jah free

[Review] Sister Simiah & Jah Free – “Gates Of Zion” (AnAïa Records)

[Review] Sister Simiah & Jah Free – “Gates Of Zion” (AnAïa Records)

jahfreeThanks to French label AnAïa Records we can enjoy another 7” with dub straight from a veteran – Jah Free, vocally supported by Sister Simiah. I have to admit, that I’ve heard about this label for the first time, but they has been working since 2012 and previous releases include Joe Piligrim, Sonzaman, Ion and Paulette Wright.

Coming back to the title 7” – in “Gates of Zion” Sister Simiah sings a anthem in her elevated and mystical style. The riddim is a classical heavyweight steppers with Jah Free trademark – the dub version with a lot of effects and a massive bass crushes your bones.

This is another release which proofs Jah Free’s quality.

https://soundcloud.com/anaiarec/sister-simiah-gates-of-zion-vocals

http://www.anaiarec.com/eng/index.php

Posted by Bedi in Recenzje
Jah Free on two releases

Jah Free on two releases

a side Hail the king labelJah Free is one of these producers, who don’t let us forget about them and at least once a year give us some great music. And so it is with 12” “Hail The King”, which was released at the end of 2015 and it is the essence of Jah Free’s style – a heavy, meditative tune w brilliant horns by Ital Horns and hypnotic vocal of Jah Free, who sends his thankfulness to the Almighty. Additionally we get a version with a frequent guest of Jah Free’s productions – I-Mitri; also two instrumental versions are present – one with melodica and a pure riddim.

The second release was issued by Italian label/sound system Bababoom Hi-Fi and it is 7” “We are the ones”. This tune was originally included on Jah Free LP “Unity” from 2003 with guest appearance of Matt Abyssinian, but still in 2015 it kicks well and does not lose the power. After such musical feast all I can do is waiting for Jah Free in session.

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jah-Free/236684513082502

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bababoom-Hi-Fi-Sound-System/209693832543905




https://soundcloud.com/bababoom-hi-fi/matt-abyssinian-jah-free-we-are-the-ones-we-are-the-dub-promo

Posted by Bedi in Recenzje
Jah Free – “Jah Guide and Protect” / “Sons and Dawtas” (Jah Free Music)

Jah Free – “Jah Guide and Protect” / “Sons and Dawtas” (Jah Free Music)

jah fJah Free is is an icon of dub from UK and for me it is one of those persons from whom my adventure with dub music took on a different dimension. There are several reasons for this – firstly, the music, a heavyweight style Jah Free is still holding up, secondly – the message, always conscious and important and third – 30 years of experience on a sound system stage, it requires respect and admiration.

In confirmation of the above we get a new 12” from Jah Free Music. The A side is a strong, heavy steppers in distinct Jah Free’s style, enriched with Sister Simiah’s vocals. In “Jah Guide and Protect” she praises the Most High and gives hope that even in the most twisted situations, there is a chance for a helping hand. In a dub version a lot of echos and reverbs are introduced, it’s more trance. We get also a version for vocalists. The B side is also unique, we should mention here that rarely happens 12” such  equal as this one. In “Sons and Dawtas” Jah Free gives us mystical sounds and deep rooted rhythm, perfectly integrated into the bassline and vocals – here, to my delight,  Sister Simiah appears again  with a beautiful text about the birth of a new life and deep love for our children. I suspect that this one will hit selectors, who are lucky and can enjoy their babies. Similar as on the A side we get a dub version and a pure riddim.

Jah Free once again shows, that a conscious message goes hand in hand with conscious dub – just dubwise without compromise! It’s really worth to get this record – an extraordinary, positive energy boost!




 

Posted by Bedi in Recenzje
Jah Free – “The war drags on” (12”)

Jah Free – “The war drags on” (12”)

a side the war drags on label 2I’ve been very happy to hear that Jah Free is going to publish a new 12”. Since I remember, that artist connects music with a strong message, bringing up political or religious issues. It’s not different this time – the new release is a protest against the war. Eponymous tune ‘War drags on” performed by Jah Free is an original Donovan’s lyric from 1965, about the Vietnam war. Unfortunately, life shows that it’s still up-to-date in 2014. I-Mitri fitted the whole concept and set out a strong protest song named “No more war”. The third amazing vocalist is Mat-I – an Italian, who leads label Tamarat (http://dubmassive.org/8260/bass-culture-players-live-in-harmony-12), and Jah Free shows up as a very good chatter on the riddim; in the background we can also hear vocals by Jah Free and Simiah. On the B side of that amazing 12” we have 3 dub versions, first one with melodica, the second one is a deep heavyweight dub version and the third one Jah Free dedicates to all of the MCs to protest against the war.




Links:

https://www.facebook.com/jahfree.dubactivist

Posted by Bedi in Recenzje
Jah Free – “Rasta in the heart”

Jah Free – “Rasta in the heart”

R.I.T.H Back tray outerWho doesn’t know Jah Free? Kindly old man who creates tunes with such a power and message that he has already become an icon of dub music all over the world. It’s hard to believe that he released only 3rd LP. Of course he made a lot of singles, but it’s been 9 years since his last longplay. Someone could say that he isn’t able to surprise us – if you think like that I recommend you to listen to his new album, it’s 18 tunes send the listener into musical trip alongside Suster Simiah and Dan-I, Idren Natural, Steeley Roundbeat, Dawa Hi-Fi, Tiquor Humble as guests. The whole album – 9 tunes and 9 dub versions so far could be heard only on his gigs. Sista’s vocals ideally fit in heavy Jah Free rhythms, no wonder that they cooperate since 1996. As for the other tunes which amaze: “Rastafarai vibes” reminds Alpha&Omega a bit, maybe because I still remember Dub Dynasty (beautiful event by the way), “Ethiopian people” (what a melodica!!!), “The shepherd” – a traditional roller by Jah Free, “Foundation” – another “murder tune”, “In Jah Kingdom” – dub version smashes, and “Rasta chanta” is the best crowning of this wondrous album. Getting back to Sista Simiah – she has a beautiful voice and she uses it to spread a very valuable, conscious message. I recommend “Rasta in the heart” to every dubhead, who knows or just met that strong player, which is Jah Free. In the end it’s worth to quote words from the album: ‘it dont matter who you be, or where ya from, what you wear or if you comb’, what matters is if you are a ‘RASTA IN THE HEART’.

