Crucial Points Reggae Blog

Day to Day Living : Don Carlos

2012-01-29T09:22:00.000-08:00

"Day to Day Living" was originally released on LP back in 1982. This was kind of the second heavy wave of Don Carlos music to be produced. The late seventies serves as the first wave with hit releases like : "Time is the Master" & "Prison Oval Clash". The CD I've got was released from Greensleeves in 2001, during the massive reissuing movement of seventies roots reggae on to CD format. There are 10 tracks on the CD, just like the original release including a couple of nice tracks : #3 (Dice Cup), #8 (400 Years), and #9 (I'm Not Crazy). The production was handled by a solid crew, with Junjo Lawes as producer, Scientist as the engineer, and the Roots Radics band pumping out the instrumental tracks. Recorded and mixed at Channel One, this is another solid piece of Jamaican reggae. Oddly enough, some of Don Carlos' best releases have been combination albums, like : "Firehouse Clash with Junior Reid" and "The Mighty Diamonds Meets Don Carlos & Gold - At The Channel One Studio".

Black Sounds of Freedom : Black Uhuru

2012-01-01T14:32:00.000-08:00

This one of the great Black Uhuru albums released in the prime of the groups late seventies / early eighties domination of the roots vocal trio scene. The original album was released in 1981 by Greensleeves, but I've got the Artists Only CD release featuring the cover art found at the left. With 10 tracks on the original release, it serves as a great base for numerous dub/extended tracks found on other CD releases (Greensleeves 2006). Built from the studios of Harry J's and King Tubby's in Kingston, JA : Prince Jammy serves as producer with Sylvan Morris as engineer and they do a great job of keeping the rhythms tight. My favorite tracks on this one are : #1 (I Love King Selassie), #2 (Satan Army Band), and #9 (Willow Tree). This album is truly a solid listen all the way through and when paired other Black Uhuru original such as "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" it makes for a nice double spin in your disc player.

The Keyboard Legend : Jackie Mittoo

2011-12-05T17:09:00.000-08:00

Well, you can't get to much more Roots than this folks !!! Jackie Mittoo is a pioneer of the instrumental roots scene with his electric organ and keyboard skills unmatched by any in the spectrum of reggae. This disc is a 20 track greatest hit type of set that features many classic rhythms with Mittoo taking over for what would be the vocalist. Mostly instrumental with very little dub or vocals on the whole CD. The production company is Sonic Sounds, witch I am not too familiar with, but it a low budget offering with no liner notes. Just Jackie posing for a back alley jam session on a trash can - his facial expression is priceless. It might be a little hard to find these days, but try your luck, it should be worth the effort if you find it. My favorites on this disc are overshadowed by the fact its a solid listen from track #1 all the way through to track #20. It's nice to let it roll if you've got folks over and the conversation at the pad is paramount, great tunes to relax to. Also great tunes to drive to on a crisp and sunny winter day. Unfortunately, I can't find the date this disc was pressed, but it seems that the material is mostly from the 1970's, like the bulk of his work. Not exactly a lightweight dude !!

Deeper Roots, The Best of ... : The Meditations

2011-11-16T09:26:00.000-08:00

The Meditations have been around since the late seventies and this album is a proper compilation of their work on the roots scene. From deep in Jamaica - The Meditations are one of the classic vocal trios, but seem to have been overlooked at times. They only released 5 album spanning from 1978 to 1983. If you don't have any of the meditations original albums, you can jump the gun with "Deeper Roots" and get the most Meditations for your money. This CD is a Heartbeat release from 1994 with 20 tracks - most of them solid roots. Top tracks include #4 (Having Fun), #10 (No Peace), #12 (Something Looking Good), and #13 (Groovy Situation aka Being A Dread Is No Crime). Like most Heartbeat compilations, this has a great booklet with an extensive history and story of the Meditations, along with track breakdowns, and top performances. The Meditations might not have gotten the credit they deserved early on, but since the early 1990's they have managed to stay on the top of the pile thanks in part to this CD compilation. This is the only Meditations disc I own, but it gets quite of bit of playing time in the rotation.

Bubble Up (Showcase Vol.1) : Wayne Jarrett

2011-10-31T13:45:00.000-07:00

Another great Wackies production (also known as Showcase Vol. 1)with heavy roots beats and the soft spoken voice of Wayne Jarrett. The original track list from this 1982 release shows only six songs, but each one is either an extended mix or an instrumental. A great overall album, but still with it's stand out tracks: #1 (Brimstone & Fire), #2 (Every Tounge Shall Tell), and #6 (Holy Mount Zion). Keep in mind this is one of the original Lloyd "Bullwackie" Barnes productions out of his Wackies label in New York City. A great talent for the time and place and an important step in the North American extension of the roots reggae movement of the seventies and in to the eighties. These rythms are tight, the Wackies label could almost will things to come together in top notch style for each vocalist and different situation, with excellent results. Everything dialed in straight. Wayne Jarrett is a great roots vocalist, look for his works to be spread out over several Wackies, Greensleeves, and King Tubby compilations.

Lambs Bread International : Sylford Walker & Welton Irie

2011-09-21T17:41:00.000-07:00

This is a great original 1970's roots album to the bone. Although this is a Blood & Fire CD release from 2000, the music was recorded in the '77-'78 season of the pleasin' for the rootsman tradition. Sylford Walker has a timid voice with an aggressive delivery in his chanting/singing/rapping style. This album was produced by Glen Brown and mixed by King Tubby, during the prime of both careers. Welton Irie adds a hard deejay version to six of the tracks, complementing the vocal track to make a couple nice extended track versions. There are 14 tracks total. Track #2 "Rolling Stone" in a great version of the title track, witch is one of hardest herb anthems - although many have never heard its message. These are two relatively unknowns to people outside the reggae, but the triumphant sounds they'll allow to blast out your speakers should be listed in at least your top twenty albums of your collection. Search around for Sylford Walker's '75 -'76 track "Burn Babylon" produced by Joe Gibbs. An earlier sample of Sylford's style.

Silver & Gold : Prince Far-I

2011-09-15T20:40:00.000-07:00

One more time around for Prince Far-I. This is one of my favorite roots & culture artists off all time. He was sadly taken from us in 1983 when a group of gunmen broke in to his yard at night with unknown intentions, not much is known about incident specifics. His gruff, honest voice and righteous messages will continually live on through all of his followers and aficionados. Silver & Gold serves as a type of greatest hits compilation for the seventies ('73-'79) with 19 tracks total, three of witch are Errol Holt tunes, whom he was producing at the time. It's a Blood & Fire release with a nice booklet and the story of Prince Far-I. The first track "Johnny Get Worse" is a great version of The Slickers' "Johnny Too Bad" and the highlight of an outstanding album. Other classic Far-I selections include : "Dub to Africa" & "Cry Freedom Dub". Prince Far-I's catalog of music is sadly a short, but potent list. Listen to Far-I when you feal you need freedom and seek wisdom.

Africa Must Be Free By 1983 + Dub : Hugh Mundell

2011-08-24T22:16:00.000-07:00

This was Hugh Mundell's breakout album, originally released in 1978 by Message, along with the dub tracks on the same album later on CD by Ras and Greensleeves. There are 17 tracks total on this one, the first half is original vocals and the second half is all of the dub tracks. This is also one of the most well known Augustus Pablo produced albums. Pablo brought in great reggae talents to do the engineering : Errol Thompson, Sylvan Morris, & Phillip Smart. Tracks #1 (Let's All Unite) & #6 (Run Revolution A Come) are the highlights. Hugh Mundell was a hot commodity on the international reggae market from the get go. Mundell released two more outstanding albums in his short and sweet career. My favorite of the two is Jah Fire and a great compilation disc opportunity is The Blessed Youth from 2003. The "Africa Must Be Free" album was wildly popular at the time of its release and interest from the reggae public has never really slowed down. This is known as a reggae standard and benchmark milestone in the roots tradition history.

RAS Portraits : Live & Learn Presents ....

2011-06-24T09:46:00.000-07:00

This disc is a nice roots compilation supposedly from the 1981-85 time period and featuring such roots greats as : Barrington Levy, Ras Michael, Wailing Souls, Mighty Diamonds, and more. With 16 tracks on this one, you get a nice 2-4 track sample of each artist and the selections for this "variety pack" are solid representations of the artists' sounds and styles. My favorite tracks are #5 (Chanting - Jr. Reid) and #9 (Them A Fret- Wailing Souls). There is a great Jr. Reid combo album with Don Carlos that also features "Chanting" called Firehouse Clash giving you more from these two artists' early eighties collection. The RAS Portrait series is a standard these days for finding an inexpensive compilation for most of your reggae favorites. The prices are affordable and sometimes downright cheap, but the music is usually top notch. Beware, selections on these compilations will sometimes sound familiar because they appear on several other albums ( ex. this disc and Firehouse Clash ) so make sure to find the ones you really want. This is a great starting point to find more classic reggae that might fit with your style.

Reggae Bloodlines : Stephen Davis and Peter Simon

2011-05-30T17:59:00.000-07:00

This is a nice magazine sized 8x11 softback book by Stephen Davis and Peter Simon originally from 1977. My copy is a De Capo Press reissue from 1992 with the updated cover art you see to your left. This "story" starts out as a typical American journalist goes in search of insight to the reggae music scene witch is beginning it's stretch across the popular music landscape. Our journalist author and his photographer friend quickly get more than they bargained for but nothing they are ready to handle. Meeting one local after another, they seem to be passed of on to all sorts of genuine Jamaican characters who show them every view of the current life situation on the island. Politics, economics, colonial slavery and history,the ganja trade, and tourism are just some of the areas of interest that are touched upon. Our authors fearlessly delve in to the different neighborhoods and hill side pit stops to retrieve endlessly entertaining interviews with local legends and shanty town historians. This book can be a nice quick read with only about 224 pages and many black and white photos to guide you along the journey in to seventies Jamaica. Peter Simon has written about ten books on popular music including : Hammer of the Gods (The Led Zeppelin Saga) and Reggae International (Bob Marley). I haven't read any of his other publications, but look forward to checking out Hammer of the Gods.

Prison Oval Rock : Barrington Levy

2011-05-15T14:07:00.000-07:00

This is a 10 track Barrington album originally released by Volcano in 1984, a couple years after his massive breakout in the years of '79 through '80 wich gave us such great albums as Shaolin Temple, Englishman, Robin Hood, and Bounty Hunter. Junjo Lawes took the production leed on this album, bringing the Roots Radics in to back Levy during the sessions at Channel One and Harry J's in Kingston. Sylvan Morris and Scientist sat at the boards and earned the mixing engineer credits on this one. It's a pretty solid album - my cd copy was released by VP in about 1992 and the sound quality is excellent. It leads off with the title track, followed by the dub version. Out of the remaining eight tracks I really enjoyed #4 (Good Loving) and the very catchy #3 (You Say You Love Me). Along with the classic Barrington Levy style and voice inflections, you might hear familiar Junjo rythms (a good example is #8 Hammer - wich shares beats with Daweh Congo's Human Rights & Justice). This is a nice albums with it's sweet spots, but no real need to add it to your top notch group of discs unless you are a true Barrington Levy aficianado.

Jacob Miller & The Inner Circle Band & Augustus Pablo : Culture Press

2011-04-17T15:46:00.000-07:00

This disc should be considered a compilation of the seventies Jacob Miller with The Inner Circle Band. It was a CD release from Culture Press in 1992 and again in 1998. With fifteen tracks total, most of them are selections featuring the talents of Augustus Pablo as musician and/or producer. Tommy Cowan is labeled with producer credits as well. Pablo's contributions along with the brilliance of Inner Circle front man Jacob Miller make this a nice compilation disc to feature in your collection. The liner notes are simple ; only listing the musicians, tracks names, and durations. There's a nice combination of Miller vocal tracks and Pablo melodica versions as alternate tracks on some of the classics like : track #3 & #4 (Ala-ala-bama / Eli's Move) and tracks #7 & #8 (Curly Locks / Curly Locks Dub). The track I enjoy the most on this one is track #1 (Curfew), a great version of the Marley sung tune. All together this disc serves as a pretty good seventies roots compilation, although some of the tracks might cross over on other discs you have by these artists.

