PON DI GAZA

Dubroom Online, Edition October 13 2009

"PON DI GAZA" (WEBMASTER'S COLUMN)

WWW, October 13 2009 - I must admit that I had to do a little research before discovering it's the name of an area in Kingston that Vybz Kartel associates himself with, and that it has nothing to do with that area in the Middle East where so many people have so many opinions about.

"Pon Di Gaza", Kartel's latest album, is the latest statement in a flame war between the DJ and one of his colleagues who hails up "The Gully" as that is where he associates himself with.

The Jamaican Gleaner reported, how the words "Gaza" and "Gully" were painted more on the walls than that of the two main and rivaling political parties in Jamaica.

It's part of Dancehall Culture, but it often goes way out of hand when the saying "practice what you preach" is worked out in not so many nice ways, to say it lightly.

One Love, Give Thanks,
Messian Dread (Dubroom Webmaster)

The above column is the personal opinnion of the Webmaster and does not neccesarily reflect the contents of the Dubroom Website and/or Message Boards and/or Weblogs.

ITEMS FOR THIS EDITION:

SCION SASHAY - CAN'T LEAVE JAH ALONE (DUBROOM ONLINE MP3 REVIEW)

WWW, October 13 2009 - In this traditional Rub a Dub tune, Scion Sashay gives I and I the best advice we can ever get and he does it heartically over some very nice musical playing and mixing work.

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VYBZ KARTEL - ROMPING SHOP (FEAT. SPICE) (DUBROOM MP3 REVIEW)

WWW, October 2009 - It's not for nothing that Vybz Kartel sings this duet with his female colleague DJ Spice: after all, they just don't do it man to man or woman to woman.

Taken from the album "Pon Di Gaza", released last month. Pumping Dancehall, contemporary effects on the voice, everything the Dancehall Lover wants is right deh!

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THE GLADIATORS (DUBROOM ARTIST PAGE)

WWW, October 2009 - Sly Dunbar and Lloyd Parkes have been working as members, and they were not even the most important ones. The Gladiators, founded in 1968 by Albert Griffiths, are still a Roots Reggae band in 2009 and they're not about to stop either!

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THREE DIFFERENT SIDES OF REGGAE

Dubroom Online, Edition October 12 2009

"THREE DIFFERENT SIDES OF REGGAE" (WEBMASTER'S COLUMN)

WWW, October 12 2009 - Today's edition of Dubroom Online has three interesting features, especially when you scroll down and actually see them three-gether.

We're talking about a 1980's Punk Band that came straight out of the Punky Reggae Party in the 1970's, a contemporary controversial Dancehall artist with -let's say- a reputation, and a Rasta singer whose upfull and positive lyrics increases Consciousness in the hearts and souls of those that listen to his music.

A greater contrast could hardly be portrayed.

Yet, all these three artists represent a part of what altogether is known as Reggae Music: from the raw Dub of the Ruts to the pumping Dancehall of Vybz Kartel to the upfull Roots, Rub a Dub and Lovers Rock of Freddie Mc Gregor.

One Love, Give Thanks,
Messian Dread (Dubroom Webmaster)

The above column is the personal opinnion of the Webmaster and does not neccesarily reflect the contents of the Dubroom Website and/or Message Boards and/or Weblogs.

ITEMS FOR THIS EDITION:

RUTS DC - WHATEVER WE DO (DUBROOM ONLINE MP3 REVIEW)

WWW, October 12 2009 - The Punky Reggae Party Goes DUB and that means a lot. In almost six minutes, we're taken into the deep, deep Dub wonderland of the band that brought us the unforgettable Punk tune "Babylon's Burning", and you'll be sorry when you've missed this one out!

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VYBZ KARTEL - WHINE UP YOU BODY (DUBROOM MP3 REVIEW)

WWW, October 2009 - Taken from his new album "Pon Di Gaza", Whine Up Your Body has a joyful vybe as Vybz Kartel voices about the topic he knows so well. The end is a bit abrupt, but it's well worth the download.

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FREDDIE MC GREGOR (DUBROOM ARTIST PAGE)

WWW, October 2009 - He started in 1963 at the tender age of seven and has been steadily growing for the decades after that. Now, in 2009, Freddie Mc Gregor is still active and has become a name to reckon with, and not only because of the Lover's Rock and Rub a Dub he released in the 1980's.

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MP3, MP3, AND MP3...

Dubroom Online, Edition October 11 2009

"MP3, MP3, AND MP3..." (WEBMASTER'S COLUMN)

WWW, October 11 2009 - Today, we feature a brand new Digital Release, namely that of Courtney Melody's album "Serious Business".

The Dubroom can offer a free and legal MP3 download of the very first track of the album, entitled "Gideon Soldier", and of course that is a very nice thing. It's just out in the digital stores such as Itunes, but there you won't get this one for free!

