We are obsessed with new things. Nowhere else is innovation valued as highly as here in the western Babylon system (and the Jamaicans are no exception, as is well known). Different to z. B. In Japan, where it is considered a high art to master a craft perfectly and those who for example forge a samurai sword in absolute perfection or can prepare a classic dish to the highest perfection are praised, the quality of craftsmanship plays a completely subordinate role for us Role. A true artist is only considered to be someone who achieves something (even if only supposedly) innovative - regardless of his or her technical ability. The main thing is that the idea is new. This attitude leads to some beautiful things being neglected. On the other hand, it also means that we do not stick to what we have already achieved, but move on in search of something new and discover exciting possibilities. But the urge for innovation and the joy of what is tried and tested do not have to be mutually exclusive. Both can inspire me: The album of an experimentalist who breaks the boundaries of the genre - also at the expense of beauty. But also: the work of a traditionalist (or better: postmodernist) who tries in his music to come as close as possible to the ideal of the sound of a very specific era. I have celebrated Prince Fatty here many times thanks to his masterly mastery of this art. Now he gets company from a compatriot who is not (yet) as productive as Fatty, but just as good: Alan Redfern aka The Breadwinners. The stage name suggests a whole band - and that's exactly what Redfern is. A one-man-band, because he not only plays drums, bass, keyboards, guitar, percussion and harp (!), But also composes his music, records it and also mixes it into great music Dubs. The 34-year-old has recorded hundreds of tracks over the past five years. 15 of them can now be heard on his debut album: "Dubs Unlimited ”(King Spinna Records) - and these 15 tracks are the perfect sound to infect the new year 2013 with the vibe of the 1970s. Because what Mr. Breadwinners is doing here with its 15 short and humble tracks is nothing less than a veritable renaissance of Lee Perry's Black Ark sound as well as the reincarnation of the late 70ies Roots Radics. Why should you listen to this even though the closet is full of original Perry recordings and countless Roots Radics albums? For the same reason why you watch a Tarrantino film: It's just fun to track down the postmodern quotes, to enjoy the "old" sound in a quality perfectly mastered by Kevin Metcalfe and also to listen to extremely beautiful compositions and arrangements.
Audio sample on iTunes
4 replies to “The Breadwinners: Dubs Unlimited "
Greetings Rene,
to "The Breadwinners: Dubs Unlimited “I don't have to say anything more than 6 years later. By now, Al Breadwinner should no longer be a Nobody for anyone here on the blog.
What I really want to point out are two high-profile albums that have not yet been mentioned on your blog. Both are not pure Dubalbums, however, are at least Dubs from Al Breadwinner can be found on it.
"Sounds Almighty" (2018) is a collaboration with the Manchester-based Dub-Producer Al Breadwinner, who recorded and produced the album together with jazz musician Nat Birchall. The star guest at the sessions was the experienced Jamaican trombonist Vin Gordon alias Don D. Jr.
The fact that Vin Gordon was brought into the band by Breadwinner and Birchall for “Sounds Almighty” is both a brilliant coup and an indication of the appreciation that Vin Gordon's trombone playing is still shown.
The British saxophonist Nat Birchall is celebrating his 2019th anniversary as a band leader in 1999. His specialty is actually spiritual jazz in the style of John Coltrane. Since 2018 he has released an album approximately every two years. The most recent was the outstanding Cosmic Language (Jazzman, XNUMX).
Before Nat Birchall became a jazz musician, reggae was and still is his great passion. He grew up in the 1970s, Reggae's Belle Epoque, when the style set the tone for what became known as "Conscious Reggae". Birchall went weekly shopping trips from his rural home in Lancashire in the north of England to nearby Liverpool to buy the latest Jamaican imports in the city's specialty shops. In an interview, Nat Birchall said, “I spent all my money on these records and the people in my village said,“ What the hell is that? But you're crazy! ”Vin Gordon had many of the records Birchall bought in their line-up. The trombonist joined the ubiquitous Skatalites back in 1964, playing literally hundreds of sessions during the Ska, Rocksteady, and Reggae eras. Coxsone Dodd's Studio One was Vin Gordon's second home.
