The Revolutionaries ~ Vital Dub Strictly Rockers [Well Charge] 1976

A1 Roof Top Dub
A2 Ital Step
A3 Fence Dub
A4 Ishens Dub
A5 Total Dub

B1 Merciful Dub
B2 Cell Block 11
B3 Killer Dub
B4 Blacka Black Dub



Produced by Joseph Hoo Kim
Recorded et Mixed at Channel One
Engineer : Ernest Hoo Kim & Ossie Hibbert
Drums : Sly & Benbow
Bass : Ranchie
Rhythm Gits : Duggie
Keyboards : Ansel Collins & Ossie
Horns : Marques, Tommy McCook
Percussion : Sticky
Voices : Mighty Diamonds

'Strictly Rockers' consists of a number of dub versions of tracks mostly from The Mighty Diamonds LP, 'Right Time.' The music here is played by a loose group of the finest Jamaican session men, known collectively as The Revolutionaries. 'Vital Dub' is just a name given the Revolutionaries by the label for this particular set. The results are nine tracks of purely ecstatic instrumental dub from 1976, every one being a juicy, colorful and joyous celebration of life and music. If you like tasty bass grooves, skanky upfull rhythms, splashes of organ, and loads of tripped out and happily echoing horns, then you will find this to be a masterpiece of instrumental reggae and dub. The fact that these are all dubs of Mighty Diamonds tracks engenders the disc with a truly cohesive feel emotionally and instrumentally.

Musicians playing on these tracks include Sly Dunbar, Ansel Collins, Sticky Thompson, Ranchie McLean, Dougie Bryan, Ossie Hibbert, Herman Marquis, and the great Tommy McCook. These are jazzy, irie, skanky reggae instrumentals, which would be fantastic on their own. The tastefully applied dubs (mixing courtesy of Ernest Hoo Kim & Ossie Hibbert) only sweeten the pot, adding just the right amount of reverb here, the right amount of echo there, and leaving out bits and pieces only sporadically, rather than stripping it down to drum and bass for long, sparse periods. Like I said, these dubs are juicy.

Ask a fan of the Revolutionaries what is their best dub set, and you will find 'Vital Dub' at the top of the list more often than not. This is classic and positively indispensable instrumental dub, and we are blessed to have it, end of story.' ~ Jasper

1976 was a revolutionary year for dub & the revolutionaries obviously spent most of it in the studio. i mean their work ethic was second to none & although they aint officially credited, that year alone their individual & combined talents were the backbone of countless lp's. certainly several have slipped thru the cracks, but a few of em were owlready featured here. it sure would be sweet to have a definitive list of their various incarnate activities for the latter half of the 70's cuz most of the records i'm aware of are like the most chronic dub extant. anyworms, i was just about to fill that request for an uncle dave macon slab, but upon our return to the nest this evening, the kiddies started burnin & someone threw this joint on. instant spatial enhancement. so more on uncle dave by & by. tonite we listen to this one together. irie irie? a 320 rip

Ossie All Stars ~ Leggo Dub [Cash & Carry, 1978]

A1. Dubby Dubby
A2. Leggo Dub
A3. Doberman Skank
A4. Winner's Dub
A5. Dub Down Babylon

B1. Brooklyn Style
B2. Ready Dub
B3. Ghetto Dub
B4. Bubble Up Style
B5. Better Choice



Backing Band - The Revolutionaries
Producer - Ossie Hibbert

* the first 7 trax on this set, also known as Leggo Beast & the Ossie All Stars, are dub versions of songs from the Hibbert-produced Gregory Isaacs album 'Mr. Isaacs.'

