Reggae (Raggamuffin)Yoga News

Reggae is on the move! All over the world, roots people have the vibe and spread it around to every corner of the earth. One can find Bob Marley (reggae's ambassador)

Remember, you can open the BigUpRadio live Reggae and Dub stream. You can click on the links above and listen to reggae while you are on line. Remember to scroll down a bit in the new window to activate the music. Enjoy!

Reggae Ragga Yoga continues wherever i go, and i and i hope that lovers of yoga and reggae continue to spread it around in a creative way. I can recommend the records of Dennis Brown (see picture below) to help you get in the mood, because 'No Man is an Island' and that counts for you ladies too!

The 'Crown Prince' of reggae, Dennis Brown, in a contemplative mood...

Reggae and Yoga Together At Last!

Reggae and yoga have tons in common, if you know it or not! Reggae is great music to practice asanas to, for it give a relaxed and mellow vibe to the practice, and keeps the heart happy and light. Roots music is made by Rastafarians and is in keeping with the naturalistic, shanti life that they cultivate. This Rasta life is in tune with the elements, the earth and the plants (esp. the herb that grew on the grave of King Solomon!).

This is the essence of the life of the yogis and Tantrics as well. They, too, try to live in harmony with the natural world and shun the type of life which takes one away from this oneness with all things. The reggae music, much like Indian classical music, is based on harmony and meditation. Rastas also preach certain attitudes about living life which closely resemble the Yamas and Niyamas of the yogis.

Here are a few roads you can explore with regards to great reggae music, there are so so so many it's hard to choose, but it's a start!

The classic group Black Uhuru (which means 'black freedom'). In this incarnation (my favorite) Puma Jones was in the group (centre) with Ducky Simpson (left) and the amazing Michael Rose (left). Rose is still making wonderful music and some of my favorite recordings of the last few years are by him. Check Dem...

A big star at the moment is Queen Ifrica, also called 'Fyah Mummah', the mother that brings the fire! Her songs are beautiful, her themes conscious and her delivery powerful. She can do dancehall as well as roots, love songs, ganja songs, etc, etc.... A beautiful roots sista in every way! Here is a vid for you below... truly she is a goddess, we love to watch her shop for food!

Breaking News:

 23 June 2011

Buju Banton sentenced to 10 years in prison

Grammy-award-winning star Buju Banton has been sentenced to 10 years in jail in the US for his role in setting up a cocaine deal in 2009.
The singer, whose real name is Mark Myrie, was told at Tampa federal court that he must serve five years' probation following prison.
Previously the Dancehall artist had insisted in court that he had been merely boasting about the deal. Prosecutors conceded he had never put money into a deal or profitted from it.

His record Before the Dawn won best reggae album at the Grammy Awards ceremony earlier this year.
In February the star was convicted of conspiracy to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute it, along with a further drug trafficking offence and a gun charge. He was acquitted of a fourth charge for attempted cocaine possession.

It was Banton's second trial - his first ended in September when the jury was unable to reach a verdict. Much of the case hinged on video and audio recordings taken by an informant and by Drug Enforcement Administration personnel. The informant was paid $50,000 (£31,000) after Banton's arrest in December 2009, along with two others.

One video shown to the jury showed Banton apparently tasting cocaine in a Florida warehouse.
A co-defendant later gave the informant $135,000 (£83,705). He and another man pleaded guilty to drug charges in the case.

Luciano: Reggae Roots Star

Luciano (real name Jepther McClymont OD, born October 20, 1964 in Jamaica) is a Jamaican roots reggae artist.

He first began recording in 1992, with his debut single "Ebony & Ivory" on the Aquarius Record label and followed with his debut album 'Moving Up' for RAS records in 1993. Luciano is the seventh of nine children and was born to extremely spiritual and musical parents while growing up in Daveyton, a small district in the central parish of Manchester, Jamaica.

His birthdate has been more listed as 1974 and sometimes in the month of November rather than October.[1][2] Some sources say he was born in 1964.

Career

Luciano's music is influenced by Stevie Wonder, Frankie Paul and late reggae singer Dennis Brown. It was later on that he changed his stage name to Luciano while often being referred to as "Jah Messenjah" and also at around that time collaborating with Fattis Burell's Xterminator label where he developed his conscious roots aspect. After recording several LPs for Burell he recorded a set for Island records before starting an independent career recording. Luciano's most recent work to date is his album 'Jah Words' (released worldwide April 26 2005 on the RAS records label) which features such singles as the romantic 'Angel Heart' and the political 'Cry for Justice', the album also features his heavenly single with a distinctable thumping dancehall beat named 'Why Should I' with backup vocals by Shelene Thomas, Luciano even recorded a video for 'Why Should I' not widely known commercially but notably a dancehall classic like many.

After voicing several covers for the Producer Sky High, Luciano released "Give My Love A Try," which was produced at Castro Brown's New Name Studio and was a hit in Jamaica. It was there that Luciano met Freddie McGregor the former Studio One child star who had become an International Reggae Superstar. Joining McGregor's Big Ship production company, Luciano began creating cultural, conscious reggae that reflected his religious and social concerns. Again in 1993, Luciano scored a #1 UK reggae hit with the song "Shake It Up Tonight" but Luciano says, "I didn't see myself going in that pattern, singing love songs, dressed in a felt hat, looking smooth. It looked very splashy".

Luciano is an award-winning artist and although his object is to stay humble, he has received numerous awards including 'Most Spiritual and Educative Singer' and Mandela's 'Most Cultural Artist'. He even received a plaque from the Jamaican government to encourage him in the work he is doing[citation needed].

Doing good works are not confined to just music for Luciano, as he is a firm believer that he should be a positive role model. He says "I've never stooped low and I'm not gonna bow to Babylon and no matter how much me angry bout certain tings, me nah come pon stage and express myself inna no negativeness". As a messenger, Luciano always strives to be true and righteous as he delivers the word of Jah. He says, "I cannot become egotistical about it"[citation needed].

He was awarded the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer on October 15, 2007, in recognition of his contribution to reggae music.[5]

In July 2009, Luciano paid his respects to fellow musician Michael Jackson by releasing a Reggae tribute of Jackson's iconic song, "We are the World" on LionI Records. The original song was recorded by many famous musicians and actors of the 1980's and raised money through the USA for Africa charity for hunger and AIDS relief.

Legal Difficulty

Associated Press USA - 03/30/2009 10:34:41 PM

Jamaican police say they have charged reggae singer Luciano with harboring a fugitive who shot and wounded three patrolmen while holed up inside the Grammy-nominated musician's home last week.

Police Superintendent McArthur Sutherland said the 44-year-old Rastafarian was charged Monday and released after posting bail.

Luciano, whose real name is Jepther McClymont, and his attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.

