Joe Gibbs was one of Jamaica's most influential producers during the seventies and early eighties. His long lasting relationship with the late sound engineer Errol Thompson, who had left Randy's Studio 17 prior to working with Joe Gibbs, resulted in producing more than well over one hundred #1 hit records. They became famous as 'The Mighty Two'. Dub versions of popular Jamaican songs started emerging in the late 60's. Eventually, studio engineers and producers such as King Tubby, Derrick Harriot, Clive Chin, Errol Thompson and Harrie Mudy mixed and modified the dub tracks, occasionally using the voice as an additional instrument. The evolution of dub finally resulted led to point were the dub tracks stood on their own. Consequently, full length dub albums began te appear, initially in small pressings with high prices. The "African Dub" series was instrumental in this popularization, making the UK rock charts in 1977. This cd comprises the first two volumes of the "African Dub" series and feature dub workouts of popular Joe Gibbs productions from the 70's, most of which are updated versions of classic Treasure Isle and Studio One riddims. African Dub and East Africa are both reworking of 'Love Is Not A Gamble', originally recorded by The Techniques at Treasure Isle. Bob Andy's classic Studio One track 'Unchained' is used on Schooling The Beat and Third World, the latter being a slower version of the original. Three medlies are present here: Universal Dub is a medley of Burning Spear's 'Slavery Days', Jackie Mittoo's 'Hot Milk', and Ken Boothe's 'My Heart Is Gone', Midnight Movie includes 'I Don't Know Why' by Delroy Wilson, Errol Dunkley's 'Black Cinderella' and 'Drum Song' by the Studio One backing band the Sound Dimension. Heavy Duty Dub is the last medley on the album and includes the Heptones 'Pretty Looks' and two Alton Ellis tunes: 'Mad Mad' and 'I'm Just A Guy'. Angola Crisis is another Alton Ellis' remake, utilizing 'I'm Still In Love'. Joe Gibbs used this track on Trinity's 'Three Piece Suit' and Althea and Donna's chartbuster 'Uptown Top Ranking'. Vocalist Dennis Brown cut his most enduring tunes for Joe Gibbs. Here you'll find dub versions of 'My Kind' (Ghetto Skank), 'Poorer Side Of Town' (Lime Key Rock), 'Play Girl' (Lovers Serenade), and 'Let Me Live' (Campus Rock). The vocal versions can be found on Dennis Brown's compilation set 'The Best Of Volume 2'. Crucial stuff!
Joe Gibbs & The Professionals  ‘African Dub All-mighty Chapter 3 & 4’
This album brings together Chapter 3 & Chapter 4 of the "African Dub" series. The albums were released in 1978 and 1979. Chapter Three was the most commercially successful of the series and genuinely brought the dub format to the ears of many listeners outside the reggae community. Part of the appeal was the broad use of bizarre sound effects such as ringing bells, buzzers, phones, whistling birds and shooting sounds. For some dub purists this distracted from the impact of some of the original riddims. The musicians on all four "African Dub" albums included members of the Soul Syndicate and Lloyd Parks' We The People Band, working under Gibbs' conservative moniker, The Professionals. The main players were drummers Sly Dunbar, Carlton 'Santa' Davis, Leroy 'Horsemouth' Wallace and bassists Lloyd Parks, Robbie Shakespeare and George 'Fully' Fullwood, with guitar playing from Winston 'Bo Pee' Bowen, Earl 'Chinna' Smith and Tony Chin, on keyboards Franklin 'Bubbler' Waul and an impressive horns section featuring Junior 'Chico' Chin, Bobby Ellis, Dean Fraser, Vin 'Tommie' Gordon, Richard 'Dirty Harry' Hall, Tommy McCook and Ronald 'Nambo' Robinson. As with the two first sets in the series, Chapter Three and Four reveal many rock steady and reggae riddims, originally cut at Treasure Isle and Studio One, updated to a late 70's rockers style. A few tracks are rockers originals, remixed from massive vocal attacks by artists like Dennis Brown (Jubilation Dub, Angolian Chant and Fashion One), and the Mighty Diamonds (Freedom Call). The opening track -Chapter Three- is a remake of the riddim used on Augustus Pablo's dub anthem 'Rockers Meet King Tubby's Uptown'. Studio One riddims found here include 'Ten To One' (Zion Gate), 'Rockfort Rock' (Dub Three), 'Swing Easy' (Crucial Attempt), 'No No No' (Behind Iron Bars), 'Fattie Fattie' (Iron Gate), and 'Drum Song' (Power Pack). Rhythm Attack is a remake of the Paragons' 'Danger In Your Eyes' from Studio One and is introduced by British journalist Snoopy, who was writing for Echoes at the time. Just as the first two chapters of the "African Dub" series these volumes are crucial and essential material!