 

Posted by Bedi in News, Recenzje
Jah Free’s tribute to Richie Rootz

Jah Free’s tribute to Richie Rootz

2256-2389-largeIt’s not a novelty, and lately on the site we post some reviews of “fresh” albums, I want to present 12″ record “Oh no” produced and released by Jah Free. He’s well known to Polish dub fans because of few reasons – he had few tours in our country and, what’s more important, he recorded album “Pillar of Salt” that included some of the Polish vocalists i.a. Junior Stress, Globus, Pablopavo and Jahga. As for the 12″, Jah Free, I would say, resurrects dead and deeply regretted dub warrior Richie Rootz, singing his words and sampling in his voice, which preserved on tracks. The text stands against the countries that improve their weapons and lead to self-destruction. Richie Rootz is an extraordinary person. Born in Leicester, where he aided Vibronics, he co-created Counteraction label and a band with the same name. He was also a social worker. In 2011 he’s been called by The Almighty One. Thanks to Jah Free we get the album, which is a heavy projectile of his positive vibration.

 

Posted by Bedi in News, Recenzje
Dub Club z Jah Free

Dub Club z Jah Free

Sorry, this entry is only available in Polish. For the sake of viewer convenience, the content is shown below in the alternative language. You may click the link to switch the active language.

Jah Free jest na scenie dubowej od dawien dawna – jak zacząłem się interesować dubem to on już z powodzeniem na niej z powodzeniem egzystował. Bardzo charakterystyczny styl z cyfrowymi dęciakami i surowym brzmieniem dodać mięsisty bas (jego barwa z albumu Outernational Dub Convention do dzisiaj mnie zachwyca) daje w sumie kawał porządnego digital dubu. Zatem z dobrym nastawieniem opuściłem lokum dnia 13 kwietnia roku bieżącego udając się na ulicę Burakowską do klubu CDQ, który to klub obecnie jest jednym z niewielu miejsc dostępnych dla klabingu soundsystemowo-dubowego w Warszawie.

Dotarłszy na miejsce o godzinie 23 z radością ogarnąłem wzrokiem zastaną sytuację – Jah Love&Jah Wind już zdrowo trzęśli parkietem, na którym zebrała się grupka radośnie gibiącej się młodzieży. Coool, pomyślałem, a następnie zabrałem się za dostrajanie się do kilowatów płynących z głośników. Zajęło to chwilę, grający zmienili się na Roots Revival, którzy przypomnieli mi o zapomnianej 10” Kenny’ego Knotsa. Później natomiast uraczyli polską publiczność dubplatem Delroya Dyer’a z bardzo dobrym przekazem peace to you my brother, peace to you my sister (poniżej nagrywka z Nothing Hill, grane przez Channel One:




Disciples style, a jakże, królewski styl lat 90… Wracając do imprezy – Jah Free się zainstalował, były jakieś problemy ale rach ciach i już był gotów.

Pamiętając chwilę jego występu z Ostródy spodziewałem się bardziej “walcowatej” selekcji, ale nie – lata doświadczeń zrobiły swoje. Weteran sceny wiedział, jak rozwalić parkiet. Było trochę kontemplacyjnych kawałków w stylu tych z Sis Simiah, po czym płynnie przechodził do steppersowych zamiataczy takich jak jego kooperacja z Dan I – a reakcja publiki była entuzjastyczna.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHAyLFnEN_A

Nie mogło oczywiście zabraknąć showcase’a Pillar of Salt, czyli polskiego akcentu w dyskografii Jah Free. Wyjaśnienie dla bardzo młodych czytelników – w zamierzchłych czasach był taki polski label Siódemki.com, który wydawał winylowe płyty polskich i zagranicznych artystów. Był też taki sklep, gdzie te oraz inne płyty można było kupić. Labelu i sklepu już nie ma, muzyka pozostała i dalej cieszy – wersja Bob One’a jest ciągle top a top.

Wracając do imprezy – Jah Free uraczył nas też swoimi klasykami starymi i nowym jak Lighting Clap czy I am a rebel (czy mi się źle wydaje, że nie było Rod of Correction?), grał też swoje dubplate’y, z których szczególnie jeden zdawał się kruszyć ściany…Fajnie było też patrzeć jak się bawi swoją nietypową syreną. Do końca imprezy zostać nie mogłem, ale do 4 rano impreza była wg mnie nader udana. Wieść gminna niesie, że w Krakowie następnego dnia było równie zacnie i klimat dobry.

Pozdrowienia dla wszystkich uczestników, jak zwykle speszial liwikejszyn dla stałej załogi i dla Food Not Bombs za niezastąpiony i niezbędny w późnych godzinach prowiant.

Update: Rod of Correction poleciało już po moim wyjściu – thx Mafias Matjusz!

Posted by yarecki in Relacje