A police statement said the hourlong standoff last week ended with the fugitive gunman, Andrew Senior, being killed at Luciano's home in Kingston. Two of the injured officers still are hospitalized. The other officer was released.

 Albums

• United States of Africa, (2010)
• Jah Is My Navigator, (2008)
• God Is Greater than Man, (2007)
• Child of a King, (2006)
• Jah Words, (2005)
• Serious Times, (2004)
• Visions, (2003)
• Serve Jah, (2003)
• Great Controversy, (2001)
• A New Day, (2001)
• Live, (2000)
• Sweep Over My Soul, (1999)
• "Messenger", 1997
• Where There Is Life, (1995)
• After All, (1995)
• One Way Ticket, (1994)

VS: Luciano Pavarotti, Italian Tenor

Luciano Pavarotti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI (12 October 1935 – 6 September 2007) was an Italian operatic tenor, who also crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most commercially successful tenors of all time. He was one of "The Three Tenors" and became well-known for his televised concerts and media appearances. Pavarotti was also noted for his charity work on behalf of refugees and the Red Cross, amongst others.

Pavarotti began his professional career as a tenor in 1961 in Italy. In 1961, he made his first international appearance in La Traviata in Belgrade, Serbia[1]. He sang in opera houses in addition to Italy, in the Netherlands, Vienna, London, Ankara, Budapest and Barcelona. The young tenor earned valuable experience and recognition while touring Australia at the invitation of soprano Joan Sutherland in 1965. He made his US debut in Miami soon afterwards, also on Sutherland's recommendation. His position as a leading lyric tenor was consolidated in the years between 1966 and 1972, during which time he first appeared at Milan's La Scala and other major European houses. In 1968, he debuted at New York City's Metropolitan Opera as Rudolfo in Puccini's La Bohème. At the Met in 1972, in the role of Tonio in Donizetti "La Fille du Régiment" he earned the title "King of the high Cs" when he sang the aria "Ah mes amis ... pour mon âme". He gained worldwide fame for the brilliance and beauty of his tone, especially into the upper register.[2] He was at his best in bel canto operas, pre-Aida Verdi roles and Puccini works such as La Bohème, Tosca and Madama Butterfly. The late 1970s and 1980s saw Pavarotti continue to make significant appearances in the world's foremost opera houses.

Celebrity beyond the world of opera came to Pavarotti at the 1990 World Cup in Italy with performances of Puccini's Nessun Dorma, from Turandot, and as one of "The Three Tenors" in their famed first concert held on the eve of the tournament's final match. He sang on that occasion with fellow star tenors Plácido Domingo and José Carreras, bringing opera highlights to a wider audience. Appearances in advertisements and with pop icons in concerts furthered his international celebrity.

His final performance in an opera was at the Metropolitan in March 2004. Later that year, the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) inducted him into its Italian American Hall of Fame in recognition of his lifetime of work. During a ceremony held at the Foundation's Anniversary Gala just four days after his 69th birthday, singer Faith Hill presented Pavarotti with a birthday cake and sang "Happy Birthday" to the opera legend.

The 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, saw him on stage for the last time, where Pavarotti performed Nessun dorma, with the crowd serving as the aria's chorus, and he received a thunderous standing ovation.[3] On Thursday 6 September 2007, he died at home in Modena from pancreatic cancer, aged 71.

He made numerous recordings of complete operas and individual arias, and established himself as one of the finest tenors of the 20th century.[4

RASTAS AND SADHUS: ONE BLOOD?

  Over many years of listening to Jamaican reggae music and also having ties with Indian yoga and sadhu traditions, I have noticed a fascinating cultural link.  The gradual exposure to Rasta traditions and beliefs through reggae familiarised me with the basic tenants of their creeds and their ways of life.  The same basic thing happened as I did more yoga and spent time with the Indian sadhus, the wandering ascetics who also have a very distinct and powerful way of life.  As I learned more about each way, a number of amazing links started to form in my mind between the two traditions.
Through a unique combination of factors the Jamaican Rastafarians seem to have incorporated elements of Hindu religion and culture, most notably traditions of Tantra and Indian mysticism.  Thus intrigued, I took up a research project at the University of Wisconsin library and tried to discover more concrete links between the two.  I knew I would probably not find the mystical links I was looking for, but historical and cultural would have to do.  Some of the conclusions and links between India and Jamaica are conjectures that I have inferred from the books and the music.  Deeper research would probably necessitate a trip to Westmorland or Clarendon parishes of Jamaica.  Maybe a project for the future!!

History of Slavery in Jamaica

  The British needed to populate the lucrative sugar plantations of the West Indies (misnamed, by the way, by Columbus because he thought he had sailed all the way around to India, the object of his mission).  Africans were enslaved and brought to the British colonies as an inexpensive and expendable labour force. The little island of Jamaica turned out to be a wonderful place to grow sugar cane and a large plantation culture developed.  Numerous slaves were brought from specific parts of West Africa and, more importantly, from specific tribes in (what is now called) Ghana, Nigeria and Congo.

Upon the abolition of slavery in Jamaica in 1845, the  British owned plantations and massive farms were faced with an increasing labour shortage.  Freed slaves had deserted the humiliating life on the plantations and had taken to working small private holdings.  The ones who did stay were demanding higher pay than what the farm owners were willing to pay.  The white, mainly English owners of the plantations needed a new source of experienced agricultural labour.  Without the barbaric system of slavery their choices were quite limited.

Profits in the slavery system were largely dependent upon the pool of inexpensive labour that African blacks provided, many of them experienced in agricultural farm work.  Upon their desertion the farm owners explored various ways to replace them.  It seemed necessary for them to turn to workers outside Jamaica due to the unwillingness of the Afro-Jamaicans to return to the same conditions and jobs that they had worked under slavery.

Thus the plantation owners explored the possibilities of getting indentured servants to come to Jamaica from other places in the British Empire.  Most of the attempts to lure workers to these plantations were unsuccessful or unfeasible due to the high expense or unwillingness of the proposed workforce.  Black African were once again considered due to their strength and fitness but few were willing to volunteer for what was essentially limited slavery.  Even American blacks were courted for the jobs but this scheme, too, proved unsuccessful.

There was also a very large labour pool in the British Empire in the form of China,  but the vast distance between China and Jamaica made the cost prohibitive.  The initial attempt was made with the Chinese and a few did come to Jamaica, but this scheme was soon abandoned as well.  The descendents of Chinese immigrants still maintain a tiny community in Jamaica to this day and are sometimes mentioned in Reggae songs, though usually disparagingly. 

Interestingly, many African immigrants still made their way to Jamaica after the abolition of slavery to work as indentured labourers.  According to Stephen Foehr’s book Jamaican Warriors, Africans continued to come to Jamaica from the Yoruba and Central African tribes between 1841 and 1865. They settled mainly in the area of St. Thomas and brought with them a tradition of ancestral worship which had strong elements of singing and dancing.  The musical basis of most West African music is the drum and voice; many of these ancient rites are still in use today.  They are called Kumina by the local people, but it is little known outside of St. Thomas parish.