In the meantime, I am working hard to get more music available for the readers and visitors of the Dubroom, and it doesn't seem like the MP3's are going to stop coming in right now.

Anyway, please download the crucial Courtney Melody tune, and don't forget to add the superb DUB from Mikey Dread to your free and legal MP3 Collection as well...

One Love, Give Thanks,
Messian Dread (Dubroom Webmaster)

The above column is the personal opinnion of the Webmaster and does not neccesarily reflect the contents of the Dubroom Website and/or Message Boards and/or Weblogs.

ITEMS FOR THIS EDITION:

MIKEY DREAD - RAGGAMUFFIN DUB STYLE (DUBROOM ONLINE MP3 REVIEW)

WWW, October 11 2009 - The Dread At The Controls in a Super Duper DUBWISE style cannot be refused, not even when you don't like Dub or Reggae at all. This one will go straight to everybody's head and it matters what's in these heads how the Raggamuffin Style will be received.

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COURTNEY MELODY - GIDEON SOLDIER (DUBROOM MP3 REVIEW)

WWW, October 2009 - WWW, October 2009 - After a 10-year hiatus, Courtney Melody's album Serious Business marked quite a come-back. Gideon Soldier is the opening track: it's serious and strong, full of great lyrics sung beautifully by the man that gave King Tubby one of the first hits in his new studio during the 1980's.

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DR. ALIMANTADO (DUBROOM ARTIST PAGE)

WWW, October 2009 - He's the Best Dressed Chicken In Town and every self-respecting collector of Reggae Music has Dr Alimantado's album with that name, as it is filled with some of the most important titles in the history of Toasting.

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MICHAEL PROPHET

Dubroom Online, Edition October 10 2009

"MICHAEL PROPHET" (WEBMASTER'S COLUMN)

WWW, October 10 2009 - Today, we feature the brand new Dubroom Artist Page on Michael Prophet. I truly like his voice and the way he uses it is incredible in my ears.

He goes from low to high in an instance, has all kinds of hooks and licks that are simply too complex to even follow, everything right in tune and time.

On his début album, he sounds just as strong as he does on more recent material. His voice stayed the same throughout several decades, which is not something every Reggae Singer can say.

The album he did with Mad Professor, Rootsman, is still one of my favorites. It was one of my favorite new albums, but it has gone into my personal all-time top 10 Reggae albums, next to InI Kamoze's Mini Album and Black Uhuru's Dub Factor.

I don't know if I will ever have the pleasure to see him perform live, but it would indeed be a pleasure!

One Love, Give Thanks,
Messian Dread (Dubroom Webmaster)

The above column is the personal opinnion of the Webmaster and does not neccesarily reflect the contents of the Dubroom Website and/or Message Boards and/or Weblogs.

ITEMS FOR THIS EDITION:

BARRINGTON LEVY - SHAOLIN TEMPLE (DUBROOM ONLINE MP3 REVIEW)

WWW, October 10 2009 - Taken from the classic Bounty Hunter, this is Barrington Levy during his prime days as a young Rub a Dub singer riding a hard Steppers riddim that will make you move and groove fe sure.

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TAJ WEEKES AND ADOWA - LITTLE FIRE (DUBROOM MP3 REVIEW)

WWW, October 2009 - When the drum suddenly changes from a Steppers into a One Drop rhythm, the title becomes a bit more obvious. Which doesn't mean you should deny this Ire One Drop tune with Horns and Guitars playing heartically.

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MICHAEL PROPHET (DUBROOM ARTIST PAGE)

WWW, October 2009 - After being discovered by none less than Yabby You himself around 1977, Michael Prophet became one of the best Reggae singers whose consistent quality has already lasted several decades throughout countless releases.

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SKREAM IN MIDI

Dubroom Online, Edition October 9 2009

"SKREAM IN MIDI" (WEBMASTER'S COLUMN)

WWW, October 9 2009 - A couple of months ago, I got an e-mail pointing me out that a popular artist called "Skream" has basically used one of the midifiles on the Dubroom and turned it into one of "his" releases.

I checked it out and fair enough: it was almost as if he had used a (rather cheap) Midi player and did a view things on top of it. That was indeed my work.

If Skream would have contacted me, or credited the Dubroom, it would have been really nice. Right now, I can only say that I am happy with the uncredited recognition and I am happy with the fact that Jah has inspired me to make that tune and some others too.

The Midifile is called ""Rock The Nation In Dub" and Skream's version has the title "Blue Eyez": You might like to check it out for yourself, too.

One Love, Give Thanks,
Messian Dread (Dubroom Webmaster)

The above column is the personal opinnion of the Webmaster and does not neccesarily reflect the contents of the Dubroom Website and/or Message Boards and/or Weblogs.

