Brigadier Jerry - Jamaica, Jamaica

Brigadier Jerry - Jamaica, Jamaica
DUBROOM ALBUM REVIEW



Many people speak about Roots Reggae and how they love it. Many, many Roots Reggae classics are being re-released by such labels as Blood And Fire: a true Labour of Love.

And for many, Reggae stopped somewhere in the end of the 1970's. The re-issues surely give that impression a bit.

On the Internet I have seen complaints about that, because there is so much emphasis on the era of Rockers, that the Reggae created afterwards is ignored, where it could really cater to a Roots Audience.

I am talking about the RUB A DUB Style, as Dancehall Reggae was called in the end of the 1970's, early 1980's. Cool and laid back rhythms accompanied by Dub and Dubby effects.

One of the true Dub Masters in that genre must be the Scientist. This protégée of the legendary King Tubby his mixed an incredible amount of Dubs in Channel One Studio's. And not only Dub albums on his own name, he worked on many more albums.

Including this one, the 1985 debut album from "fast toaster" Brigadier Jerry, a member of the Rastafarian organization 12 Tribes of Israel, since 1978.

As a Toaster ("Reggae Rapper"), he started his musical career in this same year. Why it took him so long before his first album was released, nobody knows. But when it arrived, in the last days of Rub a Dub (perhaps), it was a welcome addition and alternative to the then rising Dance Hall Style of Ragga.

The set starts of with the title track, in extended style. Dubwise music from the top to the very last drop. Hear scientist use the digital echo and other effects to enhance Briggie's lyrics and the riddim of the drum and bassline.

The second track "Jah Jah Move" is a little more energetic and hails up Jah and the Bible in which you can "find the truth for yourselves", as Brigadier Jerry says.

After this comes the track called "Jah Love Music", with Scientist creating a lot of heavy and long echo's on the drum and the horn section.

Track number four contains another meditation of worship to Jah, "Give Thanks And Praise", in which Briggy does a little singing and more melodic style of toasting every now and then.

Track five speak about daily life, "Everyman A Mi Bredrin", one of the lesser strong tracks in my opinion. "Kushungpeng", the track after that, is also not one of the strongest tracks. It could have been improved by some wild Dub mixing, but for some reason the Scientist choose to do otherwise. A

fter this, strength comes again in a beautiful rendering of Bunny Wailer's classic "Armagideon" on which Briggy Jerry chants words from the Bible and from own observation and reading out of the book of Revelation, out of the Bible.

The album closes of with "Three Blind Mice", in which Brigadier Jerry gives a demonstration in Rub a Dub toasting, he chants all kinds of words that have not a meaning but sound very rhythmical and are very difficult to do yourself. Or in other words: Don't try this at home.

And as the album started, it also closes: with an extended version. Three blind mice goes over from vocal into Dub with some nice works from Scientist at the Control tower.

I would definitely recommend this album to Rub a Dub fans, to fans of Reggae Toasting, and to fans of DUB music in general.

It is one of the rare Brigadier Jerry albums that there are, and that is a true shame, because he surely remains to be one of the most talent full DJ's. Most of his tunes are straight on conscious tracks with an uplifting message to read scripture and find out for yourself, a teaching often heard in the 12 Tribes of Israel Organization.