Author Ras Vorbei

John Coltrane's "Love Supreme“ has been considered one of the best jazz albums of all time since its release in 1965. In fact, there is probably no jazz piece that is as comprehensible, intense and attractively characterized by spiritual feelings as this 33-minute suite in four movements: “Acknowledgement,” “Resolution,” “Pursuance” and “Psalm.” This album is the greatest proof of the genius of a composer whose virtuosity is only surpassed by the fascination of his music.
Especially in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the album opened up new paths and perspectives for many rock musicians. In 1973, for example, I first came across an adaptation of “Love Supreme“ by Carlos Santana & John McLaughlin and was thrilled. Only then did I start to study the original in depth. If Mick Dick's adaptation has the same effect on some interested people - all the better.

The director, producer, bassist, sound designer and Dub-Artist Michael "Mick" Dick began studying jazz and double bass at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne in 1984. He became a member of the MIA (Melbourne Improvisers Association) and developed into a professional musician and sound artist. For more than 30 years he has performed, toured and played with a variety of artists from a wide range of genres, including (free) jazz, blues, reggae, Afro, Latin and experimental music. His double album ID of RA – a tribute to Sun Ra – received a nomination in Australia for the ARIA Award for Best World Music Album 2023.
Almost 60 years later, the Australian multi-instrumentalist almost single-handedly set about transforming the jazz classic into DubAlbum "Mick Dick: A Dub Supreme” He kept the four parts of the original. As with the original, each part has its own mood and meaning. “Acknowledgement” becomes “Dubknowledgement" and the opening cadence, a simple melody that also consists of just four notes in the original, is played through in different variations, keys and sound manipulations. The theme runs through the entire track, which, like the original, is kept in African or Latin American rhythms. At times the guitar also sounds like Juju music from Nigeria, the best known representatives of which are King Sunny Adé and Ebenezer Obey.
In "Dubolition" uses the melodica where in the original "Trane's" saxophone can be heard. Overall, I find the driving track exciting, even if the drum loops from Prince Fatty's buddy Horseman seem a bit unimaginative at times. "Dubonance”. The drum solo of the original is replaced by percussion and mbira (kalimba). Mick Dick creates sounds here by constructing and deconstructing them and allowing the moment to create a narrative through vibration and resonance. A soundscape that is most similar to the Jamaican model. With the mystical sounding “DubWith “Ness”, this highly exciting album ends with a foray into the trip-hop genre of the early 1990s.

This nearly 30-minute album can be summed up in the words of Mick Dick: “A four-part cross-cultural journey in which reggae, jazz, Duband trip-hop grooves into a cinematic palette. It blends Jamaican riddims, Celtic Sufi beats, African percussion and ethnic instruments such as dholak and kalimba in an analogue live mix that Dub-style.“ His very personal world musicDub-Homage to John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme". That's exactly how it is! After a long time, another "Dubios Dub-Album".

