Israel Vibration

Jericho   RAS 3255

Release Date: May 16, 2000

By: Fox

PART 1, The Recording Session: Jan 3-8, 2000
Can you imagine? December 31, 1999 You've got your airline ticket which was sent to you from RAS Records. But for now, its time to sit back and bring in the new century with your lovely wife and a few special friends. Yes it’s a new century. Set it.

January 1, 2000 you are back in the studio wrapping up the last few masters you promised. Putting the final polish on the gems.

Up all night, then straight to the airport January 2, 2000 bound for Kingston JA. After arriving late and putting up a little hassle with customs you emerge from the arrival area and there stands your old friend Buffy, studio manager at Leggo Studios. "Doesn't look like we will have time to start recording today, sorry I was so late."

Buffy, "It's Ok, we are all set up still. Skelly and Wiss came about noon. They are resting at the hotel. The drums are there. Do you want to go straight to your room or run by Leggo?"

You are anxious to check the test tone from your 2" reels and be sure you are comfortable with the studio setup, "lets go straight to Leggo. Have they decided the drummer yet."

"Not as yet"

When you arrive at Leggo, your fellow engineer, Bravo is there to greet you and show you how he has prepared the studio for tomorrow's session. You and Bravo go way back, each passing each other’s work back and forth for years. "Good to see you ol' pal, can we check the levels on your machine with these test tapes. I want to see how your studio levels compare to mine."

"It's no problem."

So everything is cool. Buffy had the drum-set from Benbow, Sugar Minotte's drummer, in place. The drum-set was simple, old, and very used. Benbow had it set right, though, each tom tom had been carefully taped. Over all the drum-set had that old time reggae sound. Very nice. Buffy takes you to the hotel were you meet up with Skelly and Wiss. Big reunion that. So after all night and day you take a rest.

January 3, 2000, Buffy is there early and you arrive at the studio. Flabba is there with his gear, "yes Fox. what happened? boss.", which he drops off and then, he’s gone. You go though and just as you finish a line check on the drums, who walks in? None other than Sly Dunbar. You’ve met several times and you have mixed many albums which Sly had played on. From early days with Don Carlos, Black Uhuru, Gregory, Charlie Chaplin, Dean, many different cd’s - mixed with his drum tracks. But now finally, ‘the chance to record Sly Dunbar’ directly, with him personally. This is gonna be good. There you are. One by one, the who's who of Jamaican studio musicians, begin to arrive. Tee Bird is gonna play rhythm piano, Steve Golding on rhythm guitar, the illustrious Chinna Smith comes in for lead guitar and sits right down next to you. Of course Flabba returns, this time with his SVT. Watch out!

You have three members of the Roots Radics along with Sly on Drums and Chinna on Lead. Wicked. This is going to be the team that records the basic live tracks for the new songs yet to be unleashed. And you, the recording engineer, after working on the last 13 or so IV releases, are once again going to be the most intimate witness to birth of next Israel Vibration album.

One by one the greetings are of great friendship and respect. Now its time to go to work. You plug up each of the musicians as they give you a taste of their sound, you set the gains and EQs, you place the mics, and now push up a rough mix for all to hear.

"Come-In Israel, ready, ready". - the session begins - the story tellers weave their songs - the musicians craft their tracks -

- your concentration has become totally consumed by connections between the controls of the mixing desk and recorder, with sounds and signal from the mics - as the pace is hard and steady -

Half way though the day you hear "Fox, - Doc’s on the phone.". Doc, "Ji...m, , how’s it go...ing? I heard they got Sly and Chinna along with Flabba Stevie and Bird? Is that incredible or what."

"Doc, where are you? You are missing it. I’m telling you. Once again, history in the making, the vibes are high, you’ve gotta get over here."

"I know. I can’t believe it either. I can’t believe I’m not there to see It. Fox, have a blast, take care of things, and see you tomorrow".

Eight songs are born. It is now early morning and time to break for another day.

January 4, 2000 you return in the morning as the Evening Shadow Creeps Away. Everything is still set up from the night before. You have already started the second roll of 2". Sly had other commitments so Stewy came in to take control of the drums. You re-adjust the board for the next drummer. Mean while, Keith Sterling is due to arrive to take over the piano track, but he could not be reached. After some down time, eventually Tee Bird came back to play piano until Keith Sterling could arrive. Two more songs gone, when Mr. Sterling arrives to play on the last two rhythms. ... 12 songs gone.

The basic tracks have been recorded. It is the most incredible experience to witness and be a part of. You see these artists, these craftsman in action and you are the one responsible for it’s preservation, truly awesome.

Now the hard work begins. Time to start the over dubs. Time to voice the first few songs before you complete day 2. Doc arrives in time to help out once again with the voicing. While Flabba takes control of things.

January 5, 2000 it’s a fresh start. Not so many people today. Skelly, Wiss, Flabba, and Fox. Pure productive work. By late in the day you have finished voicing all 12 songs. Wiss and Skelly were totally into it. You feel their hearts as you begin to realize their lyrics, and hear their voices a cry. Flabba making the calls. Engineer a work.

It is late in the day. Voicing for all 12 is complete. Background singers are due. You know that Pam Hall was one of the singers coming in. You had worked with her in ‘97 on the "Pay The Piper" CD. She is definitely one of the best. But who else would be singing with her? In walks JC Lodge. What a treat. It was so good to see JC again. You had worked with her in the mid 80’s on some live shows in Washington DC, mastered a few of her most popular CDs and in 1995 was thrilled to mix half of her hit album "Special Request". Particularly thrilling because the other half of album was mixed by one of your favorite and most respected engineers, Steven Stanley, good company for sure.

