Tuesday, August 02, 2005  

Israel Vibration
"Craven Raven"
"Fighting Soldiers"
"Tippy Tippy Toes"
Fighting Soldiers
(RAS, 2003)

A polio epidemic swept through Jamaica in the 1950s, likely triggered by a shipment of tainted used clothing sent from England for the island's poor. (Ah, the sweet scent of colonialism. Thx, Queen Mum!) Lascelle "Wiss" Bulgin, Albert "Apple Gabriel" Craig, and Cecil "Skelly" Spence contracted the disease, leaving the youngsters with partial paralysis in their legs. The lil' three met in a Kingston rehabilitation center and soon discovered their talents for harmony singing. After converting to Rastafarianism---and struggling with homelessness and neglect for many years---the sufferers now known as Israel Vibration finally got a break in 1977 and recorded The Same Song, one of the finest roots-reggae albums ever waxed.

Nearly 30 years later, and down to the duo of Wiss and Skelly, Israel Vibration continues to cut timeless roots records, including the pair's most recent, 2003's strong Fighting Soldiers. That CD's title track is pop-reggae at its finest---dirty-sax solo alert!---while "Craven Raven" is crucial roots and "Tippy Tippy Toes" borrows the melody to Israel Vibration fan Bob Marley's "Keep on Moving."

See Wiss and Skelly raise their voices and crutches to Jah on August 7 at 8 p.m. at the State Theatre, 220 N. Washington St., Falls Church, Virginia. $15. (703) 237-0300.

More tour dates:
Aug 4 - Starr Hill Music Hall - Charlottesville, VA
Aug 5 - Sunshine Daydreams Park - Terra Alta, WV
Aug 6 - Tubman Garrett Riverfront Park - Wilmington, DE
Aug 7 - State Theater - Falls Church, VA
Aug 20 - Red Rocks Amphitheater - Morrison, CO
Aug 21 - Suede - Salt Lake City, UT
Aug 22 - Breeze Nightclub - Crystal Bay, NV
Aug 23 - SLO Brewing - San Luis Obispo, CA
Aug 24 - House of Blues - San Diego, CA
Aug 28 - Hollywood Bowl - Hollywood, CA
Sept 1 - The Jungle - Eugene, OR
Sept 3 - Deer Lake Park - Burnaby, BC (Canada)
Sept 4 - Bumbershoot Festival - Seattle, WA

Buy Israel Vibration CDs from Ernie B's.

Visit Israel Vibration's outdated Web site.
On Ras Records' outdated site.
Fan site.
Interview with former member Apple Gabriel by Carter Van Pelt.

Posted by CP | Link |

---