For BB and because I'm actually interested.

cafreemacafreema
edited December 2010 in Reggae
Recently I've found myself listening to more and more roots reggae and dub, but I often feel in the dark about what artists I should specifically be tracking down (especially on the dub side). Does anyone know of a good primer regarding the development of these styles that I could use a base from which to explore? If not, does anyone feel like writing one?

Much obliged.

Craig

Comments

  • brittlebloodbrittleblood
    you need to appeal to quitequacky, young barrister.
  • cafreemacafreema
    I know, but he's never around!

    Craig
  • pzekepzeke
    Craig, are you looking for specific recording recs or a general overview?
  • cafreemacafreema
    Well, I was meaning a general overview, but specific recordings are more than welcome too. Either way I have more points to search/explore from.

    Craig
  • BrighternowBrighternow
    edited December 2010
    - There's a post from dubdance @ standard lecture on good free stuff .

    I was exploring Dub some years ago, but I'm far from beeing an expert.

    From the top of my head, some essential names:
    Lee "scratch" Perry
    Alpha & Omega
    Mad Professor
    King Tubby
    Twilight Circus (sound system)

    - And a few essential albums that I know of:
    300x300.jpg 300x300.jpg

    Dubdance ! where are you ?
  • Daniel, Esq.Daniel, Esq.
    edited December 2010
    brighternow is right: king tubby and lee perry are essential. The Island 50 is a nice overview. To go deeper, I’d say at least these are essential discs and/or artists:

    • Keith Hudson – Pick-A-Dub (really, anything from the Blood & Fire label is essential)
    • The Congos – Heart of the Congos
    • Various Artists – The Harder They Come OST
    • Burning Spear -- Man In The Hills/Dry Heavy (unfortunately, eMu doesn’t (yet) have the key disc, Marcus Garvey).
    • Glenn Brown and King Tubby – Termination Dub
    • King Tubby – Freedom Sounds In Dub

    And eh, this Trojan Dub Set sounds okay, too. There’s much more classic roots reggae and dub. I’ll circle back to this topic later, but I’m curious to see if any of the above pique your interest.
  • Daniel, Esq.Daniel, Esq.
    also craig, if you get into dub, you may also want to explore dubstep, maybe even as a gateway to other underground uk dance/electronic genres. there are tenuous connections between dub and dubstep (dubstep draws far more directly from prior uk genres, e.g., grime and 2-step), but there are traceable roots to jamaican music, and there is some absolutely stunning dubstep material.
  • amclark2amclark2
    The Bunny "Striker" Lee Story - cheap at Amazon and at emu - looks like a good place to start, although I haven't gotten it yet.

    Lee "Scratch" Perry is my personal favorite, so try:

    cover300.jpg
    Revolution Dub - I just discovered this this year, but it's become one of my absolute favorite dub albums.

    congo2.jpg
    Heart of the Congos - vocal trio, produced by Scratch, one of my all time favorite albums in any genre. (Oh, and I see Daniel already got that one).

    51SPEGGAD2L._SL500_AA300_.jpg
    This is a really fantastic album, but to be honest it took some getting used to, and actually I'm still getting used to it. Start with the last track, a Perry classic.

    Also, I will second Daniel's rec. for Termination Dub - I got that based on his rec and it's great, although if I had to choose just one, it would be Revolution Dub.

    And don't forget to get some Augustus Pablo:

    Augustus%20Pablo%20-%20King%20Tubby%20Meets%20Rockers%20Uptown.jpg

    Augustus produces, King Tubby Engineers, or something to that effect.

    Oh, and also, Lee Perry produced a lot of early Bob Marley and the Wailers' albums, which are also great. There are a bunch of different collections of this stuff out there, or try:

    51WFH0451XL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
  • elwoodiciouselwoodicious
    @amclark2, The Bunny Striker story is fantastic; very long but rewarding.
  • amclark2amclark2
    Revolution Dub at mtracks.
  • cafreemacafreema
    Man, you guys are SERIOUSLY coming through here! I've got some fun exploring to do over the holiday.

    Love this board.

    Craig
  • elwoodiciouselwoodicious
    I'd also check out Leslie Kong, the Connections series is a fantastic summary of his work as a producer. Volume 1 and Volume 2 (ignore Amazon's labeling, they can be as dense as eMusic). Also, interesting factoid, Kong died of a heart attack after allegedly being cursed by Bunny Livingston of The Wailers.
  • pzekepzeke
    A few personal roots-era reggae favorites:

    Two Sevens Clash-Culture
    Right Time-The Mighty Diamonds
    The Same Song-Israel Vibrations
    Extra Classic-Gregory Isaacs

    and everything by Linton Kwesi Johnson. Everything.
  • martynamartyna
    I'm no expert, but Misty in Roots Live at the Counter Eurovision is superb
  • Daniel, Esq.Daniel, Esq.
    wait, did i not mention funky kingston, by toots & the maytals? utterly essential, save their lame covers of louie louie and country road.
  • RudieRudie
    Can't go wrong with the recs above, but let me also throw in one I didn't see mentioned: Yellowman - Mr. Yellowman. Great fun, great backing band.
  • bremblebremble
    edited December 2010
    Well, since Emusic's boards have decided not to announce new arrivals (17 Dots did direct people to Elvis Costello and a couple of others, let me add that Sanctuary Fontana - with lots of Reggae/Dub being released, and now this definitive disc available, there's more to explore at Emusic in this category. The Sony labels had a drop of mostly back catalog items as well.

    300x300.jpg
  • Daniel, Esq.Daniel, Esq.
    edited December 2010
    holy s--t, yes!

    hunting that title down now! thanks.

    original cover much better, imo

    059ij1.jpg
  • frogkopffrogkopf
    edited January 2011
    Ok, in more general terms I would say check out the following labels. You really can't go wrong with any of their stuff:

    Blood and Fire - a now defunkt Root Reggae reissue label which was started by Mick Hucknall (the gingerboy lead singer for Simply Read). Every album in the series is worth having. Some of the albums have reverted to other labels (quite a few distributed now by zojack) (most available on emu and Amazon)
    Pressure Sounds - another reissue label providing sounds from the golden age of Reggae/Dub. Again, a very high standard and you can't go wrong with any of their titles. (most available on emu and Amazon)
    Virgin Frontline - Richard Branson's attempt to give Island a run for their money in the late 70s - early 80s. Quite a few of the albums are available on Guvera. Very few weak albums in the series.
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