Duband

Dancehall

Dub• Term widely used to describe a remix

– Esp. in dance music

• As of 1967, the B-side of 45s was an instrumental of the A-side

• 1968-70: studio remixes, called versions– Most or all vocals removed

• 1972: Radically remixed versions as B-sides

• 1973-4: Dub Albums

King Tubby• One of the first Dub masters

• Ran a sound system with U-Roy as DJ

Ex: King Tubby – “Watergate Rock” (1974)

• One of the first dubs to credit Tubby

Ex: Larry Marshall – “I Admire You” (1974)

• Original vocal version

Blackboard Jungle (1973)

• One of the first Dub LPs

• Credited to The Upsetters (Lee “Scratch” Perry)

• Mixed by King Tubby

Ex: The Upsetters –

“Dreamland Dub” (1973)

Super Ape (1976)• Lee “Scratch” Perry & The Upsetters

• By 1977 virtually all producers had Dub albums

• Producer a Musician,

• Mixing Board as

Instrument

Ex: Lee Perry –

“Super Ape” (1976)

King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown (1976)

• Augustus Pablo and Tubby

• Series of King Tubbys Meets

Ex: King Tubby and Augustus Pablo

– “King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown” (1976)

Prince Jammy/King Jammy

Ex: Horace Andy – “Do You Love My Music” (1977)

• Original vocal track

Ex: Prince Jammy – “Music Dub” (1977)

• Albums In the Light and In the Light Dub

• Issued together in 1995

• Dub video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTaZFGwg2rY

Dancehall (1979-1985)

• As a genre term used post-1981 (year Marley died)

• Less Roots-inspired music

• “Slackness:” Sexually explicit lyrics

• More reliance on established rhythms

– Studio One the most popular

– Often re-recorded/updated

Gregory Isaacs

• Roots and Lover’s Rock

• Roots Radics studio band

Ex: Gregory Isaacs – “Night Nurse” (1982)

• “Masculine vulnerability”

Ex: Gregory Isaacs – “Night Nurse Dub 2” (1982)

Yellowman• Albino DJ

• Alpha Boys School

• Tops in reggae ‘81-’84

Ex: Yellowman – “Mad Over Me” (1982)

Barrington Levy

Ex: Barrington Levy – “Here I Come” (1985)

Lyrics next slide

On the intercom, Rosie tell me to come'Cause she didn't have a daughter, she did have a sonShe said the lift doesn't work, run up the stairs and comeAnd if you don't come quick, you not gonna know that sonSo I grab a bunch of roses, and I started to runHere I come (oohh)

Two months later she said come and get your son'Cause I don't want your baby to come tie me downBecause you are old and I am youngYes while I'm young yes I wanna have some funRun me down, shudlee boop boo woodlee diddlee ooh, swing

I'm broad, I'm broad, I'm broader than BroadwayYes I'm broad, I'm broad, I'm broader than Broadway

Studio One Responds

• Throughout reggae history, Studio One rhythms have been used and re-used hundreds of times

• No copyright laws in JA until 90s

• New material from Studio One

Ex: Johnny Osbourne – “Truths and Rights” (1980)

• Album uses Studio One’s own old rhythms

The Digital Revolution• Songs made with all or mostly digital rhythms

• By the 90s, referred to as “Ragga”

Ex: Wayne Smith – “Under Mi Sleng Teng” (1985)

• Completely turns JA music around

• Casio MT-40 keyboard rhythm, slowed down, re-recorded

• King Jammy

Videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq7B4MFbmgU

Post-Sleng Teng

• Non-computerized Dancehall anthems

Ex: Tenor Saw – “Ring The Alarm” (1985)

• “Stalag 17” rhythm: used many times

• Prod. Winston Riley

Ex: Half Pint – “Greetings” (1986)

• Sly and Robbie

• Re-established term “raggamuffin” as term for ghetto youth– Came to describe the whole genre: ragga

Sly and Robbie

• Sly Dunbar (drums)

• Robbie Shakespeare (bass)

• Together mid-70s to present

• Rhythm Twins or Dynamic Duo

• Taxi label

DJ-Singer Duos

• Huge in dancehall era

• Biggest: Chaka Demus & Pliers

Ex: Chaka Demus & Pliers

– “Murder She Wrote” (1993)

• Pop crossover

• Sly and Robbie

• Rhythm re-used many times

90s/2000s: More crossovers

Ex: Shaggy – “Oh Carolina” (1993)

• Dancehall version of Folkes Brothers original

• Rasta drums

Ex: Sean Paul feat. Sasha

– “I’m Still In Love With You” (2002)

• Version of Alton Ellis classic

• Huge crossover album

• Hip Hop and R&B audiences