Legalize It : Peter Tosh

2011-03-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

This is of course one of the most well known reggae albums of all time thanks to the Bob Marley / Peter Tosh connection via the Wailers that has helped leaked the more poignant and sometimes militant vocals of Peter Tosh in to the main stream. The title track serves not only as an anthem for the cause of ganja decriminalization, but also a love song and testimonial to the benefits of the herb on not only ones body for certain ailments, but for the psyche of the mind as well. This album was Tosh's first solo experience and you can hear all the built up enthusiasm in his energetic delivery of songs like "Ketchy Shuby / Track 7" and "Brand New Second Hand / Track 9". My copy of this disc is the CBS Collector's Choice series of classic seventies releases strictly based on the original 1976 LP. Tosh followed with releasing "Equal Rights" in 1977, the two first solo sets of his career seem to help Tosh find his true direction and message in the reggae world. "Legalize It" was recorded at Randy's and Treasure Isle in Kingston, JA and features musicians such as Robbie Shakespeare, Carlton & Aston "Familyman" Barrett.

Abraham VP Various Artists Compilation : Scientist, Wailing Soul, Wayne Wade, Barrington Levy

2011-03-11T17:11:00.000-08:00

This is a great compilation of seventies roots from the Abraham / Clocktower group out of Ontario, Canada. There's 14 tracks total on this disc including cuts by Barrington Levy, Sammy Dread, Linval Thompson, and others. This disc keeps it going throughout by supplying a good mix of downbeat - classic roots - and chant style DJ. The highlights of this set are track #6 Rudy Say Him Bad (Wailing Soul), #10 Poor & Humble (Wayne Wade), and numbers #6 and #14 which are both dub tracks by Scientist. I don't really know if this disc has an official name or not - the front says "Various Artist" and then simply shows a few images of some our reggae favorites. I really didn't know that this disc was the highest of quality by it's appearance. Looks can be deceiving sometime.

The Same Song : Israel Vibration

2011-02-16T20:20:00.000-08:00

This is the powerful debut album by this legendary vocal trio. Original release was in 1978 on LP by Top Ranking. 1979 and 1980 had seen consecutive releases on LP by the Harvest label and again off of Top Ranking. It came out rather quickly on CD in 1995 off of Pressure Sounds and is considered a cornerstone album for vocal trios. My CD version is off of RAS from 1996 and only has 10 tracks total. The EMI CD version is going to be your best bet with 14 tracks including 12" versions and discomixes. A couple of the nice tracks on this one are: #2 (Weep & Mourn), #6 (Why Worry), and #7 (Lift of Your Conscience). The roots radics blast some super bass tracks out of Channel One. Engineer Maxie has done a great job of setting these tracks up for killer dub versions, but definitely not overshadowing the sweetness of the crisp vocal work from Israel Vibration. Some tracks are heavy bass sapping with roots and others are slow and easy but they all come together to make this an overall great album.

Jah Fire : Hugh Mundell

2011-01-25T07:14:00.000-08:00

This Hugh Mundell disc is from Black Arrow Records. The original material on this album was recorded in and released in 1980 by Live & Love Records. It has eleven tracks total and some of the highlights are #5 (Million Miles), #8 (Blacksheep), and the title track #2 (Jah Fire). Other noteable songs on this disc are #9 (Million Dub) version of Million Miles, #10 (King Pablo) dub version of King of Israel, and the now classic #11 ( Pablo in Moonlight). Tracks 9, 10, and 11 are extras only found on the Black Arrow CD, released in 2002. Producer is noted as King Jammy's ; featuring Lacksley Castel and Augustus Pablo. And of course these rythms were layed down by some master musicians like : Santa, Horsemouth, Sly, Robbie, Bobby Ellis, Deadley Headley, 'Im Brooks, Bingy Bunny, and more. This is an outstanding musical effort coming hot off the heels of 1978's "Africa Must be Free by 1983", the legendary album that gained Hugh Mundell his noteriety. Self-titled "Mundell" came afterward in 1982, and if you've got all three of these albums, you've got the most important cross-section of Hugh Mundell's work.

Harder Than The Rest : Culture

2011-01-04T19:29:00.000-08:00

This album is a classic Culture selection right out of their roots swell from about 1977-1980. The original LP release was in 1978 on High Note and Virgin "Frontline". Other notable Culture album releases from this time period include International Herb(1978) and Two Sevens Clash (1977). Harder than the Rest has 10 tracks total. All the tracks are solid and you can easily listen to this one straight through, without skipping over any tracks. my favorite track is #2 (Holy Mount Zion) - a great example of downbeat roots. Other nice picks are #4 (Iron Sharpening Iron) and #8 (Work on Natty). My copy of this disc is a Virgin Frontline reissue from 2000. The Mixing Engineer is Errol Brown and the album was cut at the Treasure Isle studios in Kingston. Some of the backing musicians are Sly and Robbie as well as Ansel Collins and many other homegrown Jamaican talents.

Unconquered People : Israel Vibration

2010-12-27T20:13:00.000-08:00

This disc provides a great look at one of Reggae's sweetest vocal trios in their prime. Original recorded material from about 1978-1980 and released on LP by Talent Music in 1978 and Greensleeves in 1980, then on CD in 1990 also by Greensleeves and again in 1996 on RAS. Israel Vibration is a killer vocal trio with it's three legendary members: Skelly, Apple, and Wiss. Their albums from the seventies to early eighties are the heaviest, from the last great roots movement coming out of the '70's. The backing musicians on this one include Augustus Pablo and the Barrett's (Aston "Familyman" and Carlton). 10 tracks total on this one. Recorded at Tuff Gong - Kinsgton with mixing engineer Errol Brown. These three tracks are a good example of what this album offers: #2 (Friday Evening), #5 (Top Contol), #10 (Practice What Jah Teach) this last track has a killer guitar riff and a great conscious message. There's a little horns, piano/keyboard in almost all the tracks. It's a well engineered and produced set.

Harder than the Best - Marcus Garvey / Garvey's Ghost : Burning Spear

2010-12-14T19:46:00.000-08:00

These are two great albums that represent a great cross-section of Burning Spear Material. With Garvey and Garvey's Ghost, you get the heart of the message of Burning Spears music. Harder Than the Best was a short order compilation of sorts representing material from '75-'77 with eleven tracks total. Originally released on LP in 1979 by Island and then again in 2000 on CD. These two discs share quite a few cross-over tracks including : The Invasion, Marcus Garvey, and Slavery Days. This disc has one of my favorite Burning Spear tracks "Man in the Hills".
Burning Spear 100th Anniversary is really the way to go, it includes both the Marcus Garvey & Garvey's Ghost (dub) albums. This was also an Island release CD. The Garvey's Ghost dub set is a nice instrumental dub with out too much effects. This material was originally recorded in '76 and fits in with the other mid seventies tracks from Harder Than the Best. You get a good twenty tracks total on the 100th Anniversary, including the killer dub "Farther East of Jack". The music found on these two discs is a decent portion of the great seventies catalog that Burning Spear has presented to us and this time frame is were his most famous work is from.

Shaolin Temple : Barrington Levy

2010-12-04T10:34:00.000-08:00

Barrington Levy's Shaolin Temple is a great roots album from the Auralux label (CD) released in 2006 and the original LP release from Jah Guidance in 1979. The CD release has 14 tracks with four extended tracks and a super-bonus of Jah Thomas / Lawes Rockers Version of Shaolin Temple. It's a killer dub instrumental of the humbling title track. This is probably the second best Barrington Levy (Non-Compilation) album only bowing to English Man. Barrington displays the same vocal prowess executed in English Man and the Producer Junjo puts together the driven crew of experts that pushed this album out, including: Mixing Engineer Scientist and Backing Band Roots Radics. You'll hear many familiar Junjo rhythms, used by others such as Daweh Congo. Track twelve shares the beat with Daweh's killer track Human Rights & Justice. The best tracks on this fully outstanding album are track #3 (Bounty Hunter w/ an outstanding intro), and numbers #13 & #14 which are both extended version of the title track Shaolin Temple. Another good source to find other versions of many of these tracks is the Roots Radics Dub Fi Junjo disc, a dub tribute to the late Junjo Lawes.

Dub Specialist : A Studio One Dub Compilation

2010-11-16T18:18:00.000-08:00

This is a set of classic studio one instrumental-dub tracks that warps you through time back to the beginning of the roots dub movement. You can easily keep this in rotation with your best albums. This is a great disc to listen to straight through and that should really help you get the best feel for these great examples of some dub all-stars and pioneers classic cuts. You can find solid dub tracks for several roots greats like: Cornell Campbell, The Heptones, Delroy Wilson, Jackie Mittoo, Horace Andy, and a few others. There are 17 tracks total on this 1995 release from Heartbeat - It's presented as an album by C.S. Dodd representing Studio One, but with the great line-up it has more of a compilation feel. The best couple tracks on this one are: #2 (Dubbing Lecturer - The Soul Agents), #6 (Banana Walk), and #7 (Lost in Dub - The Heptones). This is mostly very early seventies and late sixties classic roots dub, so if you're in to more heavy solid roots dub, this might not be the album for you.

Roots Archives : Reggae Database Website

2010-10-23T10:44:00.000-07:00

If you need any info on a rare album or if you want to browse others discs and albums by your favorites artist, you should visit http://www.roots-archives.com/. This is a great resource to find release dates, musician info, various pictures, and reviews. Roots Archives has a great internal search engine for artists, albums, songs, labels, and more. There's tons of info on older reggae from the golden seventies, sixties, and more contemporary artist info as well. When you get a "new" album or disc to your collection it's nice to visit this site to fill in the little bits of info the CD booklet can sometimes miss and to see where the album fits in the artists' discography. It's a nicely laid out website and the search tools are easy to use while you navigate the mountain of info you can find.

DC Dub Connection : Earl "Heptones" Morgan

2010-09-29T20:35:00.000-07:00

This is a pure dub album produced by Earl Morgan (of the Heptones) and sporting the talents of Prince Jammy, Lee Perry, and Scientist as the mixing and recording engineers ; a great collaboration. Not flashy or over technical, this is pure roots dub. Most of these tunes you'll find familiar. My copy of this album is a CD released by the Auralux label in 2007, the original release was on vinyl by Tele-Tech back in 1982. Only 10 tracks on this one but all are solid. My favorites on this one are #1 (Bo-Yarka Dub), #3 (Vibration Rock), and #7 (Party Time Dub). The booklet that comes with the CD is a nice addition, with very in depth notes on the history of Earl Morgan and the the origin of the different tracks on this album. The booklet notes were provided by David Katz and are about 5 pages of nicely written reggae history.

If Jah Should Come Now ( + Dub ) : Rod Taylor

2010-09-22T16:39:00.000-07:00

This is a twenty track disc with the first ten tracks being the original vocal album release from 1979 off of the Hit Run label, the second half of the disc is the dub counterpart. My copy of this disc is a Jet Star label release from somewhere in the 2000's. Rod Taylor doesn't have many albums where he is the exclusive vocalist and central star, so that makes this album an interesting piece. His vocal skills can be found scattered across the reggae lanscape on compilations from several labels. You can also remember that Hit Run later became Clocktower (out of Canada) and this Rod Taylor production was pushed through by that same talented engineering group. To get the most out of Rod Taylor's music catalog it's best to go with one of the compilations ; Ethiopian Kings is my favored Rod Taylor selection featuring the hard roots tracks : Behold Him, In the Right Way, and His Imperial Majesty. On this disc however, I favor a few of the tracks from the dub side over the vocal tracks.