Coolies Emigrate to Jamaica from India

  The desperate planters then turned to the largest holding in the Empire’s vast holdings: India, the jewel of the crown.  The discovered that the Indians seemed willing to travel and work under limited contracts in a system called Indentured Servitude.  The terms and conditions were specified (honesty is another matter) and certain Indians agreed to the terms and went to Jamaica.  In 1845 the first boatloads of Indians arrived to work the sugarcane plantations.  Over the next 50 years thousands of Indians come to Jamaica under contract, some returned to India after the expiration of the contracts  and some did not.  Some abandoned the contracts when the learned of the conditions first hand and disappeared into the hills to take up life on their own.

Often conditions and pay were not in accordance with the stipulations in the contracts.  There were protests, marches and occasional violent revolts due to ill treatment of workers by overseers and owners.  These immigrant Indians endured conditions similar to the now abolished slavery system.  They were considered an extremely low caste and were relegated to the bottom of the social ladder; they were nearly on par with the Afro-Jamaicans who were still considered to be low caste despite their ‘freedom’.  Despite ethnicity, the white rulers of Jamaica had deep disdain for the agricultural workers who put the bread on their tables and money in their pockets.  The recent Indian arrivals to Jamaica were thrown together with the former black slaves into the same areas and made to suffer similar conditions of poverty and deprivation.

Indian settlements did not develop apart from the existing Afro-Jamaican communities but were actually assimilated to a large degree.  Incorporation meant a large degree of exchange of culture and language.  Places like Fiji, Guyana and Suriname developed isolated pockets of these Indian immigrants who maintained their own culture and mixed less with the existing populations.  Conditions in Jamaica prevented this; the former slaves and the current ones lived together as one.
The two groups of largely rural, agricultural peoples began to blend together in certain ways, but each had great strength of culture and tradition brought from their homelands.  African traditions survived the devastation of slavery and many African ways remained firmly entrenched in the lives of the freed slaves.  The most notable survivors from Africa that grew and flowered were music, dance and the oral traditions that were such a fundamental part of life in Africa.  The strength of oral tradition kept the heart and soul of Africa alive in the slaves despite every attempt of slave owners to destroy it.  Songs and dances and stories were not just a facet of Jamaican slave life, they were essential for the survival of the people.

Many animist and mystical traditions from Africa remained alive in Afro-Jamaican culture.  In Africa the Gods were many and omnipresent, they existed everywhere and in every part of life, the people and the Gods were connected through nature and the connection of people with the rhythms and pulses of the natural world.  The Rastas eventually called this divine connection JAH (or Jahova) and lumped all the various divine forces into this one, due to the pressures of white Christian monotheism.  The way of connection with nature maintained by the Afro-Jamaicans was seen as the harmonious path of life which brought one closer to JAH;  the established system of oppression and urban society was gradually termed ‘Babylon’ due to biblical influences.
The pressure of the Christian church upon slaves eventually yielded a large number of black converts and a western style approach to religion, but only to a degree.  Many parts of the Christian mythos were adopted to suit the ways and beliefs of the blacks who had not wholly abandoned their African heritage.  Despite the structure of Christian worship and its guiding tome, some independent spirited Jamaicans gradually synthesized a new form of religion called Rastafarianism, which had elements of both the white man’s religion and the spirituality of the African forefathers.
In 1845  the first Indians began to arrive to Jamaica; these were largely people from Chota Nagar in the Bengal Presidency called ‘Hill Coolies’.  They were largely agriculturalists and remained so when they arrived in Jamaica.  Through the 1860’s and 1870’s the immigrants come from Oudh, Northwest Provinces (NWP), Allahabad, Benares, Gorakhpur, Central India and Nepal.  The 1880-90’s again saw many Bengalis and people from NWP, and through the 1900’s more came from U.P. and Oudh.  The immigrants actually composed a fair representation of the north Indian population.  Many followed the agriculturalists in their migration to provide services, assistance and religion but mainly middle and low caste Hindus.  The general scheme of Indentured Servitude ended during the First World War in 1917.

The Tantrics of India and Their General Beliefs

  It should be noted, as we are looking for the source of certain beliefs held by the Rastas, that many of the places in India where immigrants came from were the hotbeds of the naturalist spirituality of Tantra.  The Tantric worshippers tended to come from the lower castes, from mysics and from sadhus who lived outside the structured pale of society.  Tantra has often been a haven for those who have been rejected or cast aside by the predominant social norms; lower caste agricultural workers would probably fit into this category.
One of the most prominent forms of worship for Tantrics is the Goddess Kali, the black Goddess of night and of destruction.  Kali ultimately is the source of all manifest things, regardless of form or shape.  The blackness of Kali is the place where all light resolves, where it comes from and where it returns to.  She is the source of all vibration, which is the essential building block of all other material things.  Thus, when Kali is worshipped, all things are worshiped.  When any single things is worshiped, at its essence is Kali.  The creation forms an unbroken spiral where form emerges from source and returns to source, to Kali.

The working of the dark Goddess also takes many forms in the spiritual evolution of the individual.  A fundamental tenant of Tantra equates the outer and the inner as simply different degrees on a continuous scale.  Within and without are illusions of the lower, ‘i’ mind which thrives on separation.  As one comes into union (or ‘yoga’) with the inner forces of mind and energy they become harmonized.  Not only does the harmony occur within, but gradually seeks its expression in the outer. Outer harmony then effects its events upon the inner self and the cycle is completed; the next cycle is then intensified and builds upon itself.  This is the power of Tantrism and of spiritual work in general- internal power and understanding unfolds over time.
To the internal quest, Kali is the source of destruction of the forces of ignorance which prevent understanding and thus prevent connection.  To the uninitiated, this is a very fearsome prospect: for what would we be left with when our ignorance shatters?  Kali strikes fear into the hearts of the wicked and the ignorant because they see only themselves dying, but not the regeneration of the soul that Kali bestows after the dark night of the soul. One must pass through the fires and be burn to cinders and then rise again, as the phoenix rises from the ashes. Yes, Kali is the cause of all ‘misfortune’ and those of limited mind see the beginning as the end.
The work does not end there, however.  With deep and meaningful inner work, one can be ready to take the hard lessons of Kali, turn them and transform them.  Through careful preparation and right living the end actually becomes the beginning of something far greater.  Gradually it dawns upon the purified mind that wrong perception was the root cause of fear, and Kali embodies the greatest fear.  Perception then transforms, both of the self and of the nature of the Goddess’ powers.