Over 44 years ago I released my very first Scientist album “Heavyweight Dub Champion“ on the turntable at home – a »blind purchase«. After the first few bars I loved this album. I had never heard anything like it before. Scientist conjured up Barrington Levy’s song album “Robin Hood" one Dub-album that couldn't have been more radical at the time. Together with the dream team Henry 'Junjo' Lawes as producer, the Roots Radics and Scientist on the mixing desk, a rich, dry sound was created that had never been heard before. It just occurred to me that Scientist also appeared on the cover of the Dub Conference book. Why? Scientists contribution to the Dub In my opinion, his achievements cannot be weighed against gold, he has simply developed it radically and taken it to a new level. Many years and, as you can read, around 60.000 recordings later, Hopeton Overton Brown alias Scientist has proven that he is still one of the most influential personalities of the Dub I am all the more excited to hear something new from the grandmaster. Surrounded by vintage analogue equipment, “Scientist: Direct-To-Dub“ (Night Dreamer) in a way that recalls his early days as a sixteen-year-old with King Tubby, where it all began. For the Night Dreamer session, Scientist brought together musicians from the London reggae scene, including the rhythm section Mafia (bass) and Fluxy (drums) from The Instigators, guitarist Tony Ruffcut from Creation Rebel, singjay Donovan Kingjay, keyboardist Greg Assing from Jah Shaka and the Twinkle Brothers, and saxophonist Finn Peters. The crew was reinforced by Salvoandrea Lucifora, a trombonist from Amsterdam and head of the Dutch Zebra Street Band, as well as background singers Alyssa Harrigan and Peace Oluwatobi. For the recordings, Scientist took almost the entire studio apart and rebuilt it according to his ideas. He spent hours on the kick drum alone. The high-pass filter of the mixer was rewired and two 18-inch subwoofers were installed. Apart from Fluxy on drums, Scientist gathered all the musicians in the control room and made the whole room shake with the rich bass. This is how he immerses himself in his new album “Direct-To-Dub“ into those bygone times. For the album, six tracks were initially recorded with the top musicians. Scientist then mixed the tracks in real time, with the mix being recorded directly onto a lacquer record, from which the vinyl LPs were then pressed. The production process itself is actually a trip back to the 70s, because the rather complex lacquer cutting process was only used to produce records until the 80s. In an interview, Scientist describes this experience as “back in time”. The master at the mixer plays his “instrument” and knows exactly when to take something out of the mix or keep it, extend it or repeat it. There are thunderous brass sections with lots of reverb, snare cracks that still echo in space and time, while bass and drum kicks give you a punch in the solar plexus. We all know that Dub in the wrong hands it can become an indefinable mush, as if someone had thrown all the effects into a washing machine and hoped for the best. But under the care of a master like Scientist, you think you know when only a stream of effects flows from the speakers and when the Dub-flood is coming. Each of the six tracks is presented as an extended “disco mix”. There are four showcase-style songs and two cool Dubs. As mentioned above, vocals are provided by veteran singjay Donovan Kingjay, who has been around since the early 90s and here re-records some of his favourite songs, all written about a decade ago. "Missing You" is a gentle love song, enhanced by backing vocalists Alyssa Harrigan and Peace Oluwatobi. Originally produced by Dougie Wardrop of Conscious Sounds, "Be Thankful" is a heartfelt Rasta song, with Scientist's sound effects reflecting the lyrics' imagery of thunder, lightning and retribution. "Jailhouse" deals with the subject of crime and particularly punishment. It is a critique of the increasingly poor prison conditions which in turn increase the profits and dividends of those who run and own these overcrowded facilities. "Higher Meditation" is a classic ganja anthem, with "a whiff of an Ital spliff". Both tracks first appeared on Kingjay's 2014 album, which also features Crucial Tony and Mafia & Fluxy.

Scientist cut the new Dubs in a single live take on Night Dreamer's custom-made Neumann cutting machine straight to the record. Where others feel pressured, Scientist is in his element. Seemingly effortless and skilful, Scientist strips things back, creating galaxies of space and time between each splash of sound. The bass rumbles and is omnipresent, the organ flashes and bubbles. The brass is omnipresent, turning into distress sirens at times. Rich and sophisticated, with unexpected and unpredictable bursts of wildness and radicalism, the result is reminiscent of the heyday of Dub and the well-deserved meteoric rise of a brilliant sound engineer.

Today I will prove that Reggae/Dub has covered all the continents of the earth and has a firm grip on them. From the South Pacific it goes directly to Sweden, in the far north of the northern hemisphere.

A few years ago, Ras Teo, a native Swede of Armenian descent, turned to Magnus "Daddy Natural" Hjalmarsson with the question: "Why don't we work together?" The reason was that Ras Teo, who lives in California, wanted to come home and make an album with Swedish musicians from his hometown of Uppsala. The bassist, producer and man behind the label King Solomon Productions is Magnus "Daddy Natural" Hjalmarsson. He is one of the founding members of the Swedish reggae pioneers Natural Way, who released a 1995-track album entitled "17" in 1924. So "Daddy Natural" used his connections, got a few musicians together and the "Coming Home" project with Teodik Hartoonian alias Ras Teo was able to start. Speaking of drums: "Daddy Natural's" son Teodor Lindström alias "Junior Natural" is on the drums. The core of The Naturals consists of musicians from Uppsala. The backing vocals are provided by some Swedish reggae acts such as Papa Dee and others. International vocal support comes from Ashanti Selah and Roberto Sanchez, through whose label A Lone-Ark the album is distributed. The same applies to the brass section, which is supported by Zoe Brown, Patrick "Aba Ariginal" Tenyue and Trevor Edwards.

