Review Summary: The Power of three; the most beautiful harmonies and the key to ancient tunings - this is Israel Vibration!
Israel Vibration – Ray Charles has nothing on these guys. Cecil “Skelly” Spence, Lascelle “Wiss” Bulgin and Albert “Apple” Craig were destined to be reggae stars; all three have polio.
They met each other when they were children living at the Mona Rehabilitation Center in Jamaica; they were brought there to receive the medical care and support their families could not provide for them. A common interest in music and a belief that each of them was destined to become music stars brought them together. While living at the center, they met a Rastafarian who taught them about the Rastafarian belief; the trio quickly embraced the Rasta way and they never looked back. The only drawback was that the center did not endorse Rastafarianism and the look that goes with it; the “natty” dreads that soon grew on the heads of Skelly, Wiss and Apple were not endorsed by the center’s administrators and the three were kicked out to the street. Skelly, Wiss and Apple went their separate ways but fate brought them back together. For the next six years they lived on the streets and literally sang for their food. They were noticed by a member of a Rastafarian splinter group, The Twelve Tribes of Israel, and were fronted the money to record some singles; the CS&N of reggae - Israel Vibration - was born! The singles they recorded were a hit and the boys found themselves opening for Bob Marley! The inspiring sight of the lads jamming and grooving on their crutches and braces got the audiences dancing and their music got the people demanding more!
In 1978 they were sent into the studio to record their full-length album debut “The Same Song”. The trio had an incredibly talented group of musicians laying down the grooves for them: Sly Dunbar (drums), Robbie Shakespear (bass), Augustus Pablo (piano), Mikey Chung (guitar), & Ansel Collins (organ). The music was mixed low in order to highlight the interlocking vocal harmonies of Skelly, Wiss and Apple and to allow their message of unity and Jah to ring clear.
The music is straight up roots style reggae – chugging guitar, steady-backwards beat and the occasional horn section for added atmosphere. All three vocalists are given equal time to shine; each person sings lead on the songs they wrote. Skelly’s vocals are in the middle register, sounding comparable to Bob Marley; Wiss has a very smooth voice that softly floats and lands on the listeners ears; Apple has the most distinctive and original vocal phrasing; he has a herky-jerky, staccato, rhythmic style in which he stretches out and pulsates words and syllables creating a hypnotic and totally original sound. While each song’s author sings lead vocal, the other two provide symmetric backing vocals, the end result is a Temptations/Four Tops/CS&N vocal uniformity, reggae-style – right yah! There are no pop, AOR songs here; just straight-up praise Jah, love and stay positive.
Skelly, Wiss and Apple may have a crippling disease but their music and message is alive and full of power. There is no posing here; Israel Vibration is reggae to the bone! Tell the people about the message Apple: “Culture music open people eyes and them don't want that, cause when people eyes open and people get wise, then people put up more resistance. When them get wise and them eyes open to things, them become closer to each other. And when people unite, that's the greatest force right there."
Israel Vibration - totally original, totally roots reggae, 100% alive with the muscle and energy to heal the world; tune to their vibration – it’s righteous yah!