When one comes into right connection internally, the powers of nature gradually reveal themselves as simply larger manifestations of powers which already exist within us. Her worship often manifests as an expression of reverence for the intense powers of nature.  Tantrism forges a deeper connection with the elements, lightning and thunder, fire and water, air, earth and space. To connect with nature is to connect with a fundamental and vital force; nature worship puts the small, selfish thoughts aside in favour of a mind of vastness and awe.  Awe then dawns in the heart, and there can be nothing but reverence and wonder for all things.  How can one continue to act selfishly when Kali has granted vision in the heart that is a connection with every atom and elephant, wind and whale?

Sadhus and seekers also closely resemble Rastas, in their natural clothes, shining eyes and dreadlocks. Part of the life is also an intoxication which brings one into greater communion with the natural world. This may include smoking ganja and hashish which creates a greater sense of shanti (yoga) or irie (Rasta) and facilitates meditation. The word ganja is commonly used, meaning marijuana. Ganja is actually the Hindi word 'Ganga', which is the life giver, the holiest of rivers in India. Ganja originally came from this area, but was brought to Jamaica by Indian laborers. The sacrament of ganja is a gift of the goddess Ganga, to be used for prosperity and peace. People who live lives in communion with nature often find that ganja is a great tool to expand consciousness and the Rastas are no exceptions.

Both Rastas and Sadhus/Yogis like to keep fit and have healthy and strong bodies. Eating well is also a very important part of life. Rastas have what they call 'ital' food, which means it is nutritious and full of life. Sadhus also take care what they eat, and try to eat clean and wholesome food. Bathing in rivers is also important to both groups, which is the most natural and healthy way to bathe.

The Music

Music and song also play a very important role, for music conveys the spiritual feeling better than any other form of expression. It is beautiful, spontanious and completely in the moment. When the song is over, the music is gone; nothing can be saved or kept. It is pure experience. With Sadhus, often music takes the form of mantras, aartis (morn and eve worship), kirtans and bhajans. These musics come in the forms of prayers which can easily be sung by most people. They are commonly heard and sung by millions.

Reggae music is very often about spiritual subjects and life lessons. Many times the songs explore parts of life which are difficult or imbalanced, which life hard and unpleasent. They do not leave it just as a complaint, however, the also give the solution to the problem through verses from the holy books, through popular proberbs or by pleas to Jah, the Mighty Ruler.The power of the music helps to convey the message more powerfully.

Many people think of Reggae music as singing only about ganja smoking and 'Babyon', which stand for injustice and wrong action. Babylon is also called 'The System' (or 'The Shit-stem' sometimes), which are all the forces of ignorance which promote greed, fighting and vanity.

The medium for transmitting the message in the early days of reggae was the 'Sound System' a travelling mobile club that played the hits of the day to villages, towns and cities all over Jamaica. Below is one such sound system.

Singers and Players of Instruments

Here is a little guide to some of the more spiritual of the Jamaican singers and musicians. I may even suggest certain albums which are particularly good.

Augustus Pablo

One of the most etherial, spiritual, mysical people to ever play reggae music.His main insturment was the melodica, a plastic wind instrument with a keyboard. He took was was almost a children's toy and made it into a thing of great beauty. He invented the 'Far East Sound' which utilized lots of minor chords and floating, dubbed out melodies that put one into a mysical trance.

Horace Swaby (June 21, 1953 – May 18, 1999), better known as Augustus Pablo, was a Jamaican roots reggae and dub record producer and keyboardist, active from the 1970s onwards. He was known for his devotion to the spiritual Rastafari movement. (Taken from Wikipedia)

He was born in St. Andrew, Jamaica and learned to play the organ in Kingston College School. It was at that point an unnamed girl lent him the melodica. Fascinated by the instrument, Pablo rarely put it down. He also met Herman Chin Loy, who after working at his cousin Leslie Kong's Beverley's record shop, had set up his own Aquarius store in Half Way Tree. Swaby recorded early tracks including "Higgi Higgi", "East of the River Nile", "Song of the East", and "The Red Sea" between 1971 and 1973 for Chin-Loy's Aquarius Records.[1] The name Augustus Pablo had previously been used by the producer for many of the discs he produced featuring a keyboards player,[2] and Swaby took the name for this recording.

"East of the River Nile", a unique blend of East Asian and Jamaican sounds, became a moderate hit. Augustus Pablo popularised the use of the melodica (an instrument used primarily to teach children music in the Jamaican public schools) in reggae music. He soon joined Now Generation (Mikey Chung's band) and played the keyboard with them while his friend, Clive, began his own career as a record producer. Pablo and Chin recorded "Java" (1972) together,[1] as soon as Pablo quit Now Generation and Clive was able to get the studio time. The instrumental was a massive hit, and launched Pablo's solo career. He recorded with Chin and various others, including Leonard Chin, his uncle, and Lee Perry. He scored another smash hit with "My Desire" (John Holt).

Pablo formed labels Hot Stuff, Message and Rockers (named after his brother's soundsystem, Rockers), and released a steady stream of well-received instrumentals, mostly versions of older hits from Studio One. In spite of his success with Rockers, Pablo's seminal 1974 album, This Is Augustus Pablo was recorded with Clive and Pat Chin. This was followed by a collaboration with the legendary reggae engineer King Tubby to great acclaim, releasing 1975's Ital Dub.

In the later 1970s, Pablo produced a steady stream of hits, including the hit "Black Star Liner" (Fred Locks). He also worked with Dillinger, Norris Reid, I-Roy, Jacob Miller, Te -Track, The Immortals, Paul Blackman, Earl Sixteen, Roman Stewart, Lacksley Castell, The Heptones, Bob Marley, Ricky Grant, Delroy Williams, Junior Delgado, Horace Andy and Freddy McKay. This period was eventually commemorated with critically acclaimed LPs including King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown (1976) and Hugh Mundell's classic Africa Must be Free by 1983. This was followed by East of the River Nile (1978), Original Rockers (1979) and Rockers Meets King Tubby in a Firehouse, another acclaimed hit album.

In the 1980s, Pablo's career slowed significantly. In 1980, he could be seen in the documentary D.O.A. (1980 film). He had begun to establish an American audience and released Rising Sun in 1986 to good reviews and sales. Pablo also produced memorable hits, including "Ragamuffin Year" (Junior Delgado), "Humble Yourself" (Asher & Tremble) and "Far Far Away" (Ricky Grant). In addition, Pablo toured extensively throughout the world, making a memorable live album in Tokyo in 1987. That same year, Rockers Come East re-established his career and he began to release a series of critically acclaimed though somewhat inaccessible albums in the 1990s, including Blowing With the Wind and also producing several, such as Night & Day (Dawn Penn) and Jah Made Them All (Yami Bolo).

Augustus Pablo died as a result of a collapsed lung on 18 May 1999[3]. He had been suffering for some time from the nerve disorder Myasthenia gravis. In the summer of 2008, The Mystic World of Augustus Pablo: The Rockers Story (box set) was released which includes 4 discs, biography booklet, and DVD - video footage.He has a daughter named Isis, and a son named Addis. They are working on their music careers while attending college. Addis Swaby has a music group in Jamaica.