Teacher & Mr.T (reggae-vibes.com)

Crazy Joe Records réeditent la série 'African Dub All-Mighty', 4 lps ou 2 cds incontournables quand on évoque Riddim ou Dub music. Enregistrés, mixés, produits de 1975 à 1979 par les précurseurs du genre 'Errol Thompson' & 'Joe Gibbs' (the Mighty Two). Ces 44 titres, supports à d'innombrables hits jamaicains, font dès leur première écoute surgir de la mémoire mélodies et paroles. C'était l'époque ou Joe Gibbs, Lloyd Coxsone, Duke Reid, Lee Perry, Niney, Bunny Striker Lee s'appropriaient tour à tour l' instrumental d'une chanson dès qu'elle enflammait les sound-systems.  Voici quelques autres versions sur différents labels : AFRICAN DUB 'Love Is Not A Gamble' Techniques (Treasure Isle) / UNIVERSAL DUB medley de Burning Spear 'Slavery Days', Jackie Mittoo 'Hot Milk', Ken Boothe 'My Heart Is Gone' (Studio One), ShortierThe President 'No Peace' (Joe Gibbs) / MIDNIGHT MOVIE medley Delroy Wilson 'I Don't Know Why', Errol Dunkley 'Black Cinderella' , Sound Dimension 'The Drum Song' (Studio One) / GHETTO SKANK Dennis Brown 'My Kind' (Joe Gibbs) / LIME KEY ROCK Ken Boothe 'When I Fall In Love' (Studio One), Dennis Brown 'Poorer Side of Town' (Joe Gibbs) / LOVERS SERENADE Dennis Brown 'Play Girl' (Joe Gibbs) / TREASURE DUB The Jamaicans 'Ba Ba Boom' (Treasure Isle) / SCHOOLING THE BEAT Bob Andy 'Unchained' (Studio One) / CAMPUS ROCK Dennis Brown 'Let Me Live' (Joe Gibbs) / HALF OUNCE 'Rockfort Rock' Soul Vendors (Studio One) / WORRIER 'Riot' by the Soul Syndicate (Keith Hudson), Big Youth 'Chucky No Lucky' & Waterhouse Rock, Trinity 'Kingston Two Rock' (Joe Gibbs) / EAST AFRICA 'Love Is Not A Gamble' the Techniques (Treasure Isle) / CHAPTER TWO 'Queen Majesty' Techniques (Treasure Isle) or Trinity (Joe Gibbs) / THE MARIJUANA AFFAIR Paragons 'My Best Girl' (Treasure Isle) / ANGOLA CRISIS Alton Ellis,, Marcia Aitken 'I'm Still In Love' (Studio One), Althea & Donna 'Uptown Top Ranking', Trinity or Dillinger 'Three Piece Suit' (Joe Gibbs) / PEEPING TOM Melodians 'Falling in love' (Treasure Isle) & You Have Caught Me / OUTRAGE Dennis Brown 'Come On Little Girl' / MY BEST DUB Wailers 'Hypocrites', Jacob Miller 'Keep On Knocking', Trinity 'Jah Saw Them Coming' (Joe Gibbs) / THIRD WORLD Bob Andy 'Unchained', Gregory Isaacs 'Babylon Too Rough' (Joe Gibbs) / HEAVY DUTY DUB medley Heptones 'Pretty Looks', Alton Ellis 'Mad Mad' & 'I'm Just A Guy' (Studio One) / MUSICAL ARENA Soul Brothers 'Sugar Cane' (Studio One) / JAMAICAN GRASS Cables 'What Kind of World' (Studio One) / CHAPTER THREE 'Augustus Pablo Meets Rockers Uptown' (King Tubby) / REMA DUB 'Everybody Bawling' U-Roy & Melodians / TRIBESMAN ROCKERS the Professionals 'No Bones For The Dogs', Alton Ellis 'Why Birds Follow Spring' (Treasure Isle), 'Kingston Town' Lord Creator (Clancy Eccles) / FREEDOM CALL Mighty Diamonds 'Ghetto Living' (Joe Gibbs) / JUBILATION DUB Dennis Brown 'Repatriation' (Joe Gibbs) / THE ENTEBBE AFFAIR 'Hypocrites' Wailers / ANGOLIAN CHANT 'Love Me Always' Dennis Brown (Joe Gibbs) / ZION GATE 'Ten to One' the Mad Lads, Sound Dimension, Cornell Campbell (Studio One) / JUNGLE DUB Alton Ellis 'Live And Learn' (Studio One) / DUB THREE 'Psychadelic Rock' (Rockford Rock) Sound Dimension (Studio One) / CRUCIAL ATTEMPT 'Swing Easy' Soul Vendors (Studio One)/ BEHIND IRON BARS 'No, No, No' Dawn Penn / GHETTO SLUM 'Frozen Soul' Soul Vendors (Studio One) / YARD MUSIC  Karl "King Cannonball" Bryan 'Red Ash' / IRON GATE Althea & Donna, Heptones 'Fattie Fattie' / POWER PACK 'Drum Song' the Sound Dimension / FREE THE CHILDREN  Horace Andy 'Something On My Mind' / FASHION ONE Dennis Brown Girl 'I've Got a Date' / RHYTM TACKLE Paragons, Marcia Aitken 'Danger In Your Eyes' / SNIPER George Nooks 'Tribal War'. Distribué par Joe Gibbs Europe, the golden sound of the Caribbean.