After "Ras Teo & The Naturals: Coming Home“ now follows the Dub- counterpart "Acoustic Vibes: Dub The Palace Prince Back Home“ (King Solomon Records). The first track “Dubkind" starts with a beautiful Nyahbinghi drumming, accompanied by some very beautiful flute passages that meander through the whole track. The real magic of the second track "Dub Timer" comes from the echoes of other genres, such as the blue notes known from jazz, which are brought into play by the brass. Of course I could continue in this style, but I want you to have something else to discover. The album contains an incredible number of soft, warm, soulful or simply beautiful sounds. The rhythm section is always pointed, the entire instrumentation is fantastic. Buttery smooth lead guitar runs, stoic bass lines, well-tempered brass and a slightly off-key sounding electric organ round off this wonderful sound perfectly.

All in all, an album that I have listened to many times with growing enthusiasm."Dub The Palace Prince Back Home" is a great achievement by all involved. It is a musically stirring project that ranges from roots to Dub to jazz, soul and Nyabinghi and back again. Not an easy task, but one that has been mastered here with flying colors. The album was mastered by Tomas Boden, who shows off his full skills and gives us this breathtaking, Nordic, cool record. I like this sound - just let it sink in.

Trivia: Until now, I did not know that Ras Teo's family had direct connections to Haile Selassie I. According to Ras Teo, his family was taken in and cared for by Haile Selassie after the Armenian genocide in 1915/16.

After "Dubbin' Darryl: Textures" is followed seamlessly by another album from the South Pacific, more precisely from Aotearoa, the most widely used and accepted Maori name for New Zealand today. Christopher Martin James alias Christoph El' Truento is for us in Dubblog since his album “Peace Maker Dub“ is no longer a blank slate. Christoph El' Truento has now blossomed into one of the best producers in Aotearoa. No matter what genre – his extraordinary style encompasses many – El' Truento proves again and again that it is second nature to him, as he wanders unerringly through the genres and makes them his own as if he were sleepwalking. With his new album “Christoph El'Truento: Dubs From The Neighbourhood“ (Haymaker Records) he continues where he left off in 2019 with the Aotearoa Dub-Classic “Peace Maker Dub“ and pays tribute to the inventors of the Dub through his unique South Pacific lens. The highly anticipated new album “DubLike its predecessor, "S From The Neighbourhood" takes us on a musical journey inspired by road trips through small towns, sunshine, deserted beaches and deep green primeval landscapes. Listeners can expect a sound that has matured in complexity. What you hear is the sonic reflection of an artist who has become a little older, more mature and wiser. While the idyllic landscape on the cover is typically associated with carefree joy, the album adds details and textures that point to the inevitable downside of grief and loss that befall us on the journeys and impasses of life.

Overall, the album's tracks are strongly influenced by the sound of the 70s, but at the same time have the artist's unique psychedelic lo-fi touch in a modern 2024 style. Local influences and the pleasantly warm sound of the Dub-Maestros expand the sound palette. For example, the penultimate track on the album, "Things Done Changed," features a lap steel guitar, better known as a Hawaiian guitar. The title track is reminiscent of Perry's working methods in the Black Ark Studio, and "Pep The Conqueror" is a remake of the Cornell Campbell classic "The Gorgon," which was once released on Bunny 'Striker' Lee's Attack label. As on the previous album, El' Truento's son Pep can also lend his voice to this classic. With "Dubs From The Neighbourhood“ El' Truento lets the listener dream of relaxed summer days, hanging out with friends and a good doobie on the beach or the river bank and letting God be a good man. Even lovers of classic Jamaican Dub get their money's worth.

Reggae and its subgenre Dub have spread all over the globe and so it is not surprising that from “Down Under” there are also highly interesting Reggae & Dub albums are released (see review “Nachur”). After the Springtones had already released the reggae version of the Kings Go Forth cult hit “High On Your Love” as a one-drop and Dubversion, the Dad Bod followed Dubs interpretation of “Sweet Dreams” by the Eurythmics. The whole thing was presented by the Australian Dub-Label Cry No More Recordings, which now releases the debut album of “Dubam' Darryl: Textures" released.
Inspired by the funkier side of instrumental reggae, Dubbin' Darryl adds his own unique touch to keyboards, organ and melodica, creating a captivating musical experience.
The EP “Textures” is a psychedelic journey through just four songs Dub-Rhythms with super cool jazz vibes. Dubbin' Darryl convincingly shows us that he can effortlessly delve deep into a world of echoes. Straight from a shed in Witchcliffe, South West Australia, he comes with a haunting barrage of reverberating echoes over sparkling percussion and grooving guiro beats. Darryl, who also plays drums for the improvisationalDubband Dad Bod Dub is inspired by the funkier soul side of instrumental reggae and adds his own musical touch with distorted keyboards, organ and melodica. Today just one example: “Muckaround Dub“ sounds as if the legendary Lee 'Scratch' Perry had his magic fingers in the game. Or is it just a siren-likedubrooster echoing from the fields?