Selected discography

• Red Sea 1973
• This Is Augustus Pablo 1973
• Ital Dub 1974
• King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown 1976
• East of the River Nile 1978
• Original Rockers 1979
• Africa Must Be Free Dub 1979
• Rockers Meets King Tubby in a Firehouse 1981
• Earth's Rightful Ruler 1983
• Thriller 1974
• King David's Melody 1982
• Rising Sun 1986
• Rebel Rock Reggae 1986
• Rockers Come East 1987
• Eastman Dub 1988
• Presents Rockers Story 1989
• Blowing with the Wind 1990
• Presents Rockers International Showcase 1991
• El Rockers 2000
• JAH Inspiration 2001
• In Fine Style 2003
• The Great Pablo 2001
• The Essential Augustus Pablo 2005
• Skanking With Pablo 2003
• Meets Lee Perry 2002
• Dubbing With The Don 2002
• Authentic Golden Melodies 1992

Look for 'King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown' or 'East of the River Nile' or 'Original Rockers'. Amazing!

Prince Far I

Prince Far I is called 'The Voice of Thunder' and for good reason. His hard hitting, preaching style was delivered in a gritty baritone voice all his own. He held justice and righteousness in high regard and many of his songs are song for the suffering of the people in the ghetto or injustice by 'The System'. His messages often take their source in the Old Testiment bible, and Prince Far I is the preacher of the church of Jah. His is certainly not the most melodic sound, but the power behind his music has spread his work far and wide, even though he was never a huge success on the Jamaican music scene. The messages hold as much power as they ever have. He did a lot of work with Dub Syndicate in the UK later in his career, which helped spread his popularity.

Lee 'Scratch' Perry, the Madman of Reggae

(Taken from Wikipedia)

Lee "Scratch" Perry (born Rainford Hugh Perry, on 20 March 1936, in Kendal, Jamaica) is a musician, who has been highly influential in the development and acceptance of reggae and dub music in Jamaica and overseas. He employs numerous pseudonyms, such as Pipecock Jackxon and The Upsetter.

Perry's musical career began in the late 1950s as a record seller for Clement Coxsone Dodd's sound system. As his sometimes turbulent relationship with Dodd developed, he found himself performing a variety of important tasks at Dodd's Studio One hit factory, going on to record nearly 30 songs for the label. Disagreements between the pair due to personality and financial conflicts, a recurring theme throughout Perry's career, led him to leave the studio and seek new musical outlets. He soon found a new home at Joe Gibbs's Amalgamated Records.

Working with Joe Gibbs, Perry continued his recording career but, once again, financial problems caused conflict. Perry broke ranks with Gibbs and formed his own label, Upsetter, in 1968. His first single "People Funny Boy", which was an insult directed at Gibbs, sold very well. It is notable for its innovative use of a sample (a crying baby) as well as a fast, chugging beat that would soon become identifiable as "reggae" (the new kind of sound which was given the name "Steppers"). From 1968 until 1972 he worked with his studio band The Upsetters. During the 1970s, Perry released numerous recordings on a variety of record labels that he controlled, and many of his songs were popular in both Jamaica and the UK. He soon became known for his innovative production techniques as well as his eccentric character.

In the early 1970s, Perry was one of the producers whose mixing board experiments resulted in the creation of dub. In 1973, Perry built a studio in his back yard, The Black Ark, to have more control over his productions and continued to produce notable musicians such as Bob Marley & the Wailers, Junior Byles, Junior Murvin, The Heptones, The Congos and Max Romeo. With his own studio at his disposal, Perry's productions became more lavish, as the energetic producer was able to spend as much time as he wanted on the music he produced. Virtually everything Perry recorded in The Black Ark was done using basic recording equipment; through sonic sleight-of-hand, Perry made it sound unique. Perry remained behind the mixing desk for many years, producing songs and albums that stand out as a high point in reggae history.

By 1978, stress and unwanted outside influences began to take their toll: both Perry and The Black Ark quickly fell into a state of disrepair. Eventually, the studio burned to the ground. Perry has constantly insisted that he burned the Black Ark himself in a fit of rage. After the demise of the Black Ark in the early 1980s, Perry spent time in England and the United States, performing live and making erratic records with a variety of collaborators. It was not until the late 1980s, when he began working with British producers Adrian Sherwood and Neil Fraser (who is better known as Mad Professor), that Perry's career began to get back on solid ground again. Perry also has attributed the recent resurgence of his creative muse to his deciding to quit drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis. Perry stated in an interview that he wanted to see if "it was the smoke making the music or Lee Perry making the music. I found out it was me and that I don't need to smoke."[1]

In 1998 Perry reached a wider global audience as vocalist on two tracks of the Beastie Boys' album Hello Nasty.

Perry now lives in Switzerland with his wife Mireille and two children. Although he celebrated his 70th birthday in 2006, he continues recording and performing to enthusiastic audiences in Europe and North America. His modern music is a far cry from his reggae days in Jamaica; many now see Perry as more of a performance artist in several respects. In 2003, Perry won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album with the album Jamaican E.T.. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Perry #100 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[2] More recently, he teamed up with a group of Swiss musicians and performed under the name Lee Perry and the White Belly Rats, and made a brief visit to the United States using the New York City based group Dub Is A Weapon as his backing band. Currently there are two feature length movies made about his life and work: Volker Schaner's "Vision Of Paradise" and "The Upsetter" by filmmakers Ethan Higbee and Adam Bhala Lough.

After meeting Andrew W.K. at SXSW in 2006, Perry invited him to co-produce his forthcoming album Repentance. The album, released on the 19th of August 2008, on Narnack Records, features several guest artists including Moby, Ari Up of The Slits, producer Don Fleming, drummer Brian Chippendale of Lightning Bolt, bassist Josh Werner of Matisyahu, and adult entertainer Sasha Grey.

In 2008, Perry reunited with producer Adrian Sherwood on an album called The Mighty Upsetter. Unlike the dancehall/pop oriented Repentance, The Mighty Upsetter returned to the dub/reggae styles for which Perry is known. In 2009 he collaborated with Dubblestandart on their Return from Planet Dub album.