ITEMS FOR THIS EDITION:

SCION SASHAY - MR TELEPHONE MAN (DUBROOM ONLINE MP3 REVIEW) (DUBROOM ONLINE MP3 REVIEW)

WWW, October 9 2009 - Say sweet, say Mr. Telephone Man by Scion Sashay. A Lovers Rock tune avant la lettre, with all the right production to come with Scion's soulful voice.

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TAJ WEEKES AND ADOWA - PROPAGANDA WAR (DUBROOM MP3 REVIEW)

WWW, October 2009 - Taj Weekes has a way of saying the most heavy thing in the most friendly and heartical way: this is music for the Rootsman and for those that need to wake up in a gentle way. Yes, this is Roots Rock Reggae!

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LINVAL THOMPSON (DUBROOM ARTIST PAGE)

WWW, October 2009 - Linval surely isn't unknown within circles of Reggae Connoisseurs. There are numerous tracks and albums that have him as producer or singer. He was one of the main forces in Jamaican Reggae Music for a long time.

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A TASTE OF JAMAICAN TOAST

Dubroom Online, Edition October 8 2009

"A TASTE OF JAMAICAN TOAST" (WEBMASTER'S COLUMN)

WWW, October 8 2009 - Today's edition of Dubroom Online features two original Reggae DJ's better known as Toasters.

Ranking Dread and Jah Woosh are both, in their own style, top artists in this specific genre of Reggae which in it's turn gave birth to styles like Rap and Hip-Hop.

Chanting words over heavy drum and bass driven music complete with effects and all the rest to please the ear of the Dub Lover: it is really one of the strongest genres of Reggae.

Download the free MP3 by Ranking Dread, then check out Jah Woosh and what the Dubroom has on him. Take a look at some similar artists and discover some heavyweight music that you just can't afford to miss out!

One Love, Give Thanks,
Messian Dread (Dubroom Webmaster)

The above column is the personal opinnion of the Webmaster and does not neccesarily reflect the contents of the Dubroom Website and/or Message Boards and/or Weblogs.

ITEMS FOR THIS EDITION:

RANKING DREAD - NUH TROUBLE NATTY DREAD (DUBROOM ONLINE MP3 REVIEW)

WWW, October 8 2009 - Who could deny this upfull DJ track with lots of dubbing in and out going on? Exactly, those that don't know what they hear when they hear a crucial Reggae track with some words and teachings from Jah!

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TAJ WEEKES AND ADOWA - CRASH (DUBROOM MP3 REVIEW)

WWW, October 2009 - Another crucial tune by Taj Weekes and his Adowa band, straight from his debute album to your hard drive. The influence of Bob Marley's style of Reggae is more than obvious and it's a more than good influence as well!

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JAH WOOSH (DUBROOM ARTIST PAGE)

WWW, October 2009 - He's quite an extraordinary man. During the 1970's, he was one of the first Toasters ("Reggae Rappers") to gain popularity in the UK. Over there, his music was released on albums rather than singles which was kind of special, too.

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CONTEMPORARY ROOTS AND DANCEHALL

Dubroom Online, Edition October 7 2009

"CONTEMPORARY ROOTS AND DANCEHALL" (WEBMASTER'S COLUMN)

WWW, October 7 2009 - When I look to the totality of the Dubroom reviews, I personally think that there is a genre which is under-represented and that genre is Contemporary Roots and Dancehall.

I do not really have an explanation for it.

It is not so that the genre is not represented at all, neither can I say that new music is not covered by the Dubroom: just take a look at the Online Artists and Net Label releases.

I don't agree with people who talk about a so-called "Golden Age Of Reggae" (usually the 1970's) and basically act as if Reggae is a dead form of music that is only nice when it is historical.

So, there's gonna be a lot more Contemporary Roots and Dancehall tunes in the various Review sections of this website!

One Love, Give Thanks,
Messian Dread (Dubroom Webmaster)

The above column is the personal opinnion of the Webmaster and does not neccesarily reflect the contents of the Dubroom Website and/or Message Boards and/or Weblogs.

ITEMS FOR THIS EDITION:

JAH VINCI - WATCH YUH FRIENDS (DUBROOM ONLINE MP3 REVIEW)

WWW, October 7 2009 - Some Dancehall Music will only appeal to the hardcore Dancehall fan. Not so with this track by Jah Vinci: crucial message, crucial voice, crucial production!

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TAJ WEEKES AND ADOWA - MPLA (DUBROOM MP3 REVIEW)

WWW, October 2009 - No, this is not the well-known riddim made popular by Tappa Zukie: this is Taj Weekes remembering the Mother Land in a more than appropriate way, and he does it on a perfect riddim

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THE ITALS (DUBROOM ARTIST PAGE)

WWW, October 2009 - The history of this vocal harmony group dates back to the times from before Reggae Music, when the founding members joined Rocksteady groups like the Tenors. The Itals have been steadily releasing impressive Roots and Culture tunes ever since.

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