Satta Massagana : The Abyssinians

2010-09-04T17:23:00.000-07:00

The Abyssinians are one of the sweetest vocal trios on the roots reggae scene. This is for sure the cornerstone album of the Abyssinians music library, which is really only a few truly different albums. My copy of this disc is the 1997 Heartbeat release, the original release was in 1976 on vinyl. The 1993 CD has 14 tracks, but there is another more recent release from 2007 within an additional four tracks including two extended mixes. This is one of those albums were it's tough to pick out the best tracks because the whole set is just a great production. Track #13 (Reason Time) features a haunting organ and bass line ; Track #14 (There is No End) has a great message of keeping your head up and looking forward not backward with a mysterious ambient electric guitar dancing in the background. This is truly one of the top vocal trio albums in the history of reggae and I look forward to sinking my teeth in to the extra tracks on the 2003 release.

Dub to Africa : Prince Far-I & the Arabs

2010-08-25T16:16:00.000-07:00

This is one of the finest examples of roots dub in my collection. Prince Far-I brings his band of musicians (the Arabs including Flabba) in to a storm of dub with some heavy bass thunder. Not too fancy, not too many effects, these are just solid and constant dub tracks that will drop you off in to a trance, almost hypnotizing. Far-I gives a brief introduction before each track making his presence felt through the rough grumblings of his wise and seemingly ancient voice. He's one of my favorites and most of his workings are solid, but this one is just the tops. This album dropped in 1979 on LP from the Hit Run label with the original eight tracks, right in the middle of Far-I's Cry Tuff Dub Encounter series. Then Pressure Sounds released in on CD in 2007 with two bonus tracks. All ten tracks are strong pieces that put together an outstanding dub set when listened to all the way through. Track #1 (Ace Bass) & track #2 (Dub to Africa) get things going and before you know it you are in the middle of the album.

MUNDELL Greensleeves Reggae Classics : Hugh Mundell

2010-08-12T16:15:00.000-07:00

This is a Great Hugh Mundell disc originally released on LP by Greensleeves back in 1982 and released on CD in 2004. Top to bottom, this set is all wonderfully unique roots from the the tragically short career of Mundell. There are twelve tracks total on the CD ; the last four are considered bonus tracks that were added on to the original LP set. This album has got the production works of Junjo Lawes and Scientist at the boards and features some great musicians like Flabba on bass. These tracks were recorded at Channel One and then mixed over at Tubby's. If you collect this disc and pair it with the albums "Blessed Youth" and "Jah Fire" (a Black Arrow label release with Prince Jammy mixing and production). Really all the tracks on this disc are nice, but my favorites are #2 (Rasta Have the Handle) and #10 (Can't Pop No Style). Their is a great live version of Can't Pop No Style out there. It's extremely deep roots and extremely hard to find.

King Tubby meets Rockers Uptown : Augustus Pablo

2010-07-31T15:51:00.000-07:00

This is for sure a classic roots set that shows you what reggae is all about. This is a 1994 Abraham label CD release - originally released in 1977 on vinyl by Clocktower. The material was recorded from '72-'75 with Chinna, Familyman, Dirty Harry, and others. Clocktower is a reggae label that was formed in New York, but now works out of Ontario, Canada. Abraham is another label name coming out of Clocktower and you can see similarities in disc production. Pablo and Tubby blend bass and melodica in and out of these tunes mixed down at King Tubby's with Errol Thompson. There is also a 2004 Shanachie (US) label release with bonus tracks to the original 12. All the tracks in this one are outstanding and you might recognize some of them as dubbed-out Pablo versions of popular Jacob Miller tunes. This set of musical works is considered a prime example of seventies dub roots at it's finest - a cornerstone at the base of the Jamaican dub movement.

Rhythm Come Forward : Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Aswad,

2010-07-24T15:25:00.000-07:00

This is a quick nine track introduction reggae compilation. It starts with a little bit of old school Bob Marley and moves through some prime vintage Tosh (Stepping Razor & Legalize It). The two Aswad tracks to follow are pretty good (Track ##5 - Drum & Bass Line) and then you get a little taste of Yellowman and some more contemporary Third World and Jimmy Cliff. This disc was put out by Sony back in 1990 or CBS-Columbia in 1984 take your pick. You can get a used copy off of Amazon for 1 Cent plus shipping. Recorded material range from the very early seventies all the way through 1984. This is really a decent set of tracks ; the first six songs are very competent selections that anchor this compilation.

Vital Force Dub : Gato Negro

2010-07-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

This seems to be the follow up disc for "Black Cat Dub" from the eccentric dub styles of Gato Negro. It's a fairly good roots dub cd with a more contemporary sound at times, but that's kind of the Gato's thing. This disc is a 1995 release from ROIR with 16 tracks total, about half of witch follow the lead of Gato's first CD. The other half of the tracks seem to stray away from the original style that pulled me in with Black Cat Dub. My favorites on this one are #3 (Muntu Dub), #5 (Power Light), and #14 (Never Endin' Dub) - this last one is a pretty killer track. I wouldn't say this is a must have, but you can buy a used disc online for $1 plus shipping.

Freedom Sounds in Dub : King Tubby

2010-07-13T19:03:00.000-07:00

I know that the number of King Tubby CD's out there is enormous. Even for a reggae fan who holds the art of dub close to their hart, the Tubby library is endless. So where do we find the best King Tubby discs or top notch compilations? Blood & Fire, that's where. Just like it's issuing counterpart Dub in the Roots Tradition : Scientist, Freedom Sounds in Dub is a great example of how this large available library of tunes can be condensed in to a stand out compilation. Even if you only want a few pure dub cd's to anchor down your collection, this is a outstanding representation of Tubby. Although I can really listen to this one over and over on repeat I'll still pick out a couple of my favorites. #1 (Ethiopian Version), #2 (Leaving Babylon Dub), and #11 (Tinson Pen Dub) are the top few of this 15 track set. The recorded material is from the late seventies ('76-'79) and has the solid backing of the Soul Syndicate.

Rich Man Poor Man : Barry Brown

2010-07-01T18:13:00.000-07:00

There are 14 tracks on this late seventies greatest hits with most of them ranging from roughly 3 to about 4 minutes. The Revolutionaries, Roots Radics, The High Times Band, and the Aggrovators are all credited as backing bands on different tracks giving this a disc a wide variety in instrumental styles. This is a true Kingston production going down at Harry J's, King Tubby's and Channel One. This is a fairly good representation of the Barry Brown style and coupled with King Jammy presents Barry Brown you should get the best of Barry Brown. This CD is from the Moll Selekta label with material from 1978-1980. My favorites in this one are #1 (Fire Fire), #4 (Pass Up the Chalice), and #7 (Burial). This version of "Burial" is my personal favorite of all the attempted covers - very nice pace - very nice vocal delivery. The last two tracks on this disc are the title track and it's dub counterpart, a very nice way to end the set, instead of starting the album with the title track.

Dub in the Roots Tradition : Scientist

2010-06-20T15:27:00.000-07:00

This is a Greatest Hits compilation of the master-skilled Scientist ; presented to us by Blood & Fire back in 1996. The Blood & Fire label did a ton of reissue work in the 90's and it's nice to see that Scientist made their list of musicians, engineers, and vocal artists to honor with a high quality production. 15 tracks of choice cuts on this disc and all straight up roots dub. A lot of familiar rhythms on this one but Scientist has a way of twisting the sounds in ways the other engineers seem to overlook sometimes. The tunes range from about 1976 - 1979, this is said to be the beginning stages of the Scientist's dub journey. My favorites on this one are #1 (King Tubby's Awnser), #2 (Dub Bible), #5 (Don't Rush the Dub), and #11 (Sunshine Version). Like most Blood & Fire reissue/compilation products, the booklet and liner notes provide a great insight in to the time lines of Scientist's accomplishments and associations with his contemporaries. scientist is sometimes known as the second great student of King Tubby's behind Jammy. He's worked all over the world with the finest reggae musicians such as Roots Radics and I was able to witness his skills live at the now defunct Malibu Inn (http://hbreggaeblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/don-carlos-malibu-inn.html). This is a nice disc to have in the dub section of your collection. It would fit rite in with some of your favorite Tubby's (King Tubby's Hidden Treasure) (Dub Like Dirt) and maybe a quality Jammy's disc (King Jammy Presents Barry Brown) to round out your seventies roots dub.

The Great Pablo : Augustus Pablo

2010-06-07T18:40:00.000-07:00

This CD was released by "Music Club" under license from Trojan Recording in 2000. There are 15 tracks on my copy of this Greatest Hits type of CD. The recording material ranges from 1971 to 1975 ; said to be the heart of Pablo's works. The disc comes with a very short one page synopsis of Pablo's career. I wouldn't say the liner notes provided any new insight in to Pablo that I haven't found elsewhere already. My favorites on this one are : #1 ( East of the River Nile ), #2 ( River Nile Version ), #6 (The Great Pablo ), and #12 (House Raid ). This disc isn't totally instrumental, there's vocals and dj version on two or three of the tracks. Other classic songs Pablo dubbed out on this one like, #13 ( Curly Locks ), #14 ( Road Block ), and #12 ( House Raid ) which is a killer dub version of the classic "Burial" and the rest are excellent takes on these classic tracks. That's one of the things that makes this disc a nice addition to your collection - it fills a few of the gaps in the story of Augustus Pablo. Kind of a supplemental disc to the more classic Original Rockers : Augustus Pablo & Ital Dub : Augustus Pablo . I've done blogs on several other albums that include Pablo as musician, producer, and inspiration so check those out if you're looking for more quality discs.

Ten to One : Dillinger

2010-05-13T20:43:00.000-07:00

This is a 2 Disc set with the second disc being the straight dub crossover of disc one. I'm reallly hooked on the dub set on disc 2 rather than the original vocal chant performance of Manchester, England's own Dillinger. This seems to be some sort of value pack offering from "Classic Reggae" by Secret Records in 2007. This set is produced by Niney the Observer and you can tell, the production work on the dub tracks is excellent. There are 14 tracks on each disc, I tend to favor the dub CD and my favorites on that one are: #5 (My Dub Leads the Way), #9 (Dub Jamboree), #13 (Foreign Dub), and #11 (Hurry Dub) which is a pretty tough "Stir It Up" version. The Bass is a clean and heavy as lead. This is great for the ride or the sound system. A lot of familiar beats including the stir it up version. Credits indicate this material was recorded at Channel One, Tuf Gun, and Joe Gibbs and engineered by the legendary Scientist & Errol Thompson. All tracks are backed by the Soul Syndicate band featuring Sly & Robbbie. Although I mainly talk about the dub set, some of the disc 1 vocal have killer lyrics. The best of CD 1 tracks are #2 (My Address) and # 5 (My Sound a Boom). You should be able to score this disc on the used internet market for less than $10 USD.

Dread at the Controls Dub : Gussie Clarke : The Revolutionaries

2010-05-02T11:58:00.000-07:00

This is an original LP released on Gussie label back in 1978, my CD copy by Auralux and Gussie in from 2007. This is classic roots but with very little vocal interruptions. - tracks total 10. 5 listed as side A and the second 5 as side B. Not to be confused with Mikey Dread's "Dread at the Controls". My favorite tracks on this one are : #2 (Michael Campbell Theme), #4 (Mixed Up Stuff), and #9 (Midnight Clappers). This whole set is full of nice clean solid bass with new tracks and rhythms that I've never heard. Gussie adds the triangle and various percussion instruments reminding me of the style of classic dub album, "Macca Rootsman Dub" also by The Revolutionaries. The booklet has some nice notes by David Katz on the story of Gussie and his role in the growing Jamaican reggae sound wave emanating from the island. The last couple pages of the booklet notes get in to this specific album and explains more about certain selected tracks. Overall, this is a great selection to help highlight the dubwise section, of your collection.