Albums

• The Upsetter (1969)
• Return of Django (1969)
• Clint Eastwood (1970)
• Many Moods of the Upsetters (1970)
• Scratch the Upsetter Again (1970)
• The Good, the Bad and the Upsetters (1970)
• Eastwood Rides Again (1970)
• Africa's Blood (1972)
• Cloak and Dagger (1973)
• Rhythm Shower (1973)
• Upsetters 14 Dub Blackboard Jungle aka Blackboard Jungle Dub (1973)

Black Ark era

• • Double Seven (1974)
  • DIP Presents the Upsetter (1975)
  • Musical Bones (1975)
  • Return of Wax (1975)
  • Kung Fu Meets the Dragon aka Heart of the Dragon (1975)
  • Revolution Dub (1975)
  • Super Ape aka Scratch the Super Ape (1976)
  • Roast Fish Collie Weed & Corn Bread (1978)
  • Return of the Super Ape (1978)

• The Return of Pipecock Jackxon (1980)
• Mystic Miracle Star (with the Majestics) (1982)
• History, Mystery & Prophecy (1984)
• Battle Of Armagideon (Millionaire Liquidator) (1986)
• Time Boom X De Devil Dead (with Dub Syndicate) (1987)
• On the Wire (1988)
• Satan Kicked the Bucket (with Bullwackie) (1988)
• Chicken Scratch (1989)
• Mystic Warrior (1989)
• Mystic Warrior Dub (with Mad Professor) (1989)
• From The Secret Laboratory (with Dub Syndicate) (1990)
• Message From Yard (with Bullwackie) (1990)
• Satan's Dub (with Bullwackie) (1990)
• Lord God Muzik (1991)
• Sounds From The Hotline (1991)
• The Upsetter and The Beat (1992)
• Excaliburman (1992)
• Spiritual Healing (1994)
• Black Ark Experryments (with Mad Professor) (1995)
• Experryments at the Grass Roots of Dub (with Mad Professor) (1995)
• Super Ape Inna Jungle (with Mad Professor) (1995)
• Who Put The Voodoo Pon Reggae (with Mad Professor) (1996)
• Dub Take the Voodoo Out of Reggae (Mad Professor with Lee Perry) (1996)
• Dub Fire (with Mad Professor) (1998)
• The Original Super Ape (1998)
• Son of Thunder (2000)
• Songs to Bring Back the Ark (2000)
• Techno Party (2000)
• Jamaican E.T. (2002)
• Earthman Skanking (2003)
• Encore (2003)
• Alien Starman (2003)
• Panic in Babylon (2004)
• Alive, more than ever (2006)
• End of an American Dream (2007)
• The Mighty Upsetter (2008)
• Repentance (2008)
• Scratch Came Scratch Saw Scratch Conquered (2008)
• Dub Setter (with Adrian Sherwood) (2009)
• Mad Alien Dub (2010)

Dub music

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dub is a genre of music[1] which grew out of reggae music in the 1960's, and is commonly considered a subgenre[2], though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae. Music in this genre consists predominantly of instrumental remixes of existing recordings[3] and is achieved by significantly manipulating and reshaping the recordings, usually by removing the vocals from an existing music piece, emphasizing the drum and bass parts (this stripped down track is sometimes referred to as a 'riddim'). Other techniques include dynamically adding extensive echo, reverb, panoramic delay, and occasional dubbing of vocal or instrumental snippets from the original version or other works. Dub also sometimes features electronically generated sound effects, or the use of distinctive instruments such as the melodica.[citation needed]
Dub was pioneered by Osbourne "King Tubby" Ruddock, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Errol Thompson and others[2] in the late 1960s. Similar experiments with recordings at the mixing desk were also done by producers Clive Chin and Herman Chin Loy.[4] These producers, especially Ruddock and Perry, looked upon the mixing desk as an instrument, manipulating tracks to come up with something new and different.
Dub has influenced many genres of music, including rock (most significantly the sub-genre of post-punk and other kinds of punk[5]), pop,[6] hip hop,[5] disco, and, later, house[7], techno[7], ambient[7], and trip hop[7]; it has become a base for jungle/drum'n'bass[8][9] and dubstep.[10] Today, the word 'dub' is used widely to describe the re-formatting of music of various genres into typically instrumental, rhythm-centric adaptations.

The term

The verb dub is defined as making a copy of one recording to another. The process used by Jamaican producers when making dubs was to use previously recorded material, modify the material, and subsequently record it to a new master mix, in effect transferring or "dubbing" the material.[11] The term dub had multiple meanings in Jamaica around the time of the music's origin. The most frequent meanings referred to either a form of erotic dance or sexual intercourse;[12] such usage is frequently present in names of reggae songs, for instance, of The Silvertones' "Dub the Pum Pum" (where pum pum is Jamaican slang for female genitalia), Big Joe and Fay's "Dub a Dawta" (dawta is Jamaican slang for girlfriend). I-Roy's "Sister Maggie Breast" features several references on sex:
I man a-dub it on the side
Say little sister you can run but you can't hide
Slip you got to slide you got to open your crothes wide
Peace and love abide
Some musicians, for instance Bob Marley and The Wailers, had their own meaning of the term dub. In concert, the order "dub this one!" meant "put an emphasis on bass and drums". Drummer Sly Dunbar points to a similar interpretation, relating the term dubwise to using only drums and bass.[11] Another possible source was the term dub plate, as suggested by Augustus Pablo.[13] John Corbett has suggested that dub could derive from duppie, a Jamaican patois word for ghost, as illustrated by Burning Spear having named the dub version of his Marcus Garvey album Garvey's Ghost, and by Lee Perry stating that dub is "the ghost in me coming out".[14]

Characteristics

Dub music is characterized by a "version" or "double"[15] of an existing song, often instrumental, using B-sides of 45 RPM records and typically emphasizing the drums and bass for a sound popular in local sound systems. The instrumental tracks are typically drenched in sound effects such as echo, reverberation, with instruments and vocals dropping in and out of the mix. Another hallmark of the dub sound is the prominent use of bass guitar. The music sometimes features other noises, such as birds singing, thunder and lightning, water flowing, and producers shouting instructions at the musicians. It can be further augmented by live DJs. The many-layered sounds with varying echoes and volumes are often said to create soundscapes, or sound sculptures, drawing attention to the shape and depth of the space between sounds as well as to the sounds themselves. There is usually a distinctly organic feel to the music, even though the effects are electronically created.[15][16]
Often these tracks are used for "toasters" rapping heavily rhymed and alliterative lyrics. These are called "DJ Versions". In forms of sound system based reggae, the performer using a microphone is referred to as the "DJ" or "deejay" (where in other genres, this performer might be termed the "MC", meaning "Master of Ceremonies", "Microphone Commander" or "Mic Control"), and the person choosing the music and operating the turntables is called the "selector" (sometimes referred to as the DJ in other genres).
A major reason for producing multiple versions was economic; a record producer could use a recording he owned to produce numerous versions from a single studio session. A version was also an opportunity for a producer or remix engineer to experiment and vent their more creative side. The version was typically the B-side of a single, and used for experimenting and providing something for DJs to talk over, while the A-side was more often the dedicated to the original vocal-oriented track. In the 1970s, LP albums of dub tracks were produced, often simply the dub version of an existing vocal LP, but sometimes a selection of original instrumental tracks produced in dub style for which no vocals existed.[17]