“Textures” is the third release from the new Australian Dub-Label Cry No More Recordings, which was founded by life partners Kellie Bennett (Bass, Guitar, Horn Samples & Production) and Clay Chipper (Beats, Guitar, Keys, Horn Samples & Production). Here they can pursue their love for reggae and Dub-inspired sounds with a pinch of soul and funk.
What also commands my greatest respect is the fact that everything is produced sustainably. Kellie and Clay believe that good music doesn't have to cost the earth, which is why they press on 100% recycled vinyl, use recycled packaging and run their small business on solar energy. They also respect and support the Whadjuk elders and the First Nations communities. Respect!

Although he more than deserved it, he was never in the forefront of successful Jamaican singers. For this reason, information about him is very sparse. Nevertheless, I venture a thesis: Without Roman Stewart there would have been no Dennis Brown. As you can read in the relevant literature, Roman taught Dennis how to sing. The vocal similarities are indeed striking, close your eyes and listen. Who do you hear? No, not the young Dennis Brown, but Roman Stewart with a “lost” album. Quite apart from the fact that “Roman Stewart: Give Thanks 'Showcase' “ (Thompson Sound) was never conceived as an album. Some titles were released as singles or maxi singles by Linval Thompson on his Thompson Sound label in 1979 and have never been available again since then. There are also three unreleased and completely new tracks and their Dub-Versions to be heard: Give Thanks, Give Thanks Dub, I'm In A Bad Mood, I'm In A Bad Mood Dub, Hello Baby and Hello Baby Dub.

Roman Stewart, born in 1957, started his career as a small boy on the street and at the pier where the cruise ships docked. There he sang for the tourists, and his friend Freddie McGregor collected the money that people were willing to give. Roman was just 1968 years old in 11 when he recorded his first recording, While I Was Walking, as Romeo Stewart And The Tennors With Tommy McCook And The Supersonics. In 1974, Roman had his first hit “Hooray Festival”. A song written by his older brother Neville aka Tinga Stewart and Willie Lindo. After his first breakthrough, he achieved another success in 1976 with “Hit Song,” produced by Tommy Cowan.
On the whole, the early 1970s were a successful time for Roman. He began recording new songs for well-known producers such as Glen Brown (Never Too Young), Derrick Harriott (Changing Times), Everton Da Silva (Rice & Peas), Phil Pratt (Fire At Your Heel) and Linval Thompson. Although he emigrated to the USA in 1976, he always maintained close contact with his home country and continued to make numerous recordings there. It is said that “Rice and Peas” is his best-known song, which he also recorded for Linval Thompson in 1979. In total, he recorded more than 70 singles and a good handful of albums and was able to look back on a career that spanned more than 30 years. On January 25, 2004, Roman aka Romeo or Romie Stewart died of a heart attack at the age of just 46. The previous evening he had attended a concert by his good old friend Freddie McGregor. Afterwards, Roman went to a birthday party, where he sang two more songs. When Roman wanted to sing his third song, he reportedly turned off the microphone and complained of chest pain. He later collapsed and was taken to hospital, where he remained in a coma and died the next day.