Count Ossie, the man who developed the typical burro or nyahbinghi percussion style that Rastas play during their days of grounations, was also influential for Birchall. People like Tommy McCook, Cedric "IM" Brooks, Roland Alphonso (sax) and Rico Rodriguez (trb) went to these sessions regularly and played their instruments to the nyahbinghi drums. Rico (Man From Wareika) even lived in Count Ossie's camp for some time. An important and exemplary example of these fabulous grounations in Rockfort near Wareika Hill in the east of Kingston is the "Count Ossie & The Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari - Grounation" (Ashanti, 1973), which was recorded in just three days. This triple LP is a cornerstone of both Birchall's Record collection as well as his music world. Cedric "IM" Brooks can be heard on tenor saxophone on many of these tracks. On the milestone “Grounation”, which should not be missing in any serious collection, the jazz influence is evident and gushes out of every groove - except for the narrations. There is even a version of the Charles Lloyd piece, “Passin 'Through”.
The leading saxophonists of this era, Cedric "IM" Brooks, Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso aroused Nat Birchall's interest in this instrument and greatly influenced his decision to play the saxophone.
In 2018 Nat Birchall founded together with the Dub-Producer Al Breadwinner “Tradition Disc”. The label released the album "Sounds Almighty", which also includes "Nat Birchall meets Al Breadwinner feat. Vin Gordon ”.
Nat Birchall wrote on the back of "Sounds Almighty" that the album was "dedicated to the great Jamaican artists who created / created this music" - musicians such as Vin Gordon. This shows the respect Birchall has for this music, which can be heard and felt in every note. "Sounds Almighty" makes him very proud! The album was received and celebrated with great enthusiasm even by (jazz) critics.
This recognition is now given to reggae veteran Vin Gordon from Nat Birchall & Al Breadwinner, because the two of them have jointly produced Vin Gordon's new album “African Shores”, which will be released on July 26.07th. Released in 2019. The same band as in “Sounds Almighty” (minus guest trumpeter KT Lowry) now recorded “Vin Gordon - African Shores” in less than 24 hours.
It is a very relaxed instrumental album with Jamaican jazz influences, plenty of Nyahbinghi percussions and Dub Versions. A very nice, high quality album that will please all those who already know / knew to appreciate “Soul Almighty”.
The album was recorded again with tape and analog equipment, as we have been used to from Al Breadwinner for a few years. A classic, timeless, great album. In my opinion, Vin Gordon's “African Shores” will evoke a similar enthusiasm as “Sounds Almighty”. Roots riddims, beautiful horn sections, heavy bass lines and drums, a mild, almost gentle, magical mood and classic DubVersions. You can literally feel the sun, smell the Sensi or taste the rum, depending on your personal leisure preferences. In any case, the music puts you in a good mood and is soooo awesome that "it would even put a smile on the face of a stone head statue on Easter Island".
The more I write about it, the more I become aware that both “Sounds Almighty” and “African Shores” are a return to the true roots of Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae and Dub are! What more do people want ???
Wow, I should definitely respect so much concentrated knowledge and background information. respect Ras Vorbei !
I also find the information very interesting and I don't want to write anything negative about it. But the little weaker self in me, can't help but pound this Breadwinners disc into the ground again. I already mentioned it with the "Flying-Cimbals theme" that drives me crazy with this disc. I actually like it really well, but after listening to it several times, the so-called “Flying Cimbals” got so on the alarm clock that I could basically throw this disc away. In any case, for me it is only alluded to as a deterrent example for the flying cimbals, at most briefly.
No offense but I can't get this disc from ……………. lemmi
Greetings Lemi,
nice to read from you again ...
No, I have a completely different opinion, probably also because the first Aggrovators records had this typical sound and it was the classic starting point of the Dubs is. Nat Birchall and I were “infected” by exactly this sound. The hissing of the pool like in a snake pit is part of reggae /Dub like hops with beer and ganja with chalice. Even Carly Barrett (RIP), whom I adore, couldn't do without this trademark.
"Sounds Almighty" drew a very wide audience, not only among reggae lovers, which is also proof of the high quality of the album.
No matter, as the saying goes: "It's all a matter of taste, the monkey said when he bit into the soap." ;-))
Stay tuned
"It's all a matter of taste, the monkey said when he bit into the soap." ;-))
Hehe, he eats well! I did not know it yet. But I've already seen one or the other orangutan inna TierDoku who were of exactly this opinion. I also had the impression that he found the soap delicious! The thing about the different tastes is strange sometimes.
Stand strong ………… .. lemmi