Cpt. Yossarian – Bob Marley In Dub

A dub album paying tribute to the music of Bob Marley and the Wailers isn’t totally new. Probably the best known example is Chalawa’s 1977 album Exodus Dub, recorded in 1976 at Kink Sound, in Toronto, Canada. At the time it was Micron Records producer Pete Weston who convinced the band to do a dub tribute to Bob Marley’s giant album. About 45 years after the release of that album, Cpt. Yossarian presents his tribute to the revolutionary music of Bob Marley and the Wailers entitled Bob Marley In Dub.

The original record from which the dubs on this album derive – Bob by Kapelle So&So feat. Cpt. Yossarian – was recorded in 2020, the year of Bob Marley´s 75th birthday. The dub versions naturally lead on the abstract that was introduced by the uncommon orchestration by muting or emphasizing single instruments and sending them into the sonic orbit. The melody itself is almost completely left out. Nevertheless one never loses one´s orientation since the defining elements of the songs alternate skillfully, vanishing in clouds of reverb, losing themselves in echo feedbacks and then popping up again, guiding us through the song. Despite being focused mainly on bass and drums you will catch yourself singing along Marley´s part more than once thereby proving the profound impact of this divine music on our souls and our common musical knowledge.

Bob Marley In Dub is the abstract of an abstract and still manages to transport the heart and soul inherent of the music. With all due respect to the original, Cpt. Yossarian manages to illuminate nuances of the material yet unheard and takes us on a trip through his conception of this otherwise well known material. Following the tradition of the pioneers of dub music like King Tubby, Lee “Scratch” Perry, and Scientist, he uses his mixing desk, a couple of studio effects and whatever odd sounding kids toys to present the listener his approach to a musical genre that defined so many styles of music that followed.

Dub music is music for the musical connaisseur. For the one, that is not afraid of space, for the one that doesn´t look for all to easy hooks, for the one that listens closely, for the one that loves music in every aspect.