Over twenty years after this tragic event, Linval Thompson comes around the corner with the tapes that were believed to be lost. Roman Stewart's vocals and the Roots Radics Band's powerful riddims were recorded at the Hookim Brothers' Channel One Recording Studio on Maxfield Avenue in West Kingston, Jamaica. As mentioned, Linval Thompson found the original tapes and commissioned Roberto Sánchez to remix them at his A-Lone Ark Muzik Studio in Santander, Spain. Thanks to the expert preservation of the vintage analog sound, the listener feels transported back to the early dancehall era. The powerful title track “Give Thanks” is a classic roots song that has never been released before. The track and his Dub-Pendant offer a fantastic, bass-heavy riddim. With “Baby Come Back,” Roman Stewart turns to a love song. The song was originally recorded in England as 12? Vinyl released by Cool Rockers, a short-lived offshoot of Greensleeves Records that focused on lovers rock. The Revolutionaires were named as the accompanying band. He clearly shows that Roman is at home in both the roots and lovers sections of reggae. “Mr. Officer” is a play about the problems that come with possessing the green herb (Herb, Lambsbread, Ganja, Kaya, Collie). The remaining tracks on this LP deal more with matters of the heart, particularly issues that lead to complications in relationships. Each track has its own merits and is worth listening to more than once. Roman Stewart shines vocally on every piece, including the heavy ones Dubs by Roberto Sánchez are a real pleasure to listen to. Once again he has Dubmaster from northern Spain demonstrates that he is experienced enough to create a contemporary album from historical recordings with the classic sound of the golden age of reggae.

The album released in 1978 “I love marijuana“ was Linval Thompson’s first self-produced album. Vocally, Linval Thompson was at the peak of his abilities in 1978. His vocal range and self-confident demeanor – not unlike that of Ken Boothe – made him as engaging as the American soul singers who inspired quite a few young Jamaican singers in the 60s and 70s. The success of his hit single “I Love Marijuana” was followed by the LP of the same name and with it some of the best songs of his career. There are mutliple reasons for this. On the one hand, Thompson brought some extremely strong pieces with him to the Hookim brothers' Channel One studio, and on the other hand, he had one of Jamaica's best bands, The Revolutionaries, at his side. We hear Aston Barrett or Robbie Shakespeare on bass, Horsemouth Wallace or Sly Dunbar on drums, Ossie Hibbert on organ, followed by Ansel Collins on piano. The guitar was plucked by Earl Stanley Smith, better known as “Chinna” Smith. The end result was an extremely sophisticated LP of late 'XNUMXs reggae. On the album, the warmth and romance of Rock Steady meets the hard-hitting sound of the then-burgeoning Natty Roots scene. The original LP only had the last track as a treat Dub, “Jamaican Colley (Version)”, a Dub-version of the title track. Although the engineer was not named, there are indications that either Tubby himself, Philip Smart or Prince Jammy were at the controls. In addition to the title track, the album's highlights include the funky "Dread are the Controller" and Ken Boothe's enigmatically contradictory 1969 Studio 1 classic "Just Another Girl." U-Roy's Tony Robinson-produced 1975 album "Dread in a Babylon” also features a fantastic toast from “Just Another Girl” called “Runaway Girl”.
Since then, Linval Thompson has also made a name for himself as a producer, releasing work with and by Dennis Brown, Barrington Levy, The Viceroys, Revolutionaries, Scientist and countless other artists.

Now let’s get to “Linval Thompson meets Roberto Sanchez At The Ark: Marijuana Sessions In Dub(A-LONE PRODUCTIONS). Linval Thompson, who has repeatedly worked with the Spanish musician, sound engineer and producer Roberto Sanchez in recent years, provided Roberto Sanchez with the original tapes to create an equally brilliant album Dub-Make an album. And what the two of them put together in the A-Lone Ark Studio in Santander, northern Spain, is worth listening to. We know of many examples in which such an undertaking went brutally wrong, to say the least. But far from it, Roberto Sanchez and Linval Thompson have effortlessly managed to transfer a classic into the present day. The result is a timeless one Dub-Album with wonderful basslines à la Aston 'Familyman' Barrett, fat riddims and free-floating song fragments by Linval Thompson, which actually sounds as if it was created in the heyday of reggae. What else is there to complain about? Given the fact that the demand for reggae classics continues to rise steadily, Sanchez and Thompson can only be congratulated on this result and exclaim: “Well done men, I like it very much!

The album will also be released as a record on May 24.05.2024th, XNUMX.

Ok, as I can see from the comments in the release radar, there are still a few questions unanswered about this album, which I would like to use as an opportunity to shed a little more light on it. Quite apart from the fact that Burning Sounds maintains the misinformation they started in 1978, such as the name The Aggravators being misspelled, there are also false statements about the studio in which the bands are said to have recorded the riddims. Contrary to what is stated on the cover, the tracks were never recorded in King Tubby's studio. The tracks were recorded at the Hookim Brothers' Channel One and at the Harry J Studio. Later the tracks were mixed by Oswald 'Ossie' Hibbert in King Tubby's much smaller studio, which, as we already know from Helmut Philipps, was more brilliant Dub Conference know, was only used for the soundtrack and the mix.

