Blackbeard
The Ring Craft Posse - St Catherine In Dub - Moll Selekta - CD
A very interesting selection of dub - from Blackbeard. Like the vocal
set - the actual origins of some of the tracks - do seem at odds with
known reggae history - but rhythm swapping goes back a long way in
reggae music. Overall these fourteen tracks are not the usual kind of
stuff, the engineering on this comes mainly from Ruddy T - which would
suggest that the bulk of the stuff was probably mixed at Joe Gibbs.
Its hard to say, it doesn't sound like King Tubby's. The rhythms
feature a selection of musicians including Sly and Miky Boo on drums,
Robbie and Lloyd Parks on Bass, Winston Wright and Ansell Collins on
Keyboards. Plus a massive horn section - Bobby Ellis, Roland Robinson,
Dean Fraser, Dave Madden. Some of the best in the business.
Various Artists - Don't Give Your Culture - Moll Selekta - CD
Production credits on these oldies compilations are getting more and
more confusing. If this set is supposed to a Blackbeard produced set
what is Jacob Miller's 'False Rasta' and Dread Inna Babylon' doing on
it, likewise with The Mighty Diamonds 'Jah Jah Bless The Dreadlocks'
Some rhythms and productions in reggae are very confusing. But I have
never know any doubt about these tunes. If these are different mixes -
it would be better to say so. Aside from this, this is a great set of
roots tunes from 1972 to 1984. All contained in a lavish 4 fold
digipak.