Production Something : Culture

2010-04-15T17:44:00.000-07:00

For fans of Culture and Joseph Hill this disc should be in the top two or three albums in their collection along with International Herb : Culture . This disc is set up so you get the dub version of each track mixed straight in to the end of the original vocal version - excellent. Apparently this is Joseph Hill's example of how patience and thoroughness in the studio and at the mixing boards paid off. The first few tracks are the prime examples of the Culture sound with clean instrumental roots dubs laced on to the end. My favorites on this one are : #1 (Too Long in Slavery), #2 (Garvey), and #7 (Dog A Go Nyam Dog). There's also an eleven minute version of Pyaka (#6). Only nine tracks total on this one, but they're all extra long chunky dubs. All the studio musicians involved are the highest ranking and the production of this disc is another solid effort from Heartbeat (1998). The booklet on this one explains quite well how this album came about and how this has affected the path of dub that culture began to integrate in to their musical path through the years.

Open the Iron Gate : Max Romeo

2010-04-04T13:50:00.001-07:00

This disc is a greatest hits catalog showcasing Max Romeo's work from 1973 through 1977. This is a more recent Blood & Fire production of "Revelation Time" sharing many of the same tracks and adding the extra version and extended tracks here and there. I think there are 12 tracks total on this one and they are all roots classics that should be heard. The sound quality is nice and clear on this 1999 release. The booklet has a brief biographical story of Max Romeo that correlates the time line of political events with his songs. He collaborated with Lee Perry and many other producers so his work is scattered across the reggae landscape, but this is a nice compilation. This is reggae fueled by the bad feeling and hard times of the populous in Jamaica and Max Romeo is known for speaking his mind through hard metaphors delivered with the smooth voice of an soul superstar. If you are looking for just one disc to represent Max Romeo in your collection - this is a pretty good choice.

Nuh Skin Up : Keith Hudson

2010-03-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

This album is known as a classic Keith Hudson take on the seventies roots dub out. There are 9 tracks on the original LP released by Joint International and 11 tracks on the newer CD release by Pressure Sounds. The Pressure Sounds CD edition includes a nice booklet that will help guide you in to the world of Hudson's music and explain his relationship with Junior Walker. The Nuh skin up CD release is from 2007. The producers are Keith Hudson and Junior Walker, who is a little heard of talent scout and producer from the seventies. Backing credits are given to The Soul Syndicate : Fully Fullwood, Santa, Robbie, Chinna, Tony Chin, and a few others. The CD release of Nuh Skin Up is a little different then the original LP with some original tracks replaced by dub tracks and the order of the tracks are shuffled around a little too. My favorite tracks on this one is #2 (Troubles) and #9 (No Commitment). Both of these tracks are fine examples of the Keith Hudson style, but he's presented a ton of work that is hard to find on CD. Check out what you can find from Hudson and hope they continue to reissue his past albums.

The Roots of Dub : King Tubby

2010-03-13T16:14:00.000-08:00

This is a classic set of 12 roots dub tracks from the mind of Tubby. It was originally released by Total Sounds on LP back in 1975, but I recently picked up a CD copy released by Jamaican Recordings. This disc has a nice combination of familiar Tubby cuts with some different tracks mixed in. It's nice to find some different Tubby beats, rhythms, and versions. Jamaican Recordings does a good job putting together a quality disc with nice sound quality ; produced by Bunny Lee and the backed by the Aggrovators. And of course mixed at King Tubby's in Kingston, JA. The booklet is really only a two page semi-history of Tubby that includes a brief statement by Bunny Lee. Over all I would say that this disc is a good representation of Tubby's approach to roots dub from the seventies - a good look at the past.

Weakheart Fadeaway : Ranking Joe

2010-03-07T14:46:00.000-08:00

Greensleeves and Ranking Joe released this 10 track set back in 1978, yet Joe's roots dj messages stay relevant in today's world. This seems like a short album when you look at the length and number of tracks, but each one is an excellent example of 70's roots dj at it's finest. My favorites on this one are #3 (Dread Earthquake), #4 (Natty Dread is a Trademan), and #6 (Weakheart Fadeaway) which is Joe version of Junior Byles "Fade Away" famous from the Rockers Soundtrack : Various Artists. This has got to be one of Ranking Joe's top 3 albums and with talent like Ansel Collins, Sly, and Robbie - I consider it a classic for sure. The studio engineering was done at Channel One by Ernest Hoo Kim, Maxie, and Barnabas - produced by Joseph Hoo Kim. I think the most recent release of this disc is a Greensleeves "Reggae Classics" CD from 2004. You should be able to pick it up for about $6-$8 on the used CD market.

Rockers International 2 : Augustus Pablo

2010-02-25T20:20:00.000-08:00

This CD is a Greensleeves 1992 release with 15 tracks total. This roots, dub, and vocal material was recorded at various places all over Kingston : King Tubby's, Randy's, Channel One, and Dynamic Sounds and includes tracks by Hugh Mundell, Augustus Pablo, the Pablo All Stars, Jacob Miller, Earl "Sixteen" Daley, and a few more. These tracks are a really a good set of Pablo versions you might not have heard before especially the one's from Hugh Mundell (Selassie I Veranda) the other standout track to me on this album is Junior Delgado (Away with your Fussing and Fighting). The engineering credit goes to King Tubby, Prince Jammy, and Philip Smart on this mid-seventies compilation. I think this is a pretty good album, but these are a little more obscure tracks that should be paired with earlier Pablo discs such as Original Rockers : Augustus Pablo, This is Augustus Pablo - Rebel, Rock, Reggae : Augustus Pablo, and Who Say Jah No Dread : Jacob Miller. This is a harder CD to find these days and all your usual reggae vendors might not have it - your best bet is to get a hold of a used copy. I'd say overall this is a pretty good CD, I definitely like some tracks a lot more than others.

Willow Tree : Gregory Isaacs

2010-02-07T11:24:00.000-08:00

This is a ten track set from the Jamaican Gold label collection. Classic 70's Gregory Isaacs roots vocal selection. My CD copy is a 1992 release and I noticed some similarities between this album and My Number One : Gregory Isaacs . They share a couple tracks including No Speech No Language and Lonely Teardrops. They also seem to share the same photo shoot for the album art. If you want to put one album up against the other head to head I would have to favor My Number One because of the extra Lonely Teardrops versions and the Border track with U-Brown. Willow Tree has outstanding quality tracks as well (#5 Everything is Going Alright) and really it's best to have both albums to give yourself a comprehensive look at Gregory during this great time in his career. The studio is at Channel One Kingston and the engineering by Ernest Hoo-Kim. The Producer is listed as Alvin Ranglin.

The Icebreakers with The Diamonds : Planet Mars Dub

2010-01-17T09:36:00.001-08:00

This is a dub set from the Virgin Frontline series of discs, the material was originally released in 1978. Ten tracks total on this one. All the tracks are solid and dub fans can listen to this one straight through. Track #2 (Sweet Answer) and track #6 (Grand Rock) are the standouts. This one's nice and mellow, just nice cleaned up dub with a little Diamonds vocal in the background. The Mighty Diamonds meet up with the Icebreakers backing band. This is a heavy crew featuring Sly Dunbar, Chinna, and a few other regulars. An interesting note to this one is that was recorded and mixed in the Bahamas at Compass Point. Total Jamaican reggae with a little Bahamian flair perhaps. I dig the album art on this one - the "speaker flying saucers" arriving on the scene to perhaps share some fat bass lines with the dreads. This is one of my top ten PURELY dub albums.

Top Ranking Dub : The Revolutionaries

2010-01-08T18:56:00.000-08:00

This CD review is a shot back at Rasta Dub ' 76 : The Aggrovators, from the latest HB Reggae Blog. Top Ranking Dub is a 10 track set from 1978 Duke Reid International productions (European import). Both of these roots dub selections are from the mid to late seventies and both are solid to listen straight through. Ansel Collins, Sly Dunbar, and Robbie Shakespeare take the lead on this instrumental set. The dub engineering and mixing by Crucial Bunny seems more like audio management as he just puts the finishing touches on a great instrumental effort by the Revolutionaries. The rear album sleeve says this album is volume 1, but I can't seem to track down any following editions and I don't even know if they're out there. The album art gets a quick mention for the totally seventies zombie gorilla German soldier - I'm not sure what to think of this choice for the cover, but I am entertained by it.

Rasta Dub ' 76 : The Aggrovators

2009-12-26T10:09:00.000-08:00

This disc is from the Attack record label 2006, the original LP release is from 1976. It's 12 tracks of solid roots dub from producer Bunny Lee. The Aggrovators lay down the tracks that later got mixed at King Tubby's. Along with The Aggrovators, the Attack label is also known for working on releases from Errol Dunkley (Darling Ooh) and Johnny Clarke. This album contains dub versions of Ites Gold and Green and None Shall Escape. Other notable tracks on this one are #10 (No woman No Cry) and #11 ( Small Axe). Overall this is a pretty good listen. You can go straight through it and not have to skip over any sour tracks. This is a dependable, solid, roots dub CD usually found at a reasonable price.

My Number One : Gregory Isaacs

2009-12-14T06:44:00.000-08:00

This disc is from the Heartbeat label released back in 1990, all tracks were recorded in the seventies. 13 tracks total on this one, the last three tracks of the disc have dj work by Barnabas and U-Brown on reprise versions of earlier tracks on the album. Trinity has a brief verse at the end of the title track "My Number One". This is by far my favorite Gregory Isaacs disc of all time, these are the legendary rhythms and grooves; the type that helped make reggae an international music powerhouse. Gregory Isaacs displays his relaxed yet emotional delivery with solid roots backing. Besides the title track, my other favorites on this one are: #1 (Philistines), #7 (No Speech, No Language), #9 (Border w/ U-Brown), and #12 (Lonely Teardrops). All materials were produced at Channel One and Harry J's, a straight-up Jamaican product. Musicians include The Revolutionaries and Soul Syndicate Band among others. There are so many Gregory Isaacs discs and albums out there and I think this one is a great example of some of the best he's got to offer.

Fire Down Below : Scorchers from Studio One

2009-12-10T06:37:00.000-08:00

This is a great compilation of classic roots performers released from Heartbeat in 1990. The CD has 14 tracks from the late sixties and early seventies, showcasing artists like: Winston Jarrett, Jackie Mittoo, Burning Spear, and many others. Although the tracks are older recordings, the sound quality is nice and clear. My favorites on this disc are: #1 (Fire Down Below - Burning Spear) and #11 (Sweet Talking - Heptones). This collection was produced and compiled by C.S. Dodd and features such legendary musicians as: Ernest Ranglin, Cedric Im Brooks, Leroy Sibbles, and many more. These are supposed to be all Studio One recordings and the set list features a good cross section of reggae types. This disc has early and classic roots recordings, instrumentals, and even a little dj and nyahbingi chants - a little bit of everything.

Non Stop Disco Style : Dillinger

2009-11-28T10:07:00.000-08:00

The title is a little deceiving on this album. This disc is not what us Americans would refer to as "disco style". It's actually some pretty hard core roots DJ work from one of the greats. The original release for this material is from 1978 and it was originally an LP release from the Canadian labels Clocktower & Abraham. 10 tracks total on this disc - I really don't have any true favorites on this disc. The alternating DJ tracks with the dub tracks to follow really kept me listening all the way through the album. The CD's released from the Abraham label are solid productions, but sometimes hard to find. A lot of great seventies roots, DJ, and dub have come through this label. The lack-lustre production of the liner notes and packaging leaves a little information and research for us to find, but the quality of the musical production makes up for it big time.