So, Burning Sounds has the album “The Aggravators (The Aggrovators) & The Revolutionaries: Guerrilla Dub“ was reissued on the occasion of this year’s Record Store Day (RSD). Originally it was guerrilla Dub Released in 1978 by the British record company on transparent vinyl, in 2016 the 10-track album was reissued on CD and 180 gram vinyl LP. Now, on the occasion of the RSD, the LP has been released again, this time as a red-colored vinyl LP.

The Aggrovators are named after Bunny 'Striker' Lee's record store Agro Sounds. In the 1970s and 1980s the band, with a constantly changing line-up, was the most important session band for 'Striker'. During the same period, The Revolutionaries were the house band at Channel One Studio. As previously mentioned, the line-up of both bands changed frequently, with Bunny Lee and the Hookims retaining the band name for the musicians they were currently working with. Musicians like Aston & Carlton Barrett, Sly & Robbie, Bertram McLean, Tommy McCook, Bobby Ellis, Vin Gordon, Ossie Hibbert, Earl “Chinna” Smith etc. played in both bands at times.

Now let’s get to “Guerrilla Dub“, which also features almost the entire crème de la crème of the Jamaican music scene of the time. As an example, I will just stick with the riddim sections: On bass we hear Aston Barrett, Robbie Shakespeare, George 'Fully' Fullwood, Bertram 'Ranchie' McLean, Lloyd 'Sparks' Parks and Earl 'Bagga' Walker and on drums: Carlton 'Carly' Barrett, Lowell 'Sly' Dunbar, Lloyd 'Tin Leg' Adams, Basil 'Benbow' Creary and Carlton 'Santa' Davis. The “Guerilla Dub“contains Dub-Counterparts of Jimmy Riley's late 70's LPs "Majority Rule", "Showcase" and "Tell The Youths The Truth", some of which were previously released as 7 inch singles in Jamaica. Thanks to a few vocal snippets included in most tracks, it is relatively easy for the listener to associate them with the original vocal recordings. The journey into the Dub starts with “Cuddoe Dub“, a nice rockers-style riddim with subtle organ parts. What follows is the captivating “Garvey Dub", the Dub-Counterpart to Jimmy Riley's title track on the "Majority Rule" LP. The “Garvey Dub” is also known as “The Conqueror” by The Revolutionaries, albeit mixed differently. “Paul Bogle Dub" is a version of Jimmy Riley's hit "Nyah-Bingi", which can be heard on his "Showcase" LP and which is "Malcolm X Dub" is the Dub to the vocal cut “A You”, which can also be found on the “Showcase” LP. The A-side is rounded off with “Martin Luther Dub", a remix of Alton Ellis' "Can I Change My Mind" riddim. The B-side of the record features the same sort of classically beautiful Ossie Hibbert Dubs. The most notable contributions include the title track “Guerrilla Duband “Maroon Dub", a version of "Cleaning Up The Streets" which was a huge hit for Jimmy Riley in the 1970s.

Even if the Ossie Hibbert Dubs on “Guerrilla Dub“ are no longer the absolute icing on the cake, the musician, sound engineer and producer, who died of a heart attack in 2012, is one of the many unsung heroes of the Jamaican music scene. Some of you will also know “Crueshal Dub“, “Leggo Dub“ and “Earthquake Dub“ – all very beautiful, energetic Dub-Works from the heyday of reggae/Dub. Nevertheless, I had a lot of fun listening to this classic again.

Better late than never, but I still have to say a few words about the death of this groundbreaking music legend.
On February 3, 2024, Aston Francis Barrett, better known to some as Familyman or Fams for short, died after a “long battle” with the disease. The Wailers' legendary bassist died at the age of 77 in the University of Miami Hospital in Florida, the city where Bob Marley died in 1981.

