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To the casual listener, the relationship between jazz and dub roots reggae may not be obvious other than that both are based on African rhythms, but the very origins of ska/rock steady/reggae were created by Jamaican jazz musicians. In Jamaica, during the early 60s, out of work jazz and RnB musicians began to find steady employment playing the new ska beat, and brought with them the horn charts and rhythmic riffs from their previous work as jazzmen. Over the years ska gave way to reggae, but the jazz musicians were still part of this scene. In the late 70s engineer/mixer King Tubby assembled some of Jamaica’s finest musicians and began to record experimental psychedelic instrumental records that became known as dub. Fast forward a few more years and now his most talented protégé, a young man named Scientist, has taken the controls for even more creative dub adventures.
Although the release date says 1996, “Dubbin with Horns” was recorded during the late 70s, which is a good thing because modern dub has lost its roots and has been infiltrated with hip-hop, techno, crackaeton and crack-step. There are a lot of great late 70s dub records out there, but this one is especially good. The sound on here is pure gold, deep and heavy with just the right reverb around the horns to make them sound massive. Don’t expect jazz solos from the horn players, they just stick to their riffs, but every riff is the perfect addition to the riddims laid down by the Roots Radics. There are so many great tunes on here, but one favorite is “Nuh Brother Fight”, based on the majestic sounds of what is often called the “Stagalog” riddim, the horns sound like an African procession and Scientist interjects perfectly timed echoes and breaks. The deep bass on this cut will definitely test your sub-woofer.
Fans of late 70s dub should pick this one up, in a genre loaded with great recordings, this one is a slight cut above the rest.