'Rare dub reggae emerges from the vaults in the shape of this late-1970s set produced by one of Jamaica's lesser-known talents, Ossie Hibbert. Hibbert, who was primarily an engineer and keyboardist, favors a drum-heavy mix [courtesy of the legendary Sly Dunbar] laced with horns. He incorporates a few of the sonic eccentricities, like wailing babies and train whistles, popular with better-known figures like Lee Perry on a variety of vintage rhythms, notably Gregory Isaacs' 'I'm All Right' & Dillinger's 'Take a Dip.' Casually elegant, Hibbert provides a naturalistic soundstage against which the ace session band the Revolutionaries skank their stuff, smooth and easy.' ~ hype

'I bought this on vinyl back in the day, and it has always remained one of my all-time favourite dub albums. Not overloaded with gimmicks, just very solid rhythms, smooth melody and a deep, rich sound. It's good to see an old friend reappear. It's also good to learn more about it (e.g. who it is by), as the vinyl pressing I had gave no information whatsoever, except the track titles!' ~ some bra

another essential set from Ossie Hibbert dubbing out Gregory Isaacs tunes at Channel One studios, backed up by Channel One house band the Revolutionaries. honestly one of the most consistently listenable dub stabs from the period. i know it must seem like i keep saying that in a myriad of different ways, but i'm living proof that this gets mad play round here & i certainly recommend the thang :) a 320 rip. dub week!

Ossie Hibbert & the Revolutionaries ~ Earthquake Dub [1976]

A1. Earthquake Dub
A2. Rasta Foundation
A3. Fletchers Land
A4. Ital Manu
A5. Secret Agent

B1. Heavy Rock
B2. An Event
B3. Black Diamond Rock
B4. Collie In Dub
B5. Pain Land Dub

bonuts versions
11. Whip Them In Dub - [bonus track]
12. River Bank - [bonus track, featuring Deadley Headley Bennett]
13. River Bank - [Version]
14. Kissinger - [bonus track]
15. Death Sentence - [bonus track]
16. Heavier Than Lead - [Version]
17. Hog Head - [bonus track]
18. Conscience - [alternate take, bonus track]



Producer, Arranged By, Recorded By, Mixed By - Ossie Hibbert
Bass - Bertram "Ranchie" McLean
Drums - Sly Dunbar
Guitar - Earl "Chinna" Smith , Radford "Duggie" Bryan*
Keyboards - Ansel Collins , Ossie Hibbert
Percussion - Noel "Scully" Simms , Uziah "Sticky" Thompson
Saxophone [Alto] - Headley Bennett* , Dean Fraser* , Herman Marquis
Saxophone [Tenor], Flute - Tommy McCook
Trombone - Vin Gordon
Trumpet - Bobby Ellis


'Earthquake Dub was produced & mixed by Ossie Hibbert [also on organ] & performed by the Revolutionaries, at Channel One Studios. This dub amounts to a crisp, spacy, texturally nuanced soundscape. The bass is front and center, very deep, rich and clear. In fact the listener may [for once] want to turn the bass down just a tad in order to hear the small, elegant details which are hidden below like tiny fossils. Several tracks feature some fine solo and ensemble horn lines [featuring Tommy McCook], which are appropriately spaced-out and ethereal. There is a also a bit of organ providing some sweetness to the mix, including some courtesy of producer/ mixer Ossie Hibbert. In fact, it may be Hibbert's capacity as a musician which allowed him to make such tasteful [and tasty] dubs on this, his very first dub album. There are virtually no vocals bringing Earthquake Dub down to earth, and that fact helps elevate it to true high art, abstract, nonlinear, and unfettered by earthly concerns. The deftly applied echo and reverb, augmented by the occasional bleep and bloop makes the tracks feel startlingly modern and fresh. Once again, I find myself marveling at how remarkably creative and ahead of their time the 1970s Jamaican dubmasters [including Hibbert] actually were. This is essential for any fan of the Revolutionaries, even for the track "River Bank" alone, which is an upbeat dubbed-out solo sax work out, with a skanky, almost carnival-sounding rhythm which will remind you why it's good to be alive.' ~ Jasper

dub week happily continues with this slow burner. known primarily as the organist for the Agrovators & Revolutionaries, Ossie Hibbert was also a dam fine producer, who works his magick on this stellar yet generally unsung rootsy slab. i had the original lp uploaded & everything & was thiking i would just make a mix or something with my favourite bonus cuts from the re-issue, but then it occured to me that most of em are pirty solid. besides, to date i still haven't bothered to drop any of my mixes, so there's no telling when i mighta gotten around to it, if ever. plus this album has practically zero proper representation on the greater interblogs, so fugg it, yawl git the whole enchilada. a 320 rip. win/win