Aston Barrett was born on November 22, 1946 in Kingston, Jamaica. The fourth of five children of Wilford Barrett, a blacksmith, and Viola (née Marshall), Aston grew up in a large tenement house on Beeston Street in central Kingston, where saxophonist Val Bennett also lived. Too poor to afford a real bass, Familyman built his first bass out of a curtain rod. In the mid-1960s he joined the club band The Hippy Boys and accompanied singer Max Romeo at various performances in Kingston. Producer Bunny "Stricker" Lee was so impressed with his basslines that he brought Barrett into the studio in 1968 to record Slim Smith's "Watch This Sound" - an adaptation of the Buffalo Springfield hit "For What It's Worth." During the time that Aston Barrett was part of Lee's house band, the Aggrovators, he also released self-produced works on the Fam's and Cobra labels. The singles “Distant Drums”, “Eastern Memphis” and “Cobra Style” demonstrate a distinctive approach to instrumental music and Dub-B-sides.

His nickname “Familyman” comes from the fact that Aston viewed his fellow musicians as family and always took a leading role in arranging their collective work. The name Familyman does not come from the fact that he had many children - he told the BBC in 23 that he had 18 daughters and 2013 sons.

At the end of 1969, the Barrett brothers Aston and Carly made it into the British Top Ten with Max Romeo's raunchy "Wet Dream" and the organ instrumental "The Liquidator". Following the success of the instrumental "Return of Django", they toured the UK with the Upsetters in November, despite not playing on the record themselves. As a member of the studio band The Upsetters, Barrett provided powerful and melodic basslines that can be heard on the recordings the Wailers made for producer Lee "Scratch" Perry in 1970-71. His younger brother Carlton “Carly” Barrett played drums. The self-taught artist with an innate flair for musical arrangements and an exceptional sense of timing played an integral role in the popularity and international spread of reggae as bassist and bandleader of Bob Marley and the Wailers. When the Wailers split from Lee "Scratch" Perry to form their own label, Tuff Gong, Bob Marley persuaded the Barrett brothers to leave the Upsetters. From now on, Aston and Carly formed the rhythm section, the backbone of the Wailers. The group signed with Island Records in 1972 and the success story began. When Fams became bandleader and musical arranger during the recording of "Natty Dread" in 1973, he and his bass were the driving force for Marley's famous hymns. He gave songs like “No Woman, No Cry” the necessary heaviness.

Although the group experienced many changes during the Island years, the Barrett brothers remained the constant, the stabilizing force in the band. Familyman's confident mastery of his instrument and his skillful onstage interplay formed the backbone of the band's electrifying performances, while Marley delivered his lyrics in a trance-like state.

Aston Barrett was also an integral and important part of what emerged in the mid-1970s Dubsubgenres, and he was also a mentor to younger musicians such as keyboardist Tyrone Downie and bassist Robbie Shakespeare.

In addition to his duties with Bob Marley and the Wailers, Barrett worked on Keith Hudson's "Pick A Dub", Yabby You's debut album "Conquering Lion", Peter Tosh's "Legalize It", Bunny Wailer's "Blackheart Man", Burning Spear's groundbreaking releases "Marcus Garvey", "Dry And Heavy", Social Living and Augustus Pablo's "East Of The River Nile " with. Due to the Wailers' tours, his session work became somewhat less. It would be beyond the scope to list all the albums on which Aston's legendary Fender bass can be heard everywhere.
After Bob Marley's death, Familyman continued to record with Burning Spear (z. B. Hail HIM) and worked closely with Rita Marley for a while. On the album “Juvenile Delinquent” (1981), which he produced himself, he played most of the instruments himself.
Aston and Carlton also played on Ivorian reggae star Alpha Blondy's fantastic 1986 album Jerusalem. However, the following year Carlton was assassinated.

Familyman toured regularly with the Wailers Band until the 90s - after which his appearances became less frequent. He most recently lived in Miami and was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government in 2021.

Finally, I chose something less known – a live reggae Dub Session with the master bassist, innovator and creator of the typical Bob Marley sound. “Dub Obsession w/ Aston “Familyman” Barrett“ (Island King Records) is an improvised, unrehearsed, rare and classic Dub Session recorded live on St. John, US Virgin Islands. In 2004, during a brief break from his endless touring schedule, Familyman met the Wailers' former house mixer, Liston Bernie, who lives on St. John. They decided to share the island with a real one Dub pampering session. The island's reggae musicians couldn't wait to perform with this legendary musician and the audience was more than thrilled. The performance was unannounced, and as word spread around the city, fans from all walks of life flocked to the once-in-a-lifetime event.
The 9 tracks with a playing time of almost 75 minutes are definitely a collector's item. Simply because Fam's famous Fender bass, with which he created so many immortal basslines, has fallen silent forever!