True Democracy : Steel Pulse

2009-11-22T18:27:00.000-08:00

This is the fourth album by Steel Pulse and my personal favorite, originally released in 1982. It has a short 10 track set on the original, but an extra four 12" versions are now available on the re-released CD from Elektra. My favorites on this one are #1 (Chant A Psalm), #5 (Worth His Weight in Gold), #8 (Your House), and #10 (Dub Marcus Say) which is a dub version of #5. David Hinds in the outstanding front man and lead vocalist for Steel Pulse and he keeps the energy running hot with his determined and passionate delivery and conscious message. Steel Pulse has laid the foundation for European roots and culture music and continue to tour across the globe. If they come near your area - don't miss the chance to see one of the hardest touring bands in reggae. Their stage presence and sound quality in concert is excellent and I'm pretty sure you will not be disappointed.

Aquarius Dub : Herman Chin Loy

2009-11-17T17:40:00.000-08:00

This is about as old school instrumental dub as you can get. The Aquarius dub is a legendary 10 track dub set presented to us by Herman Chin Loy. Recording date for this material is about 1973 and I think the release date for this original album is about 1975. The band credits go to The Now Generation and the tracks were dropped and finished up at Randy's and Aquarius studios; a full on Kingston production. My favorites on this one are #1 ( Jah rock) and #7 (Heavy Duty) . Some of the songs you might recognize from Pablo albums such as The Red Sea : Augustus Pablo. This classic dub selection for your collection - it was a groundbreaking piece of dub architecture and considered very progressive and way ahead of it's time.

Triston Palma Show Case in a Roots Radics Drum and Bass

2009-11-08T14:48:00.000-08:00

This is the most impressive works I've encountered from Triston Palmer and I'm more than happy to give a quick review. This disc has 12 Tracks total - Alternating original vocal and then the dub track to follow. It was recorded and mixed at both Channel One and King Tubby's. Produced by Jah Thomas and engineered by King Tubby, Scientist, Professor, and Barnabas. Just a ton legendary talent on the production side of this disc. My favorites on this disc are #3 (Give me a chance) & dub ; the other is #9 (Time so Hard) & dub. These are both crucial sets of roots reggae with outstanding not overshadowing dub mixes. This disc was released by the Abraham label out of Ontario, Canada - but I'm not sure what year. This disc went in my permanent listening rotation soon after I heard it for the first time and I highly recommend at least checking it out.

Big Showdown : Scientist vs. Prince Jammy

2009-11-02T16:03:00.000-08:00

If you like solid roots dub this is going to be a great album for your collection. Let's begin with a "ringside" introduction by Jah Thomas - Big Showdown at King Tubby's is a Greensleeves production with Junjo Lawes and is presented showdown style with alternating dub tracks, starting track #1 with Scientist and proceeding from there. All tracks were laid at Channel One by the Roots Radics band - a ton of original reggae talent including Flabba Holt, Chinna Smith and many other notable musicians. The dubbed-out set list includes many tracks from Barrington Levy ( Bounty Hunter 2-Disc ) and is solid from start to finish - No favorites here, it's all good. The cover art puts our champions is a fun comical atmosphere, but this is some serious business once you get in to it.

Up Tempo Collection Vol. 1 : The Posse

2009-10-24T09:46:00.000-07:00

This CD features 22 tracks from various outstanding reggae artists such as: Don Carlos, Michael Palmer, Sugar Minott, and several others. Sugar Minott is also listed as an executive producer along with Steve King on this 2006 release. The Uptempo label is new to me, but Steve King started it in the early eighties. At that time he was a producer with Black Roots, working with talents such as Jah Shaka and Bim Sherman. The sound quality and track selection on this compilation are excellent - many thanks to JFC music label w/ Method Recordings. New beats and some fresh rhythms make this disc a rare musical and lyrical treat. My favorite tracks are #1 (I and I Time - Trevor Junior) and #2 (Too Much Sufferation - Anthony Johnson). These are two seriously crucial tracks and I hope to find more quality roots from other Uptempo compilations and upcoming re-issues. Thanks to Ernie B's on-line reggae store for pointing me in the right direction on this one.

96 Degrees in the Shade : Third World

2009-10-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

This is by far the most popular and influential of all the Third World albums. Most reggae aficionados are familiar with the title track - and it's a great track. My favorites on this disc are: #1 (Jah Glory), #2 (Tribal War), and #5 (Human Marketplace). Human Marketplace has a great haunted sound provided by the ambient effect of the horns. This material was released originally in 1977 by the Island label that was blowing up big time, largely thanks to Bob Marley. Third World is a definitely a band with great talent, most of the group members contribute to the vocals as well as providing an excellent musical foundation for these roots tracks. The original album only has eight tracks total but when you listen it feels as if you were maybe a concert. The sound quality is very clean and this album gives us a great set of songs that show the outstanding musical bond this group had at the time.

Kingston All-Stars meet Downtown at King Tubby's 1973-1975

2009-10-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

This disc is another great offering from the Kingston Sounds/Jamaican Recording label. Another great list of artists on this compilation include: Cornell Campbell, Johnny Clarke, Linval Thompson, Horace Andy, and others. Within the 14 Tracks total, you'll here rare tracks that have been left off many of these artists other discs. My favorite track on this on is #2 (Here Me Now Star - Cornell Campbell). This is really a great song/rhythm and Jamaican Recording has a dub version on their Dub Sampler Vol. 3. The booklet is a nice addition and breaks down each track and shows the credited musicians and other info for each one. At the end of the booklet their is a Two-Page breakdown on the materials included and the time frame from which they came from King Tubby. There are too many great reggae musicians on this disc to list here, but it's the usual line-ups of outstanding horn, percussion, guitar, and bass.

Forward the Bass - Dub from Randy's 1972-1975 : The Impact All-Stars

2009-09-19T12:26:00.000-07:00

If you love a good straight forward dub album, then you should love this disc. It's in my top ten dub albums of all time. Blood & Fire is no slob when it comes to sound quality and production value. You get 15 tracks of clean, killer, instrumental dub from such legends as: Bingy Bunny, Familyman, Sly, Tommy McCook, the Wailers, the Impact All-Stars, and Augustus Pablo. My favorite tracks on this one are: #5 (Wire Dub), #9 (Last of the Jestering), and #12 (S-Corner Dub). S-Corner Dub has the melodica pushed to the background with an ambient echoing affect that gives this track a foggy-night/spy work type of feal to it. Another great addition to this roots dub catalog is the harmonica work they sneak in on about every third track. The harmonica work is credited to the mysterious "Chicago Steve", who's great at adding the perfect touch of soul to the dub out. Like most Blood & Fire CD's this disc comes with a great booklet that tells the story of Randy's and it's various reggae engineers.

Rockers from Channel One : Linval Thompson

2009-09-13T09:20:00.000-07:00

If you like multiple version sets with dj and dub tracks, then you should eat this up big time. A true master of roots reggae; Linval Thompson is showcased on this CD along with Ranking Dread , Big Joe, and the Revolutionaries. This disc is a 2001 release from Trojan with a large 22 tracks. Some of the Linval vocal tracks are considered classics and can be found on other discs ( Ride On Dreadlocks : Linval Thompson ) and compilations ....... but the alternate versions really make this a great disc for your collection. My favorites on this one are: #2 (Natty on the Rock - dreader than dread version by Ranking Dread), #17 (Love Can Conquer - love is the question version by Big Joe), and #18 (Poor Man - love is the question version by Ranking Dread). This isn't a cheap production of extra tracks slapped together. It's a very well thought out set of lyrical versions that would really take a little work to dig up elsewhere - BIG Thanks to Trojan for this one.

Climb the Ladder : Bob Marley & the Wailers

2009-09-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

Climb the Ladder is a decent release, the bulk of the material is old school vocal trio Wailers featuring Bunny and Peter in the lead as well as Bob. This disc has 17 tracks total, but my favorites on this one are: #2 ( I'm Gonna Put It On), #3 (Lonesome Track), and #10 (Sinner Man). You might have some of these tracks on other Bob Marley or Wailers compilations. I actually prefer the JAD released series of discs called "The Complete Bob Marley & the Wailers". The sound quality is better on the JAD discs and multiple versions are offered on many of the tracks. Climb the Ladder was released by Heartbeat in 2000. It's a more rocksteady and ska set from the mid-sixties when there was still a large R&B and Soul music influence on the Jamaican scene. This is a strange CD because it's billed as Bob Marley mainly. I just don't feel like this enough time was put in to this CD - it's make-up of commonly used Wailers tunes just makes this disc another lack-luster compilation and you might have the material covered in your collection already. It's worth a listen, just so you know what's out there.

Who Say Jah No Dread : Jacob Miller

2009-08-23T09:05:00.001-07:00

This disc shows us some great tracks from Jacob Miller alternating with the instrumental/dub track featuring Augustus Pablo and King Tubby. This is a great disc to have in your catalog because it serves a dual purpose. Not only do you get 6 Jacob Miller classics, but you get the complementary dub sides to these gems. This is a Jamaican production through and through. All material came from Dynamic, Randy's, and King Tubby's. Many of the usual suspects are present in the line-up: Bobby Ellis, Sly & Robbie, Chinna, and others. These classic mid-seventies sounds were compiled and released by Greensleeves in 1992, the sound quality is excellent and the set list is solid. My favorites on this one are: #3 (False Rasta), #4 (Hungry Town Scank), #7 (Who Say Jah No Dread), and #8 (Jah Dread). Even is you have some of this material on other discs - these tracks are set up nicely and it's a pleasure when listened to straight through.

Repatriation : U-Brown

2009-08-16T08:36:00.000-07:00

This is a greatest hits disc representing the legendary U-Brown. You get a solid 18 tracks of roots and culture dj from the 70's. From what I can see there are only 10 tracks on the original LP release. The extra eight tracks you get on the CD are dub tracks and alternates, so it creates a nice listening package. My favorites on this disc are: #9 (Reggae dub), #12 (Set Jah Jah), #13 (Give the People), and #14 (The People Dub). All the tracks on Repatriation are about 3 minutes, except the first song wich is an extended disco mix. This is a solid production with the Revolutionaries as the backing band at Channel One in Kingston, JA. There's another U-Brown compilation by Blood & Fire (1997) called Train to Zion. It covers more seventies material ('75-'78) and between these two discs you'll have a great cross-section of U-Brown's best material.

Far East : Barry Brown

2009-08-01T08:10:00.000-07:00

This is known to be one of the more popular albums in the Barry Brown archives. Far East was recorded and mixed in 1982 at Channel One in Kingston, JA. This one's got 13 tracks total. The vocals are backed by some of the usual suspects : Tommy McCook, Sly & Robbie, Bobby Ellis, and Ansel Collins plus many more. My favorites on this one are: #7 (Forward On), #8 (Run Wicked Man), and #9 ( So Jah Jah Sey). A lot of people like the title track "Far East", but for me "Run Wicked Man) is the crucial track on this one. Unfortunately, Barry Brown passed away in 2004, taking with him the conscious message of roots reggae and a sweet youthman voice comparable to other legends like Linval Thompson and Johnny Clarke.

Firehouse Clash : Junior Reid vs. Don Carlos

2009-07-25T09:26:00.000-07:00

This disc is a short simple compilation of a few Junior Reid and Don Carlos tracks. It's got 11 tracks total. The first 5 are from Junior Reid and the last 6 are from Don Carlos. I've had this disc since the late 1990's and still listen to it on a regular basis. It serves as a decent sampler for the two artists. My favorite Junior Reid track on this on is #2 (Respect Due). My favorite Don Carlos track off this one is #11 (Spread Out), although the CD has other popular Don Carlos tracks like (Living in the City) & (No Trouble This). Although this CD was distributed by RAS, it was put out under the label name "Live & Learn". It seems to be kind of an economy type of release - maybe meant for cheaper retail pricing. None the less, this is still a solid set of tracks to have in rotation.

