing off. It's restrained, and this is a talent that so many youngsters—even those on tour with people like Mad Professor at the dials—fail to possess. It makes Slum In Dub an album to come back to over and over again as both a listening and a learning experience. ~brainwashed.com

Gregory Isaacs - Slum In Dub
Label: Trojan (CD Reissue 1994)
Record date: 1978
Album style: Dub, Lee Library, Reggae

Tracklist:
1. Public Eyes
2. Slum
3. Reform Institution
4. Crofs
5. Tam Tam
6. Also
7. Nigger
8. Leaving
9. Leggo Beast
10. Embarrassment

Producer: Gregory Isaacs
Mixing Engineer: Prince Jammy
Vocals: Gregory Isaacs
Backing Band: The Revolutionaries
Recording Studio: Channel One (Kingston, JA)
Mixing Studio: King Tubby's (Kingston, JA)

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Dennis Brown - Dennis Brown In Dub

Dennis Brown - Dennis Brown In Dub
Label - Heartbeat
Recorded - 197x
Style - Roots, Reggae, Dub, Lee Library

Produced by Niney The Observer!

Dennis Brown in Dub is filled with top dub shots produced by Niney the Observer and mixed by the legendary King Tubby. It includes the original dub release of "Cassandra" as well as nineteen other scorching dubs taken from the vaults of the Observer label. Niney was the top militant producer and Dennis Brown was his number one artist. Together they chalked up hit after hit with some of the greatest songs of their respective careers. Niney's rhythms were made to be dubbed and King Tubby was the legendary dub mix master who took the Observer tracks to new heights of mutated intensity. Drum and Bass, echoes and mind blowing reverb drench top Dennis Brown tracks like "Westbound Train," "Africa," "Here I Come Again," "Yagga Yagga," and "The Conqueror." Includes tracks previously unreleased on CD.

Tracklist:
Land Of The Father
Fire From The Observer
Lock And Key
Youth Man
Sir Niney's Rock
Worthless Trap
No Mercy
Take A Dub
Dubbing With The Observer
Thief
Pay The Rent
Revelation Fulfill
Come Dub
Jam Down
Fire From The Observer Station
Mischievous Dub
Mr. D Brown Dub
Dub Around The World
Silver Bullet
One In The World Style

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Earl 'Chinna' Smith - Dub It

Earl 'Chinna' Smith - Dub It
Label - Nature Sounds
Recorded - 1984
Style - Dancehall, Reggae, Dub, Lee Library

Recording Engineer : Steven Stewart & Chow & Errol Brown
Mixing Engineer : Steven Stewart & Errol Brown

Producer : Earl Chinna Smith

Backing Vocals : Allalake & Errol Thompson
Drums : Santa Davis & Specs Bifirimbi & Drummer Stone & Carlton Barrett & Horsemouth Wallace
Bass : Christopher Meredith & Gibby & Earl Chinna Smith
Guitar : Earl Chinna Smith
Keyboards : Tarzan & Augustus Pablo & Phillip Ramacon & Wire Lindo
Saxophone : Dean Frazer
Trombone : Nambo Robinson
Trumpet : Bobby Ellis & David Madden
Acoustic Guitar : Andy Bassford
Melodica : Augustus Pablo & Phillip Ramacon
Percussions : Harry T. Powell & Sydney Wolf
Funde : Sydney Wolf
Bass Drum : Sydney Wolf

Dub It! is essentially the dub version of Jamaican poet Mutabaruka's groundbreaking LP debut, Check It!, originally released in 1983 on Earl "Chinna" Smith's High Times label. Although it received little to no radio airplay, Check It! almost single-handedly put the dub poetry subgenre on the musical map, due in part to Mutabaruka's impassioned, incendiary lyrics, but also because of the tight, solid play of the session band Smith put together for the project. Billed as the High Times Players, the musicians included guitarist Smith, Augustus Pablo on keyboards and melodica,the Wailers rhythm section, and ace horn players Dean Fraser, Bobby Ellis and David Madden, among others. What makes Dub It! stand out, now that it has finally been released some 20 years after it was tracked, is the mixing approach used by engineers Steven Stewart and Errol Brown. While the murky, ominous reverb and echo delay that is endemic to dub is present here, it is used appropriately rather than constantly, which means the ensemble roots playing of the musicians is allowed to shine through, and when the mixes phase shift into deep dub territory, it is a clear celebration of the music rather than an electronic distortion of it. The album as a whole has a seamless, suite-like quality, but among the key tracks are "Whiteman Dub," which features Pablo's trademark melodica runs, the eerie, almost industrial "Whe Mi Dub?" (a second, alternate mix of this one adds a small vocal choir and turns from eerie to downright spooky), and "Postpone Dub," with its wonderfully syncopated piano. The end result of all this is an album that stands on its own quite capably, and even listeners unfamiliar with Mutabaruka's Check It! will have no problem appreciating this long delayed gem. ~ Steve Leggett, All Music Guide

Tracklist:
Dub It !
Dub System
Everytime Eye Ear De Dub
Whiteman Dub
Whe Mi Dub ?
Butta Pan Dub
Naw Dub
Postpone Dub
Free Up The Dub
Whe Mi Dub ? (Alternate Mix)

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