History

Dub music and toasting introduced a new era of creativity in reggae music. From their beginning, toasting and dub music developed together and influenced each other. The development of sound system culture influenced the development of studio techniques in Jamaica,[18] and the earliest DJs, including Duke Reid and Prince Buster among others, were toasting over instrumental versions of reggae and developing instrumental reggae music.[19]

"Versions" and experiments with studio mixing (Late 1960s)

In 1968, Kingston, Jamaica sound system operator Ruddy Redwood went to Duke Reid's Treasure Isle studio to cut a one-off dub plate. Engineer Byron Smith left the vocal track out by accident, but Redwood kept the result and played it at his next dance with his deejay Wassy toasting over the rhythm.[20] The instrumental record excited the people at the sound system and they started singing lyrics of the vocal track over the instrumental. The invention was a success, and Ruddy needed to play the instrumental continuously for half an hour to an hour that day.[21] The next day Byron Lee who was a witness to this, told King Tubby that they needed to make some more instrumental tracks, as "them people love" them, and they dubbed out vocals from "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" by Slim Smith. Because of King Tubby's innovate approach, the resulting instrumental track was more than just a track without a voice - King Tubby interchanged the vocals and the instrumental, playing the vocals first, then playing the riddim, then mixing them together. From this point on, they started to call such tracks "versions".[21] Another source puts 1967 and not 1968 as the initial year of the practice of putting instrumental versions of reggae tracks to the B-side of records.[22]
At Studio One the initial motivation to experiment with instrumental tracks and studio mixing was correcting the riddim until it had a "feel", so a singer, for instance, could comfortably sing over it.[21]
Another reason to experiment with mixing was rivalry among sound systems. Sound systems' sound men wanted the tracks they played at dances to be slightly different each time, so they would order numerous copies of the same record from a studio, each with a different mix.[23]

Evolution of dub as a sub-genre (1970s)

While some have tried to attribute the "invention" of dub music to a single person, by 1973, through the efforts of several independent and competitive innovators, engineers, and producers, instrumental reggae "versions" from various studios had evolved into "dub" as a sub-genre of reggae.
Errol Thompson engineered the first strictly instrumental reggae album, entitled The Undertaker by Derrick Harriott and the Crystalites, which was released in 1970. This innovative album credits "Sound Effects" to Derrick Harriott.
In 1973, at least three producers, Lee "Scratch" Perry and the Aquarius studio engineer/producer team of Herman Chin Loy and Errol Thompson simultaneously recognized that there was an active market for this new "dub" sound and consequently they started to release the first albums strictly consisting of dub. Lee Perry released Blackboard Jungle Dub in the spring of 1973. It is considered a landmark recording of this genre.
In 1974, Keith Hudson released his classic Pick a Dub, widely considered to have been the first deliberately thematic dub album, with tracks specifically mixed in the dub style for the purpose of appearing together on an LP, and King Tubby released his two debut albums King Tubby Meets the Upsetter at the Grass Roots of Dub and Surrounded by the Dreads at the National Arena.

Recent history (1980–present)

Dub has continued to evolve, its popularity waxing and waning with changes in musical fashion. Almost all reggae singles still carry an instrumental version on the B-side and these are still used by the sound systems as a blank canvas for live singers and DJs. Rastafari DJ Kyle Fartley was one of the original innovators of modern dub heard today.
In the 1980s, Britain became a new centre for dub production with Mad Professor and Jah Shaka being the most famous, while Scientist became a standout artist of the era. It was also the time when dub made its influence known in the work of harder edged, experimental producers such as Adrian Sherwood and the roster of artists on his On-U Sound label. Many bands characterized as post-punk were heavily influenced by dub. Better-known bands such as The Police, The Clash and UB40 helped popularize Dub, with UB40's Present Arms In Dub album being the first Rastafarian dub album to hit the UK top 40.

Musical impact

Influence of dub on popular, electronic, and dance music

From the 1990s forward, dub has been influenced by, and has in turn influenced, techno, jungle, drum and bass, dubstep, house music, punk and post-punk, trip hop, ambient music, and hip hop, with many electronic dub or dubtronica tracks, as well as Ambient dub, produced by nontraditional rastafarian musicians from these other genres. Musicians such as Bill Laswell, Jah Wobble, Jah Acid Dub, Leftfield, Ott, Massive Attack, Bauhaus, The Clash, The Beastie Boys, Asian Dub Foundation, Killing Joke, PiL, the Disco Biscuits, The Orb, Rhythm & Sound, Pole, Deadbeat, Subatomic Sound System, Underworld, De Facto, Sublime, Thievery Corporation, Bandulu Dub, Kruder & Dorfmeister, DJ Spooky, High Tone, Dub All Sense and others demonstrate clear dub influences in their respective genres, and their innovations have in turn influenced the mainstream of the dub genre. In the UK, Europe, Japan, Australia and America, independent record producers continue to produce dub. Before forming The Mars Volta, Omar and Cedric of the post hardcore group At The Drive In, along with friends Ikey Owens and Jeremy Ward, recorded a series of dub albums under the name De Facto. The Polish punk/psychedelic and new wave bands Brygada Kryzys and Republika recorded dub tracks. Yugoslav New Wave outfit Električni Orgazam also experimented with dub music on their album Lišće Prekriva Lisabon. Other dub performers include Serbian dub band Black Ark Crew, Basque dub band Basque Dub Foundation, and Australian live dub outfit The Sunshine Brothers. In 1987, rock band Soundgarden released a dub version of the Ohio Players' song "Fopp" alongside a more traditional rock cover of the song. DJs appeared towards the end of the 1990s who specialised in playing music by these musicians, such as the UK's Unity Dub.

Influence of dub on punk and rock music

Since the inception of dub in the 70s, its history has been intertwined with that of the punk rock scene in the UK. The Clash worked on collaborations involving Jamaican dub reggae creators like Lee Scratch Perry (whose "Police & Thieves", co-written with Junior Murvin, was covered by the Clash on their first album) and Mikey Dread (on the Sandinista album). As well, the English group Ruts DC, a post Malcolm Owen incarnation of the legendary reggae influenced punk group The Ruts, released Rhythm Collision Dub Volume 1 (Roir session), with the expertise of the Mad Professor. Many punk rock bands In the U.S. were exposed to dub via the rasta punk band Bad Brains from D.C., which was established and released their most influential material during the 80s. Dub was adopted by the punk rock camp of the 90s, with bands such as Rancid and NOFX writing original songs in a Dub style. Often bands considered to be Ska-Punk play dub influenced songs; one of the first such bands to become popular was Sublime, whose albums featured both dub originals and remixes. They went on to influence more recent American bands such as Rx Bandits and The Long Beach Dub Allstars. In addition, dub influenced some types of pop, including bands such as No Doubt. No Doubt's most recent album, Rock Steady [1], features an assortment of popular dub sounds like reverb and echoing. As noted by the band themselves, No Doubt is heavily influenced by Jamaican musical aesthetics and production techniques, even recording their Rock Steady [2] album in Kingston, Jamaica, and producing B-sides featuring dub influences on their "Everything In Time B-Sides" album. Some controversy still exists on whether pop-ska bands like No Doubt can regard themselves as a part of dub lineage. Other bands followed in the footsteps of No Doubt, fusing pop-ska and dub influences, such as Save Ferris and Vincent.
There are also some British rastafarian punk bands creating dub music. Capdown released their Civil Disobedients album, featuring the track Dub #1, while Sonic Boom Six and The King Blues take heavy rastafarian influences from dub, mixing the genre with original punk ethics and attitudes.

