Ja-Man All Stars / In the Dub Zone
Album: In the Dub Zone   Collection:Reggae
Artist:Ja-Man All Stars   Added:Apr 2003
Label:Blood & Fire Ltd.  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2003-05-26 Pull Date: 2003-07-28 Charts: Reggae/World
Week Ending: Aug 3 Jul 27 Jul 20 Jul 6 Jun 29 Jun 15 Jun 8
Airplays: 1 1 1 1 2 1 3

Recent Airplay
1. Aug 31, 2005: Dub Blue
Well Black
4. Oct 13, 2003: told ya so!
Rasta Feeling
2. Aug 24, 2005: Dub Blue
Nuclear Bomb
5. Aug 03, 2003: Oh Messy Life
Herb Cutter
3. Aug 08, 2004: Oh Messy Life
Herb Cutter
6. Jul 27, 2003: Oh Messy Life
Hotter Claps

Album Review
Elias (Dr Furious)
Reviewed 2003-05-04
Oh, I can see Joe Strummer chilling to this record up in punk heaven. This is the shit that the Clash loved to dwell on. Pure reggae stripped down to nothing but a steady and hypnotic drum/bass beat with melodic lines (horns, keyboards, guitar) sparsely interjecting into the rhythm. Deliciously groovy, but in an acidified manner. This is DUB, a term originally coined to describe remixed versions of reggae tunes with the vocals and other elements completely removed, while mixing engineers exercise their creativity (delays, echoes and sampling). It is ironic as Reggae lyrics were so caustic and subversive that the music was often banned from the radio. And then, there was dub; technically speaking an internal form of censorship taking the rhythms of ska and reggae into a higher level of consciousness.

These are 2 dub albums produced by Dudley Swaby. The musicians are said to be top of the cream. Need proof of principle? Ska legends Don Drummond and Tommy McCook on the trombone and tenor sax, respectively. Roll one up and enjoy!!! (ideal for beats/breaks type of dj-ing and music carpets). Ideal for microscopy and science writing. All instrumental unless indicated otherwise.

Tracks 20, 9, 15 are my favorites. Tracks 10, 5, 22, 19 are also recommended. This is a great-great LP.

#1: Airplane sound effects - funky melodic & bass
#2: Anticlimactic - melodic brass/bass
*#3: SKA brass lines - Nostalgic and melodic.
#4: Sparsely jumpy - Nice simple keyboard lines
**#5: Yeah Man! Funky organ lines. Mmmm... groovy
#6: Dominant bass. Nice call/response on keyboards.
#7: Straight up reggae feel stripped down to the essentials (rolling drum beats & catchy horns)
#8: Ska/reggae fusion
***#9: DELICIOUSLY GROOVY. Beautiful organ. Can I have this dance with you, please?
**#10: Beautiful dancey chune. Ska melodic brass-based groove. Funky percussion and nice organ.
#11: Heavy bass & a dissonant anticlimactic feel
#12: Sparse reggae vocals. Dull.
#13: Guitar riffs on delay & heavy bass. Sad & spacey.
**#14: Upbeat & groovy.
***#15: Fucking awesome. Got this pacman electronic game synth effect building into the rhythm
**#16: Ska brass intro - Melodic bass groove
*#17: Mesmerizing and hypnotizing. Sweet.
*18: Straight up reggae. Working class vocals
**19: Sound effects and rebelious groove.
***20: THIS IS THE BEST. Innocent vocals and melodic lines. Gotta love the keyboards and the sound effects.
#21: Weird noise effect. Anticlimactic
**#22: Melodramatic and epic. Can you hear the word "Africa" in this one?
#23: Sustained synth sounds and syncopated brass and beats.





Track Listing
1. Dub Zone   12. Weak Heart Drop
2. Dangerman Version   13. Blood Version
3. Herb Cutter   14. King's Dub
4. Dread Nut Chalice   15. Nuclear Bomb
5. Well Black   16. Poor Man Skank
6. Fire Bun   17. Censemania Dub
7. Half Ounce   18. Hotter Claps
8. Big Spliff   19. East Man Skank
9. Rasta Feeling   20. West Man Skank
10. Bush Weed   21. Higher Ranking Dub
11. Don't Get Crazy   22. Hot Steppers Dub
  23. Downtown Rubadub