The mics are set. Skelly, Wiss, Pam and JC are in position. Right away there is no mistake, you are working with pros. The first two songs finish up. Eight songs more, left for tomorrow.

January 6, 2000 once again the studio had been left exactly as it was the night before, all mics still out. You decide to change Pam’s Mic. Thinking you might be able to improve the isolation on her track. Little test run and good. The mic swap was an improvement.

You spend the rest of day. Great session. Lots of fun. Backgrounds finish up.

Maybe there is time to start with the percussion tracks. Sticky and Harry T both have been popping in now and again to see when they were up. Really though, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to start up with percussion. Dean Fraser and crew will be in at 10am tomorrow. You can’t finish with percussion tonight anyway, so you decide to wait and record the percussion tracks tomorrow after the horns are completed.

The weather is being perfect. Strictly T-shirt. Not that it really matters. 18 hours a day in the studio leaves little time at all. Down the street from 125 Orange Street, as you are leaving, they have up a massive sound system pumping. The street would be Jammin’. There would be no Violence In The Street, the Crips and Bloods never near, Trouble never near, no Lost Souls and not On Borrowed Time.

Flabba gives you the ride this night. His car has right-handed steering. Do you keep left or do you keep right? The sound system in his car fills the vibes in the air. And night air is alive. Breeze A Blow. Back to take a rest.

January 7, 2000 by the time you arrive to Leggo. Chico, Nambo, and Dave have already arrived. You worry that you wouldn’t be properly set up in time, so you quickly fire up the room and position the mics in preparation for the meanest badest horn section on the planet. Turns out that Dean would be a little late anyway. First he was suppose to stop by a next studio to wrap up his last session but for a little delay. 11:30am comes and you hear "Fox Dean want to talk to the engineer on the phone".

"Yes. Dean. Fox here. Nuff respect. Hear?"

"Fox! Is that you? What? Nobody told me you were down for this one. Nice. It will be good to see you again. Look. I was suppose to pop in here at 10am, check this little ting and I would have been only a little late but they are still not ready for me. I tell you." So Dean finally arrives at noontime. Little lunch start, then, mash up 8 riddums and a solo. Pure pleasure, hard work, pure history in the making. Dean and crew rule.

Next up, percussion. Sticky and Mr. Harry T set up across from each other, in the studio. One mic each. Two tracks armed. Run down, bottom to top. Their concentration is not to be matched. Every little ching and chang, scrape and thud, locked tight with drum and bass. All twelve songs get a touch.

It's Late Friday night, and tomorrow will be the final day of recording. Get ready for the best in keyboardists

January 8, 2000 When you get to Leggo on that monumental morning you begin to get a treat, of the best, the greatest, the nicest, illustrious people - the keyboard players.

First up, Robbie Lynn. You talk with Robbie about when you first recognized him. It was in 1983 when you mixed the Don Carlos album "Just a Passing Glance", wicked organ. Then you talk about how much you were mesmerized by his performance on "Dean Plays Bob, Vol. 1", truly spectacular. And now once again, Robbie Lynn begins to put the final spice on these new tunes. What an honor. 4 songs gone. "Where is Bubbler anyway? Isn't he suppose to do many of these?"

Next up, Keith Sterling licks 2 more. You talk about the Bunny Wailer show in Washington DC last year. You both meet there last.

Next, Tee Bird, back again for two more. On the spice this time. Bird is a master of the patch settings for classic IsVibe's keyboards because he has got them all from the years of touring with the Vibes. So Bird puts a wicked tone on Evening Shadow to give the old flavor. Nice touch, indeed. "where is Bubbler, I thought he was next?"

Next walks in Obeah. "good to meet you". Yes you get to know each other a little bit. And now two more songs a gone. "Bubbler still due to arrive. But when?"

Yes this time Bubbler comes through. Been a busy day for both of you but now it is great to work with Bubbler himself again. Four tunes mash up big with Bubbler. That is it. All songs are full up. So you run off a rough mix of all the songs so Leggo can make copies for the producers. Mixing will be done back at LION and FOX later.

Back to the hotel, for tomorrow will be up early with the flight back to Washington. You stop in with Skelly and Wiss. Everything is cool. Buffy will take you to Norman Manley Airport in the morning and settle up with you.

January 9, 2000 Absolutely beautiful Sunday morning. Buffy takes you through Kingston toward the airport. You feel happy and free. On the way, the streets are full of lovely families walking along the roadway on their way to church. Little girls and boys all dressed up in white dresses and black suits. Mom and Dad in their Sunday best. You pass one group filing into the church and just around the corner comes the next group, single file towards the next church. Very nice to see. Don't you just love this country, it's way with things.

Your flight was the usual delays and cancellations, getting you home very late. Your wife to greet you, very nice. You are now home sweet home with the pups. Quick to rest, for 7am tomorrow you will be on the set at the BET on Jazz Cable Network to record two weeks of live jazz for international broadcast. Life is good.

Fox, engineer

PART 2, The Mixing Session: Feb. 21-27, 2000

Talk about a blast. Can you imagine spending 6, 18 hour days, listening to the birth of a new classic record. You get to analyze each individual instrument of each of twelve songs which have been preserved on the 24 track original tapes. Your good friends Skelly, Wiss and Flabba have come to town and are staying right across the street. Pure work, pure pleasure. First you finish with background vocals when Kimberly Miller, Bunny Brissett come down from New York.  Kimberly, Bunny sing with Wiss and Skelly all the time and while on the road, so the session goes quick and easy. Luck would have it when Junior Marvin is available to add two more guitar tracks to Jericho and Trouble. History made once again. "2 track, 2 track, Dub it!"

Fox, engineer

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