Rare Reggae Grooves from Studio One : Clement Dodd

2009-07-05T17:51:00.000-07:00

This disc is from the Heartbeat label (1999) and meant to be a follow-up to "Studio One Showcase Vol. 1". This is a short disc with only eight tracks, but they're all crucial. Many of the tracks on this one are extended tracks and the result of the re-mixing the popular hits of the time. What we end up with are these great versions that have been picked from deep in the Heartbeat catalog. My favorites on this one are: #1 (Cuss Cuss - Lloyd Robinson), #6 (My Baby - The Martinis), #8 (Going to Zion - Winston Francis), and #2 (Sing a New Song - Peter Broggs). Sing a New Song showcases Peter Broggs' outstanding vocals with simple clear lyrics and a killer organ riff turns this one in to a heavy, heavy classic. Other artists on this album include The Gaylads, The Silvertones, and Ken Boothe. I don't want to forget about the booklet - it's has nicely detailed notes on each track. Only eight tracks, but at least you get a deep look in to the story of each one. Listening to this disc after reading the booklet makes this quite an lesson on roots music. Give it a try.

Owner Fe De Yard : Ethiopians

2009-06-28T10:20:00.001-07:00

This is a selection that's been in my permanent catalog for over ten years now. Another quality release from the Heartbeat label (1994) and a great compilation of classic roots with great sound quality. The Ethiopians are some of the old school reggae masters who made that transition from the sixties to seventies a legendary time in reggae culture. Clement Dodd and Leonard Dillon recorded these 15 tracks at Studio One and Randy's mostly in the mid-sixties and the seventies. My favorites on this one are: #1 (Owner Fe De Yard), #3 (One Heart), #4 (Bad to Worse), #5 (So You Look Pon It), and #10 (Fire Fire). The Ethiopians have a very gentle vocal delivery that softens these roots tracks. Like most Heartbeat discs, this has a decent booklet that comes with it. It discusses the early influences of church music and the first meetings with Bob, Bunny, and Peter. Also tracks notes on each song and an interview with Leonard Dillon round out the booklet and make this a quality representation of the prime Ethiopians tracks and a glimpse in to their background.

Greensleeves 12" Rulers : Jah Thomas

2009-06-24T19:34:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite disc of three "Greensleeves Rulers" that I have found. The other offerings are from Gussie Clarke and Junjo Lawes. This Jah Thomas showcase features 11 tracks by various artists such as: Triston Palmer, Toyan, Little John, Michael Palmer, Billy Boyo, and the DJ skills of Jah Thomas himself. My copy of this CD is from 2008, but the material was originally recorded back in 1981-1984. A great time for reggae - the transition from deep roots of the 70's, in to the hard conscious dj scene the early 80's. My favorite tracks on this one are: #3 (Joker Smoker - Triston Palmer), #4 (Loafter Smoker - Papa Bruce), and #11(Scandal - Billy Boyo). The standout track to my is #1 (Entertainment) with an extended DJ version featuring Jah Thomas and Toyan. The booklet for this disc completes this nice package. It's about 10 pages equally split between information on Jah Thomas and studio/dancehall photos. Some interview question with Jah Thomas round out the booklet nicely. Overall this is a great disc and I highly recommend adding it to your permanent reggae collection.

I Love Marijuana : Linval Thompson

2009-06-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

The name says it all. Linval Thompson is fully motivated by his raw emotion on the subject of the title track of this album. Linval is the producer and main vocal feature on this 1978 Trojan release. My copy is a CD released in 1997 also off the Trojan label. There are 11 tracks on this one and they're all relatively short from about 2 minutes to about 4 ; most of it was recorded at Channel One - Kingston. My favorites on this one are : #1 ( I Love Marijuana ), #4 ( Not Follow Fashion ) a Ken Boothe cover, and #11 ( Jamaican Colly ) an I Love Marijuana Version. This is classic seventies roots from one on the last great producers of the era. He's stacked his musical line-up with extraordinary talent including : Sly, Robbie, Horsemouth, Familyman, Chinna, and many others. This one might not be essential to your collection, but the album art is totally a great example of the original style of album cover art fro the late seventies. Other great Linval Thompson tracks can be found on Ride On Dreadlocks ( Ride On Dreadlocks : Linval Thompson ) and other compilations.

Live In Chicago 1984 With Sly & Robbie : Black Uhuru

2009-05-31T20:14:00.000-07:00

This disc is off of the Taxi label and released in 1984. Original Black Uhuru with Micheal Rose and backed by Sly & Robbie on tour. This disc has 11 tracks total, including: #1 Shine Eye Gal, #2 Plastic Smile, #9 General Penitentiary, and #10 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Great sound quality for the live recording. Don't confuse this with "Black Uhuru - Live '84" witch has 13 tracks off of the Tabou 1 label and released in 2000. It also starts with Shine Eye Gal and Plastic Smile. Taxi has another Sly & Robbie backed live tour recording - a 2 disc 1986 tour with Yellowman, Ini Kamoze, and others. The Ini Kamoze portion includes a lot of material off his famous self titled debut album ( Ini Kamoze : Ini Kamoze ) . These discs give us the opportunity to hear these legendary musicians performing on tour in the prime time of their careers. It's classic material and it sounds great in concert.

Ital Dub : Augustus Pablo

2009-05-21T20:06:00.000-07:00

This is a great album to really showcase Pablo and his melodica as the featured instrument. Original work from 1974-1975 and engineered by King Tubby. What you really get is 12 really dubbed out Augustus Pablo tracks. I have a CD copy from 1999 released by Culture Press. My favorite tracks on this one are : #2 (Road Block), #9 (Mr. Big), and #11 ( House Raid). Road Block is a version of the classic Bob Marley track and Mr. Big is a Natty Dread version, both are outstanding interpretations. House Raid is a Burial version and you really feal it through the haunting melodica of Pablo. When I'm looking at Augustus Pablo albums against each other, I like this one quite a bit. It's solid roots dubbed by the master Tubby and the sound quality is clean. Some of my other favorite Pablo albums are Authentic Golden Melodies : Augustus Pablo & This is Augustus Pablo - Rebel, Rock, Reggae : Augustus Pablo . Check them out for a more complete Pablo experience.

Police & Thieves : Junior Murvin

2009-05-03T14:11:00.001-07:00

Most of us know about this classic already, but I would like to do a quick review anyway. My copy of this CD is from 1991 off of the Island label. This is the older copy with 10 tracks. Island has since released a remastered disc in 2003 with 15 tracks total. My favorites on this one are #2 (Police & Thieves) and #3 (Solomon). I haven't had a chance to hear the five extra remastered tracks, but if the quality is the same as the original Lee Perry production, then it should be stand up work. The material on the 10 tack disc was originally released back in 1977 ; produced by Lee Perry and backed by the legendary Upsetters. The title track can be found all over the reggae scene, appearing on numerous compilations - it appears on the Rockers Soundtrack (reviewed 1/17/09) for instance. Police & Thieves has left a long legacy of different versions and rare verses by Junior Murvin and other artists as well and should be noted as a tremendous contribution to all reggae music.

Curly Locks : Junior Byles

2009-04-19T08:44:00.000-07:00

This is basically a greatest hits album for Junior Byles with 20 or 22 tracks, depending on which copy of the disc you have. Originally released back in 1997 on the Heartbeat label. It's filled with extended mixes and alternate takes showcasing other stars such as Dennis Alcapone. There are actually 3 curly locks versions right in the middle of the album. A lot of Lee Perry production with the Upsetters. Most of the tracks on this one are classics but my favorites are: #4 (Lick the Pipe Peter) and #15 (Got the Tip). The material was recorded from 1970 - 1976 with the Upsetters. Lick the Pipe Peter is a "Fever" version featuring Errol Thompson and Jah-T that left a solid impression. Got the Tip is about a horse racing tip and a man down on his luck. #18 (Cutting Razor) is also a notable track - it's a "Stepping Razor" version backed by the Versatiles. All and all this is a very good disc and could find a home in your collection quite easily.

Wackies Tribesman Assault Dub

2009-04-05T18:27:00.000-07:00

Another set of Wackies classic dub sound. 10 tracks on this one, but every track is a winner. Maybe eight of the tracks have a severe smokey vibe to them and the other two a little more up-beat and bouncy. Drum, bass, and guitar are mostly featured, but that's all we need sometimes. My favorites on this one are #3 (Tribal Rock) and #4 (Dread Feeling). Really, the whole album is nice to listen to straight through. Nothing too aggressive on the album, which makes it really nice to chill to, but still very satisfying. The CD was released in 2003 and the original LP album was released back in 1977. Like most Wackies dub material, this one belongs in your collection. If you like this disc then you should check out the Wackies Sampler series, Creation Dub, and the Wayne Jarrett/Horace Andy Showcase.

Too Much Iron in the Fire : Blackbeard & Friends

2009-03-27T20:40:00.000-07:00

This 2 disc set is a compilation that represents the work of Roy "Blackbeard" Sinclair. Each disc has 20 tracks, but most of what you will hear are 3 maybe 4 versions in a row of the same rhythm. It seems Blackbeard borrowed many of these familiar beats we're used to, but that seems to be a more common practice with the increasing number of dj's, engineers, and producers on the reggae scene. There are a ton of artists that have contributed to this release including : Barry Brown, Johnny Clarke, Horace Andy, Trinity, Jacob Miller, Wayne Jarrett, and Ronnie Davis. So, when listening to this set straight through, you'll hear a couple of versions by some of the masters listed above - and then maybe a dub version by the Blackbeard All-Stars. My favorites on disc 1 are: #2 (Pass up the Chalice - Barry Brown), #7 (False Rasta - Jacob Miller), and #14 (Cayamanas Park Dub). This last one is a Blackbeard dub track of Black Uhuru/Ranking Joe's "Rent Man". My favorites on disc 2 are: #8 (Eyes on Africa - the Mighty Diamonds) and #11 (Mount Zion - Wayne Jarrett). This is a Trojan release from 2004 and the material was originally recorded 1974-1984.

Talking Revolution : Peter Tosh

2009-03-22T08:47:00.000-07:00

This is a 2005 2 disc release from Pressure Sounds. Disc 1 has 8 tracks of live concert material from the One Love Peace Concert. Disc 2 is an acoustic set of 11 songs recorded at US radio stations while touring North America. Most people will tell you Disc 2 is far superior but I feal it the other way around. Tracks #2 (Four Hundred Years) and #3 (Stepping Razor) on the Live CD are my personal favorites for this 2 disc release. If Tosh is one of your favorites then no doubt you'll dig this high quality booklet and rare set lists. Really, most of the Peter Tosh I listen to are on the "Legalize It" and "Equal Rights" albums. A few of my favorite singles are "Wanted Dread and Alive" and "Reggae Mylitis". The deep and powerful messages of his earlier work with the Wailers is another great taste of his brilliance and wisdom. The album "Burnin" or the single "You can't Blame the Youth" are two good examples. "Talking Revolution" is a good deal to find used for about $12 or less on CD. For me Peter Tosh usually isn't something I have in regular rotation, but instead it's music I find myself craving for the specific messages and the energy it gives out.

Columbia Colly : Jah Lion

2009-03-14T12:56:00.000-07:00

This is a Lee Perry production originally released on LP in 1976 and later released by both Island and Mango on CD. It was recorded at the Perry's Black Ark in Kingston, JA. This is an interesting album because Jah Lion is also known as Jah Lloyd (Pat Francis). Most of his work was done under the name Jah Lloyd including one of my favorite albums "A Double Helping of Jah Lloyd and King Tubby". All of Jah Lion/Lloyd's work is solid roots dub and dj material weather it's with Perry or Tubby. There's eleven tracks total on this disc and my favorites are #1 (Wisdom), #5 (Columbia Colly), and #7 (Bad Luck Natty). There's also a Satta Version and Police and Thieves Version (Soldier and Police War) that round out this disc nicely. His smokey voice textures and chilled mellow delivery make Jah Lion and Columbia Colly a great disc to have on while just relaxing in the afternoon. There's a lot of classic rhythms are on this album and Jah Lion matches his vocals to each with great success.