21st century dub in the roots tradition

Traditional dub has survived and some of the originators of dub such as Lee Perry and Mad Professor continue to produce new material. New artists continue to preserve the traditional dub sound, some with slight modifications but with a primary focus on reproducing the original characteristics of the sound in a live environment. Some of those artists include Dubblestandart from Vienna, Austria (who recorded the album "Return from Planet Dub" in collaboration with, and performs live with, Lee Scratch Perry), New York City artists including Ticklah, also known as Victor Axelrod and Victor Rice, Easy Star All-Stars, Subatomic Sound System(who have remixed material by Lee Scratch Perry and Ari Up), Dub is a Weapon, King Django, and Dr. Israel, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad from Rochester, NY, Heavyweight Dub Champion from San Francisco and Colorado, Future Pigeon from Los Angeles, German artists like Disrupt and Rootah from the Jahtari label, and Twilight Dub Circus from the Netherlands. More eclectic use of dub techniques are apparent in the work of BudNubac, which mixes Cuban bigband with dub techniques. Lee Perry and Mad Professor continue to produce new material. Modern dub producer Ryan "Party" Moore has received critical acclaim for his Twilight Circus project.

Heavyweight Dub Champion, has been headlining festivals in the United States and gaining recognition in Europe. Denver's Westword Magazine awarded their debut album, Survival Guide For The End Of Time, "Best Local Recording" for Colorado in 2003 and describes their style as "a shamanistic wall of hip hop dubtronica".[24] The band is a concept band and has pushed the envelope of the genre, although, according to the LA Weekly, "Their genius is the great virtue of 70's dub: never overdoing it."[25]

Dub and the dubstep movement

A recent evolution in dub is a genre of electronic music called dubstep. Dubstep's early roots are in the more experimental releases of UK garage producers, seeking to incorporate elements of dub reggae into the South London-based 2-step subgenre. Dubstep rhythms are usually syncopated, and often shuffled or incorporating triplets. The tempo usually falls around 70 beats per minute, though it is almost always produced in half time around 140. Dubstep rhythms typically do not follow the four-to-the-floor pattern common to many other styles of electronic dance music, but instead tend to skip beats and repeat sets of two bars rather than single bars.

Impact on remixing

'Dub' has become a term for almost any musical piece that "Utilizes the remixing of prerecorded sound as a mode of artistic expression." Taking the separate entities of a musical track and remixing them into a completely new selection has become a popular process, and can be found in a variety of genres ranging anywhere from hip-hop remixes and mash-ups to metal.

See also

• List of dub artists

References

1. ^ A History of Rock Music: 1951-2000, p.120
2. ^ a b Dub: soundscapes and shattered songs in Jamaican reggae, p.2
3. ^ Chris Roberts, Heavy Words Lightly Thrown: The Reason Behind Rhyme, Thorndike Press,2006 (ISBN 0-7862-8517-6)
4. ^ Larkin, Colin: "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", 1998, Virgin Books, ISBN 0-7535-0242-9
5. ^ a b Dub: soundscapes and shattered songs in Jamaican reggae, p.3
6. ^ Dub: soundscapes and shattered songs in Jamaican reggae, p.4
7. ^ a b c d Dub: soundscapes and shattered songs in Jamaican reggae, p.1
8. ^ Living through pop, p.107
9. ^ Discographies: dance music, culture and the politics of sound, p.79
10. ^ Multi-Ethnic Britain 2000+: New Perspectives in Literature, Film and the Arts, p.263
11. ^ a b Dub: soundscapes and shattered songs in Jamaican reggae, p.62
12. ^ Dub: soundscapes and shattered songs in Jamaican reggae, p.61
13. ^ Great Spirits: Portraits of Life-Changing World Music Artists, p.140
14. ^ Dub, Scratch, and the Black Star, 21C, (24), 1997
15. ^ a b Toop, David. "“Ocean of Sound"". http://www.amazon.com/Ocean-Sound-David-Toop/dp/1852427434.
16. ^ Eshun, Kodwo. "“More Brilliant Than the Sun"". http://www.amazon.com/More-Brilliant-Than-Sun-Adventures/dp/0704380250.
17. ^ History of Dub
18. ^ Dub: soundscapes and shattered songs in Jamaican reggae
19. ^ Cut 'n' mix: culture, identity, and Caribbean music , p.83
20. ^ Dacks, David (2007). "“Dub Voyage"". Exclaim! Magazine. http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/multiarticlesub.aspx?csid1=114&csid2=779&fid1=27342. Retrieved 2007-09-18.
21. ^ a b c Dub: soundscapes and shattered songs in Jamaican reggae, p.52
22. ^ Caribbean popular music: an encyclopedia of reggae, mento, ska, rock steady, p.94
23. ^ Dub: soundscapes and shattered songs in Jamaican reggae, p.53
24. ^ http://www.westword.com/2002-10-24/music/survival-of-the-chillest/
25. ^ http://www.laweekly.com/2006-03-16/music/i-got-riddim/

Further reading

• Du Noyer, Paul (2003). "Dub". The Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music. New York City: Billboard Books. pp. 356–357. ISBN 0-8230-7869-8.

• Veal, Michael E. (2007). Dub: Songscapes and Shattered Songs in Jamaican Reggae. Middletown: Wesleyan University Press.

• Cox and Warner, eds. Audio Culture: Readings in Modern Music. Continuum: 2004.[3] "Replicant: On Dub" by David Toop; Chapter 51, Pages 355-356.

External links

• Dub Echoes A documentary about the influence of dub in today's dance music and hip hop
• Solipsistic NATION No. 109: Echo and Reverberation Podcast - interview with Bruno Natal, director of the Dub Echoes documentary
• Dub-connection A dub music wiki
• Melting Pot Dub A short history of dub
• A History of Dub Footnoted Article
• Dub.com Links to labels, websites and resources
• Talawa Social network dedicated to Roots & Dub Music
• Allmusic article on the history of dub
• A more detailed Allmusic article on the history of dub

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