Joe Gibbs & The Professionals  ‘African Dub All-mighty Chapter  1 & 2’
Joe Gibbs est un de ces piliers de la musique jamaïcaine au même titre que Coxsone Dodd, Lee Perry ou Errol Thompson. C’est la complicité avec ce dernier et surtout leur réussite qui leur a donné ce surnom des « mighty two ». Ces albums, sortis au coeur des années 70 et réédités l’année dernière, sont des purs chefs-d’œuvre. Pourtant méconnus des simples amateurs de Reggae, la plupart des versions présentées ici nous sont familières puisqu’il s’agit de grands classiques issus de Studio One ou Treasure Isle. Dès les premières notes, on reconnaît le Love Is Not A Gamble riddim pour "African Dub". Mais tous les titres sont comme ça... classiques. Il suffit de poursuivre jusqu’au morceau suivant afin d’apprécier un medley avec les riddims de "Slavery Days" de Burning Spear, "Hot Milk" de Jackie Mittoo, et "My Heart Is Gone" de Ken Boothe. Mais le plus réussi est certainement "Ghetto Skank" qui nous permet de savourer un medley regroupant le Movie Star riddim, cher à Delroy Wilson, le Black Cinderella d’Errol Dunkley et le crucial Drum Song, rien que ça! "Schooling The Beat" nous emmène sur le Unchained riddim tandis qu’il s’agit du Rockfort Rock pour "Half Ounce". Voici pour le chapitre 1 (en ne mentionnant que les incontournables). Le chapitre 2 s’ouvre quant à lui sur le Queen Majesty riddim. Parmi les perles, il faut signaler le "Angola Crisis" avec "I’m Still In Love" d’Alton Ellis, "My Best Dub" avec le Hypocrite riddim cher à Bob Marley et une nouvelle fois - on ne s’en plaindra pas - le Unchained riddim pour "Third World". En bref, à se procurer les yeux fermés! Ces rééditions sont aussi disponibles sous leur format original (un LP par chapitre)
Joe Gibbs & The Professionals  ‘African Dub All-mighty Chapter 3 & 4’
Après les chapitres 1 et 2, voici la suite des aventures africaines du dub sorties en 1978 et 1979. Toujours avec la même qualité et le même sérieux dans le travail, cette suite ne saurait se passer des chapitres précédents et réciproquement, constituant ensemble une des pierres angulaires de la musique jamaïcaine. Le "Chapter Three" introductif nous permet de poursuivre ces tribulations musicales sans trop nous dépayser puisque le riddim de fond n’est autre que le Hypocrite rencontré au chapitre précédent. D’ailleurs ce n’est pas le seul riddim familier que nous croiserons puisque le Rockfort Rock est remis à contribution pour "Jubilation Dub". Mais cela ne nous lasse pas tellement c’est bon. "The Entebbe Affair" nous régale encore plus puisqu’il s’agit de l’incontournable Everybody Bawling riddim a.k.a. King Tubby’s Meets Rockers Uptown popularisé par Augustus Pablo. Le chapitre 4, commence lui avec une version du Swing Easy riddim pour "Crucial Attempt". Encore une fois ce chapitre regorge de classiques puisqu’il abrite également "No, no, no" de Dawn Penn ("Behind Iron Bars"), "Fattie Fattie" des Heptones sur "Iron Gate" ou encore le terrible Drum Song riddim pour "Power Pack". "Rythme Tackle" est introduit par un certain Snoopy, qui n’est autre qu’un journaliste britannique qui travaillait à l’époque pour le magazine Echoes. Une question reste en suspens, mais où est donc passé le chapitre 5 (sorti en 1984) de la collection dans cette réédition?
papa fab (jahsound.net)