Larry Marshall in Dub / World in Dub

2009-03-05T21:58:00.000-08:00

I've been shopping for some new reggae recently and went straight to my favorite on-line store, Ernie B's. They have the best selection of reggae I've ever seen. The layout and navigation of the website is super easy to use. They have sound samples on selected albums and offer many details including: brief reviews, contributing artists, recording locations, and more. My last purchase included Larry Marshall/King Tubby's I Admire You in Dub and Ranking Joe - World in Dub. I found them both in the "Blowout" list of sale items for about a dollar fifty each. That's right, they're that cheap !!! These are good albums too. I Admire You in Dub is 14 tracks of totally solid roots dub Tubby style. My favorites are #12(You Lie Version) and #13(Heavy Heavy Load) which is an extended version. This CD is a release off of the Motion label. I like most of Ranking Joe's material so I figured I would try World of Dub and I was pleasantly surprised by the 12 fresh dub tracks composed with the Twilight Circus Sound System. This disc has a more modern sound, at times similar to Some of Jah Shaka and Mad Professor's work at Ariwa. My favorites on this one are #1 (World in Dub) and #6 (Seek Ya Dub). These two discs are just a peek of what's at Ernie B's so check it out some time.

Creation Dub : The Bullwackies All-Stars

2009-02-21T14:55:00.001-08:00

This is a solid dub set from the powerhouse dub label Wackies (Lloyd Barnes). The label started out as a record shop and soon became a popular studio stop for such legends as Horace Andy and Wayne Jarrett. The presence of Wackies made a huge impact on the American reggae scene and continues this heavy role by releasing their classics on CD (Natures Dub, Tribesman Assault, Jamaican Super Dub, etc.). Creation Dub was released on LP in 1977 and 1983 and then released on CD in 2003. There are ten tracks of clean and "old school" dub on this one and it's almost like it should be played on huge heavy wood speakers to give the sound some weight. There are four standouts on this disc for me: #1 (Asmara), #3 (Next to Jah), #8 (Tell it to them Roots Dread), and #9 (East Africa Dub). Tell it to them Roots Dread had a little vocal in it, but the others are straight up roots dub. East Africa dub is a bounding and upbeat track with some nice guitar and very clean drumming. The quality of Wackies dub makes it a great label to build your collection with and also a great example of classic roots dub. Very nice.

Zim Zim : Billy Boyo

2009-02-15T16:00:00.000-08:00

You might not have ever heard of Billy Boyo, but this dj was heavy on the dancehall scene when he was just a teenager back in the early eighties. Zim Zim is his most popular compilation studio work and the material was recorded in 1983. My CD copy of this album was released by the Silver Kamel label out of London in 2002. There are 12 tracks total on this disc. Six straight-up dj vocal tracks alternating with their dub track counterparts inna showcase style. My favorite tracks on this one are: #1 (Jamaica Nice), #2 (Dub Freeze), #6 (Dread Skank), and #12 (BB's Posse). The sound quality on the 2002 cd release is very clean and sounds excellent with the dub tracks cranked up. Billy Boyo was not as famous as some of his contemporaries like Little John, Ranking Trevor, and Dillinger but his youthful voice and flow are true and his message is clearly heard.

Pablo & Friends : Augustus Pablo

2009-02-01T10:46:00.000-08:00

Here's a peak at another Augustus Pablo disc. Pablo & Friends is a kind of greatest hits CD with 18 tracks total. You get to hear the original track by such artists as: U Roy, I Roy, Derrick Morgan, John Holt, and Prince Jammy. That's followed by the Pablo instrumental version. Showcase style a la Pablo. This album set-up allows you to experience the pure Pablo and gain insight into how he's contributed to the evolution of reggae music. His instrumental interpretations of these reggae classics are good to have in your collection. My favorite tracks on this one are: #5 (It Dread Inna Earth), #6 (Pablo's Majestic Mood), #8 (A Tuff Dub), #15 (Cow Town Skank), and #16 (Pablo in Cow Town). When you listen to the disc as a whole, it's really like listening to 9 extended tracks - nice to leave on around the house. My copy of this disc is RAS '92, but there might be other releases out there. With all the popular reggae artists on this one, I would almost consider this a various artists CD.

Rockers Soundtrack : Various Artists

2009-01-17T08:46:00.000-08:00

If you've never seen the movie Rockers you're missing the best Reggae film ever made. It's a Jamaican Robin Hood with every scene packed full of short performances by all of our favorite Reggae stars of the seventies. It's a brief look inside the daily life of Jamaican musicians, thick with Jamaican patois and messages of unity and brotherhood. But enough about the film, I would like to give a brief review of the soundtrack. This soundtrack is one of the better compilations you can buy for seventies reggae. This is a great selection of roots from such legends as: Bunny Wailer, Burning Spear, Gregory Isaacs, the Heptones, Jacob Miller, the Maytones, and more. This disc has 14 tracks total and my favorites on this one are : #2 (Money Worries), #7 (Fade Away), and #8 (Rockers). The movie was released in 1979, but the material on the soundtrack could be from about'76-'79. Chris Blackwell was the main man behind this project and you can find this soundtrack released by both the Island and Mango labels. Just a quick note ; the DVD copy of this movie has extra soundtrack songs and versions in the bonus materials/extras section of the menu. If you haven't experienced Rockers yet, I would urge you to watch the movie first and then check down the CD soundtrack as a supplement to the vibe of this fun and energetic movie.

Plantation : Don Carlos

2009-01-04T17:39:00.001-08:00

Once again it's the sweet youthful vocals of Don Carlos. My copy of Plantation is a Tamoki Wambesi CD released in 2001. I've actually seen a couple different versions of this album. My copy is a total of 16 tracks and includes alternating versions of each song. There is also a release with 10 tracks, but with out the alternating versions. I'm not too familiar with the 10 track album and I'm sorry I can't do a head to head comparison. I'm usually a big fan of "showcase" style, when the tracks are followed by their dub or dj counterpart, but on this CD it just didn't feel right. I found myself listening to the dub versions and thinking that they were more instrumental versions than dub. They came out a little dry and stripped down with very little sound effects and not heavy enough to support the original vocal versions. My favorite track on this one is #3 (Plantation). All the vocal tracks are good and true Don Carlos style, but the dubs fell a little short of expectations.

Why You So Craven : Israel Vibration

2008-12-31T09:03:00.000-08:00

This is the first strictly Israel Vibration album I've done at HB Reggae Blog. They were one of the first reggae groups I started listening to, along with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, of course. I've seen this disc sometimes overlooked by bloggers and Vibes fans. This is actually the second Vibes disc I heard, right behind Unconquered People. The material is early eighties, but my CD copy is a 1991 release. This is the original Israel Vibration, but at a time of discontent among the group members. With nine tracks on this disc you get a nice tight set of roots from a classic vocal trio. Produced by Junjo and mixed/engineered by Scientist this is a very solid production with only the top professionals in the business involved. The Hi-Times Band offers a solid backdrop for Junjo to execute his crisp and clean roots rhythms. My favorite tracks on this one are: #3 (On Jah Solid Rock), #4 (Jah is the Way), and #6 (Highway Robbery). Finding a copy of this disc for under ten dollars would be a fair deal for the number of tracks you get. If you don't have any Israel Vibration in your collection yet, this would be a good one to start with.

Dub Fi Junjo : Roots Radics

2008-12-21T15:07:00.001-08:00

This dub/instrumental album was released in 2000 on Tabou (France) and is a type of tribute album to the late Henry Junjo Lawes who was killed in England in 1999. He worked a ton with the Roots Radics in the seventies, helping transition the sound of the time from roots to the rub-a-dub of the eighties. When you listen to this CD you'll find yourself recognizing the instrumental tracks from your favorite artists such as Israel Vibration. The Dub on this CD is very clean, very good sound quality, and totally professional. My favorites on this disc are #2 (Leggo de Dub), #4 (Rocking Miss D), and #8 (Mash Dub). Daweh Congo has used versions very close to Leggo de Dub and Mash Dub for his tracks Herb Tree and Human Rights & Justice. Human Rights & Justice is one of my all time favorite discs and I've already done a post on it - check it out !!

Cry Freedom Dub : Prince Far-I

2008-12-02T19:37:00.000-08:00

Solid, hard, bouncing dub at it's finest is what you'll get with this set from the Tamoki-Wambesi-Dove label. Usually when I see Prince Far-I on an album cover I look forward to his rough and grough voice and I love it. This disc however has vocals only on the first track and all the rest is non-stop dub. The album is backed by the Roots Radics and all material was recorded from 1980-1983. My favorites on this one are #1 (Free Jah Jah Children), #2 (Blood on the Corner of Orange Street), and #8 (Famine in Africa). Famine in Africa has some creative instrumental (what I think is keyboard) work and I've now added this track to my permanent playlist. Recorded mostly at Channel One and engineered by Scientist and Maxie. Adding instruments and taking them away, stripping away everything but the drum and bass, and then building it back up takes a great ear for dub music and this disc stands tall.

Bim Sherman meets Horace Andy and U-Black in a Rub-A-Dub Style

2008-11-09T18:32:00.000-08:00

Three great names in reggae - this one's got to be good. The material on this disc was originally recorded between 1976 and 1980 and is now just recently available on CD. This is a definite treat for those of us who love that 70's roots and culture. Each track has an extended dub track or alternating dub version. Recorded at Channel One and King Tubby's with a typical list of reggae all-stars: Bingy, Horsemouth, Sly, Flabba, and others. My favorite tracks on this one are #1 (It Must be a Dream / Dreaming Dub) and #4 (Dread Pan Some / Dread Dub). Dread Pan Some starts out with a chant style and parlays the rhythm in to the "strait up" Dread Dub. This CD actually offers the last four tracks as extras not released on the original vinyl. If you're looking to buy this disc your best bet is Ernie B's. Sites like Amazon are only offering pre-orders for about twice the price of Ernie B's. See the link at the bottom of the page if you're interested.

Harry Mudie meets King Tubby in Dub Conference Vol. 1

2008-10-28T19:23:00.000-07:00

This is the first in a series of three great dub collaborations by the master King Tubby and 70's dub influence Harry Mudie. This album features straight forward dub with classic techniques and the touch of studio instruments. Very little sound effects and manipulation are used on this one. This album was originally released in 1976, but my CD copy is from '94. My favorite tracks on this one are: #1(Full Dose of Dub), #4 (Dub with a Difference), and #8 (Heavy Duty Dub). All these dubs were developed in both England and Jamaica. Full Dose of Dub features a hard conga drum rhythm to give it pop. Dub with a Difference is a great partnership of strings and horns with classic reggae drum work. In Heavy Duty Dub, the name is deceiving. It's actually a really mellow track; I get kind of a smokey lounge vibe from it. The second and third volume of this series are equally impressive and worth checking out.

Messenger Man : Willi Williams

2008-10-07T19:14:00.001-07:00

This is just an outstanding 17 track album by Willi Williams. Another Blood & Fire release, this one from 2005 and the material was originally released in 1980 on the Inland label and recorded in Kingston and Toronto. This more recent Blood & Fire version includes several versions, extended versions, and a couple of previously unreleased dub tracks. My favorite tracks on this one are: #3 (Give Jah Praise), #5 (Zion Town), and #14 (Zion Town Dub). I find a very powerful message in "Zion Town" and I keep it on my all-time favorites playlist. Of course with Blood & Fire comes a great booklet and this time the notes are written by Carter Van Pelt. He's a noted North American authority on Reggae and I was very pleased to see his contribution to this album. The booklet tells the story of Willi Williams and also of the story and meanings behind the Messenger Man album. Besides Armagideon Time, this is my favorite Willi Williams album.

