All the tracks have been unavailable for over 30 years and featured are one of Jamaica’s top session groups, The Roots Radics. The 1980s came and Dancehall music dominated the sound of Jamaican music with a new generation of music makers. One of these was Nkrumah ‘Jah’ Thomas, a talented deejay who came on the scene a few years earlier with some popular 7″ singles produced by various Kingston record label owners. Over the following years Jah Thomas continued at the top of Jamaica’s hierarchy producing and releasing scores of popular recordings by many of Jamaica’s top performers. This 3CD collection brings together a trio of Dub collections that first saw issue over three decades ago and each set comprises material from the early ’80s. Let us now look at a selection of the included tracks.
DISC ONE : JAH THOMAS MEETS KING TUBBY INNA ROOTS OF DUB
1. KING TUBBY’S RUDE BOY DUB. This starts as a full-on slice of Reggae before going into a classic Dub sound. There are some really good guitar and what a way to begin this disc, wonderful. This track can also be found on the album ’30 Years Of Rude Boy Dancehall Dub’. 4. JAH THOMAS RASTAFARIAN DUB. Starting off with a high-pitched ringing sound before some Dub style vocal comes in. This then goes into the usual Dub genre with some oscillating rhythm and more ringing. It is a pleasant enough track. 6. JAH THOMAS SOPPER FISH DUB. This is as Dub as it gets with a longish spoken intro, then there is heavy drumming throughout. The track is nothing special. 9. KING TUBBY’S TWELVE TRIBE DUB. A skanking opening to this and some weird sounds on a slow, pure Dub sound. Again nothing special about this, in fact it is rather boring. Only ever a CD track. 11. KING TUBBY’S SOUND MAN DUB. Slightly more going on hear and a dual talk-over at the start. This backing is more interesting than on the previous track, the vocal comes-and-goes throughout. 14. JAH THOMAS UPTOWN DUB. Starts off with a fine intro before going into a full-blown Dub sound. Heavy drumming is a feature and overall this is Dub at its best. 17. KING TUBBY’S GARAGE MUSIC DUB. Straight into a full-on Dub sound that has some fine rhythm guitar work at times. 19. JAH THOMAS SKANKING DUB. Not much going on during this 3min 42secs of classic Dub. Not a particularly uplifting track to conclude disc one.
DISC TWO : JAH THOMAS MEETS THE ROOTS RADICS
1. HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT DUB. This starts with a longish spoken intro before moving into a mid-tempo sound that comes with some percussion and a full-on rhythm track. Overall this is a good number and keeps the listener interested to the end. 4. SOCIALIST DUB. This comes with an opening vocal before moving into a mid-tempo sound that comes with a familiar rhythm track at various times but is still a full-on Dub recording. 7. KING TUBBY’S RICE & PEASE. This begins with full-on percussion and continues most of the way. The heavy drumming is prominent and although this tends to go around-and-around it does have a catchy feel. 9. MIDWIFE DUB. This is a Dub version of a Reggae track released in 1999 and recorded by Roots Radics. This comes slower than many of the previous tracks and is a full-on Dub sound and it has some percussion at times. Not really that uplifting but another track for true Dub fans. 14. JAMAICAN LABOUR PARTY DUB. A slower number this and a full-on Dub sound. Parts of this consist of just heavy drumming and there is some fine percussion along with some vocal work. This does come as a pleasing Dub recording and one of the best on this disc.
DISC THREE : HIDDEN TREASURE
1. KING TUBBY’S PEARL DUB. A spoken intro takes one into a quirky Dub sound with some oscillation. The rhythm track goes around-and-around and we hear the odd vocal at times throughout, not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. 3. KING TUBBY’S GOLD DUB. This has more going for it than the previous track and comes with some weird sounds throughout. As with most Dub sounds the rhythm track goes around-and-around 5. KING TUBBY’S CROWN DUB. Starting off with a more interesting intro before the usual Dub sound takes over. Some fine percussion work on this. One of the best tracks on this collection. 7. KING TUBBY’S CORAL DUB. This is full-on Dub from the start and a bass drum dominates the rhythm track. Nothing really exciting about this, good Dub sound but not great. 10. KING TUBBY’S SILVER DUB. A full-on Reggae intro with some vocal work. It then moves into a usual Dub sound with oscillation, nothing special but a pleasing sound. 14. KING TUBBY’S HIDDEN TREASURE. Starting off with a strange vocal intro then goes into a Dub sound with some percussion on-and-off. This again goes around-and-around but is certainly more interesting than many of the other tracks on the collection and a pleasing way to conclude this disc and the collection.
CONCLUSION
It is probably true to say that Dub is the most difficult Jamaican music genre to review, having said this one has to say that it has been a big part of the Jamaican music scene since the late ’60s early ’70s. This 3CD collection brings together some of the best Dub recordings to come out of Jamaica and if you are a fan of this genre then it will fit into any Jamaican music collection. Presented as usual by Cherry Red Records to a high standard and at £22 99p it will be good value for many Jamaican music fans.