Only Love Can Conquer : Prince Alla

2008-09-28T15:37:00.001-07:00

This disc is another compilation style collection from the Blood & Fire label. This is a release from 1996 featuring Prince Alla from '76-'79. This is a nice "greatest hits" package with a comprehensive 14 page booklet witch is mostly an interview style biographical story of Prince Alla. With 14 tracks on this one, my favorites are: #3 (Only Love Can Conquer), #5 (They Never Love), #7 (Bucket Bottom), and #11 (Youthman in the Ghetto). Most tracks on this one were produced by Bertram Brown and/or Prince Alla and features a ton of talented musicians: Sly & Robbie, Tony Chin, Santa Davis, Fully Fullwood, and Chinna Smith. All classic roots music in the tradition of the '70's. This album is a great example of Blood & Fire at there finest, simply a great CD and booklet.

Aggrovators meet the Revolutionaries at Channel One

2008-09-01T10:45:00.001-07:00

Bunny Striker Lee productions released this All-Star album back in 1977. This is clean and professional roots/dub/instrumental, just classic JA sounds. With 11 tracks total, all recorded at Channel One, this is a great album to have in your collection. All tracks were produced and arranged by Bunny Lee and the list of contributing artists is extensive: Bobby Ellis, Santa Davis, Sly & Robbie, Chinna Smith, Tony Chin, Ansell Collins,Jackie Mittoo, Tommy McCook, and many more. These guys are responsible for a huge stock of genuine 1970's dub instrumental and you'll here this material dubbed out by legends such as King Tubby. The first 5 tracks were set by the Revolutionaries and tracks 6-11 were laid down by the Aggrovators. All the songs on this album are a standard length of 2-4 minutes and all instrumental, no extended/dub tracks. My favorites on this one are: #3 (Bionic Man), #8 (Special Brew), and #9 (Super Larger). My copy of this CD is 1998 and the sound quality is great - very clean and clear. Check it out !!!

Augustus Pablo : Live in Tokyo Japan

2008-08-24T11:52:00.000-07:00

Live !!! This is a rare recorded stage performance and a great treat for all Augustus Pablo aficionados. With 13 tracks total, this CD gives you a good idea of Pablo in concert. All tracks were recorded on stage with the Rockers All-Stars in Tokyo, Japan. The sound quality is excellent and you can hear Pablo announcing the song name before each track performed. My favorites on this one are: #1 (Ancient Harmonies), #5 (Rockers Rock), #7 (East of the River Nile), and #8 (Africa 1983). Rockers Rock is a great real rock version that you probably won't find to many places and Africa 1983 showcases Pablo's live instrumental talents while performing his classic Hugh Mundell backing rhythms. My copy of this disc was published in 1991 by Rockers International and is a UK release. Augustus Pablo passed away only eight years later in 1999. His talents were legendary and his influence will be missed in the world of reggae music. Check my other Pablo reviews for more track highlights and info on other CD's. If you have your own favorite Augustus Pablo material, let me know so I can check it as well. Long live Pablo !!!

Africans Unite : Sylvan White

2008-08-16T12:57:00.002-07:00

You might not of heard about Sylvan White, but this compilation disc will make you remember him. It showcases his vocal work of the late 70's and early 80's with the sweet roots sound of The Soul Syndicate and The High Times Band. The mixing engineer is listed as King Tubby and the Producer Bertram Brown. This disc is a pleasant surprise with many extended mixes and alternate dub tracks. There are 13 tracks total, but my favorites on this one are #1 (Africans Unite), #3 (Mountain Top), and #4+#5 (Faith w/ Version). All tracks were recorded at Channel One and King Tubby's in Jamaica. There really isn't too much out on the market for Sylvan White CD's, but this one has great sound quality and a solid track list.

Bobby Bobylon : Freddie McGregor

2008-07-27T21:11:00.000-07:00

Freddie McGregor shows his roots talents on this impressive CD with 10 tracks total. Original release looks like it was 1980. It was recorded at the Jamaica Recording Studio and produced by Clement "Coxsone" Dodd. My copy of this disc is advertised as a "Studio One Classic". My favorites on this one are: #3 (What Difference Does it Make) witch sends a great social message about relationship, and #10 (I am a Revolutionist) where Freddie touts his rebellious side with a rasta anthem of strength. Other notable tracks are: #1 (Bandulo), #6 (Bobby Bobylon), #7 ( Wine of Violence), and #8 (Gonna Take Over Now). Now there is an 18 track version available from Heartbeat, released in 2006. The eight bonus tracks include an alternate version of (I am a Revolutionist) and an extended version of (Bobby Bobylon). This is a solid roots classic from start to finish and is worth checking out.

Dub Me : Morwell Unlimited meet King Tubby's

2008-07-20T17:59:00.000-07:00

This is a top notch instrumental and dub album showcasing the work of the industries best studio musicians. Back in the 1970's, Blacka Wellington and Bingy Bunny were known as the Morwells. They dropped slow deliberate rhythms and laid a foundation of dub for the years to come. Other musicians and engineers included in this posse of greats are: Flabba Holt, Chinna Smith, and Ansell Collins. The collaboration of all these professionals led to development of many other groups such as the Roots Radics and the Revolutionaries. They recorded almost everywhere: Channel One, Randy's, King Tubby's, and the Black Ark. This disc in a 1997 release from the Blood & Fire label. The booklet is very informative and includes many good pictures. My favorite tracks on this one are: #5 (John Bull), #10 (Jungle Shuffle), #12 (Morpheus Special), and #14 (Stepping in HQ). It's a solid track list from start to finish so check it if you dig the roots reggae instrumental or King Tubby style.

Original Rockers : Augustus Pablo

2008-07-16T18:02:00.000-07:00

This is known as one of the definitive Augustus Pablo albums in his extensive catalog of work. The tunes on this one were mostly recorded from 1972 to 1975 and feature work with Clive Chin and King Tubby. It's original release was 1979, my copy of this disc is a 1991 Shanachie with 10 tracks total. My favorites on this one are #2 (Up Warrika Hill), #3 (Cassava Piece), and #4 (Tubby's Dub Song). This disc is a good mix of dub and instrumental tracks. This is definitely the Original Rockers and I can see how many Pablo CD's have been spin-offs from different labels and engineers, but the original is the best.

U-Roy & Cornell Campbell @ The Malibu Inn

2008-07-06T12:50:00.000-07:00

June 29th was another outstanding night at the Malibu Inn in Malibu, CA. A local band from Huntington Beach, The Simpkin Project, started the evening off with solid roots rhythms including a Twinkle Brothers cover of "Faith Can Move Mountains/Never Get Burn" and a real rock version. They're having a CD release party on Fri. July 18th at Gallagher's in HB. I look forward to seeing them again down here in the OC. U-Roy was next on stage with his dapper suit and cap and instantly lifted the crowd in to an irie state-of-mind. He busted out a dozen or so songs including a couple of my favorites "Babylon Burning" and "Natty Rebel" blessing the room with a smokey vibe. The crowd was sad to see him go, but Cornell Campbell was next. He emerged from the back room in a brown leather suit and boots and proceeded to give us a hard set including the classics "The Gorgon", "Natty Dread in a Greenwich Farm", and "100 lbs. of Collie". These guys are the originals of this ya reggae culture and any chance you have to see dem a rock - take it.

Midnight Rock at Channel One : Barry Brown showcase with Jah Thomas & Scientist @ King Tubby's

2008-07-04T11:22:00.000-07:00

This album is a definite treat for all Barry Brown aficionados. It features adaptations and dub versions of some classic Barry Brown material from 1979 to 1981. With 12 tracks total, my favorites on this one are: #1 (Movements of Jah), #2 (Movements in Dub), and #5 (Girlfriend). Jah Thomas chants an intro on "Girlfriend" and a couple of other tracks which makes this disc almost like a re-mix compilation. Scientist has put in work on the dub tracks that you'll find alternating with their vocal counterpart a la Barry Brown. This CD is from the Abraham label in Canada and lists Jah Thomas as the producer. This is a well put together set for the reggae fans seeking-out alternate versions of their favorite songs. Enjoy !!!

Ah Who Seh Go Deh? / Leggo! Ah-Fi-We-Dis : Dennis Bovell/4th Street Orchestra

2008-06-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting set of 2 albums on one disc from Dennis Bovell. With 20 tracks total, the albums "Ah Who Seh Go Deh?" and "Leggo! Ah-Fi-We-Dis" are crammed together for our listening pleasure. This material was originally released across the pond in England back in 1976. Featuring the classic dub sounds of the 1970's, Dennis Bovell had put together a double set of dubplates and instrumental versions once used in the sound system scenes of England. You'll here the same rhythm a few times with the vocals taken away or some dub effects added, but the versions will be alternated throughout the track list, not back-to-back. My favorites on this one are #2 (Za-Ion) and it's dubbed-out counterpart #4 (Half-ay to Za-Ion), #9 (Rite Dem), and #16 (Ah-Fi-We-Dis) with a mean horns riff and bouncing bass line. My copy of this disc is a remaster from EMI records "The Front Line" series and was imported from the UK. This is a good solid roots, dub, and instrumental album for reggae aficionados that like multiple versions battling for the top spot on their hit list.

Dis A Yard Dub : Linval Thompson meets King Tubby

2008-06-09T19:52:00.000-07:00

This album is classic King Tubby's sound. Clean and precise studio work with just a touch of vocal on each track. With 16 tracks total, the work on this one is mostly 1970's roots dub. Off of Abraham ( a Canadian label) it list King Tubby as the "mixing engineer" and Linval Thompson as the "producer". My favorites on this one are #2 (She's Got You), #4 ( Half as Much), #5 (What Ever Happened), and #16 (Heartaches). A pretty solid disc from start to finish and a good dub set to have in your book.

Reggae Sunsplash 2 - DVD -

2008-05-31T09:32:00.001-07:00

This is a DVD "Video" from Columbia and features stage performances from: Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, and Third World. All of the concert footage was taken in 1979, Montego Bay, Jamaica. You're basically watching a VHS recorded on to a DVD. It's almost two hours long and the little interviews and street shots of everyday life in Jamaica keep the show moving. There are some great interviews explaining Rastafari and the Reggae movement of the time. The short interview with Burning Spear is great and his performance of "Call on You" is the musical highlight for me. There's also a nice scene of two ganjamen sitting pon the hillside of plants and talking of the situation of the people and the love of Ganja. Kind of old school, but a good DVD to watch with some of our favorite roots artists. My copy has some Japanese writing on it and the interviews have Japanese subtitles, but the credits for the production staff seem to be German names. All of the Interviews and narration are in English.

The Red Sea : Augustus Pablo

2008-05-26T17:03:00.001-07:00

This is an interesting Augustus Pablo album featuring mostly early workings with Herman Chin Loy on the Aquarius label from 1970 - 1973. The Red Sea features that original rockers sound we all love from the early seventies. It has classics like "East of the River Nile" and "The Red Sea". My favorite tracks on this one are #2 (Iggy Iggy), with it's slow and easy melody, #5 (Song of the East), and #14 (Darker Shade of Red) which features a mean horn section that commands your attention. Most of the tracks were recorded at Randy's Kingston Jamaica and feature legendary instrumental talents like Santa Davis, Familyman Barrett, Bobby Ellis, and Tommy McCook. Many of the songs on this one have a deejay intro that runs well in to the track. A brief liner note write-up on the works of Pablo written by Paul Coote rounds out this album. My copy of this CD was released through the Black Solidarity label more recently. I'm a huge Augustus Pablo fan and I'm constantly searching for new tracks and lost versions. Let me know what your favorite songs and discs are ...........