Sound Systember 3

Jah Shaka - Zulu Warrior 

 

 

This Sound System pioneer was born in Jamaica, coming to England in 1956 as part of the post-Windrush wave of Caribbean immigration which so enriched the country. Based in South East London, he melded the Rastifarian term for God with the legendary Zulu leader to become Jah Shaka, spearheading one of the city's most popular Sound Systems.

As much as I called Lloyd Coxsone the Godfather of UK Sound System culture, Jah Shaka was the true Father. The undisputed progenitor in cultural excellence, Jah Shaka paid supreme attention to Sound, giving his Sound System a boost that others lacked. Tapping directly into Jamaican culture, he also looked to the UK as becoming a focal point for African-Caribbean communities in London & beyond.

A key player in bass culture, Jah Shaka featured in the seminal 1980 film Babylon, a film that will come up more times during this journey. He stayed true to the spiritual elements inherent within Dub & Roots reggae even as Jamaican music strayed towards the more lavish colours of dancehall & ragga.

An enigmatic & highly individual performer on the UK Sound System scene, Jah Shaka's forward-thinking style combined steadfast Rastafarian beliefs & Roots reggae Sounds with a Dub experimentalism that incorporated electronic elements without losing any heaviness. Jah Shaka's studio output in the 80s & 90s was also exciting. He worked on various chapters of his Dub Salute series, as well as installments of his Commandments of Dub sets. Shaka's style was highly influential on the waves of UK Dub that followed as well as jungle, drum-n-bass, & other bass-forward forms of electronic music. In addition to running his own label, he remained highly active with Sound System performances until slowing down somewhat after suffering injuries related to a house fire in 2000. 

 

Jah Shaka died April 12, 2023.

Following are just a few shares from a storied career.

Let's start of with a Soundclash between Fatman (Side a) & Jah Shaka (Side b). The front cover title is Dub Confrontation Shaka (Warrior) VS Fatman (Killer) but Shaka VRS Fatman in a Dub Conference appears on the labels & spine. Fatman was no stranger to Sound System culture himself. He was a Selector for Sir Fanso the Tropical Downbeat until Fanso moved to Jamaica in 1974. Fatman (Kenneth Gordon) started his own Wild Bells Sound System, then Imperial Downbeat Sound before deciding on Fatman HiFi.

This is Jah Shaka's first ever record.... 

 

Shaka vs Fatman - Dub Confrontation, Live & Love LAP12, 1980.
all decryption codes in comments

Side a -
Ranking Dub
Jahoviah Dub
Aggro Dub
Bitter Dub
Reenge Dub

Side B -
Repartriation Dub
Chapter 2
Dreader Dub
Collie Dub
Africa Dub

 

 

Early on Jah Shaka worked a great deal with Mad Professor. Although Mad Professor ran Ariwa Studio & did not have a Sound System, I will touch on him this month because of his work helping many Sound System artists get their Sounds to a larger audience.

Here'a an early teaming of Jah & the Mad Prof...

 

Jah Shaka - Revelation 18, Jah Shaka Music SHAKA 821, 1982.

Side A -
Revelation 18 - Jah Shaka
Side B -
Revelation Dub - Shaka Ridim Section

 

 

 

 

From that same year... 

 

Jah Shaka - Lion Youth, Jah Shaka Music SHAKA 828, 1982.

Side A -
Lion Youth - Jah Shaka
Side B -
Beyond the Realms (pt I & II) - Mad Professor & Shaka Ridim Section

 

 

 

 

The following year Shaka released this full length, mixed by Jah & Mad Professor...

 

Jah Shaka - Brimstone & Fire, Jah Shaka Music SHAKA 831, 1983

Side A -
Preacher Dub
Prophet Dub
Vision Dub
Judgement Dub
Conquering Dub

Side B -
Lightning Dub
Powerful Dub
Thunderous Dub
Seven Seals Dub

 

 

 

 

Isses Dread & Fred Ironworks were two brothers from Bedford, UK. They were in the band Tarishi who along with another brother led group, Russel & Lol Brown's The Disciples, created much of the original riddim tracks for Jah Shaka's King of the Zulu Tribe label. I'll get to The Disciples soon.

Here's the groundbreaking Iron Works...

 

Dread & Fred - Iron Works, Jah Shaka Music SHAKA875, 1989.

Side A -        
Mighty Sounds
High Priest
African Dawn
Warrior Stance
Spirit 2000

Side B -
Ironworks
Steady Rock
Zulu Skank
African Seashore
Mission Dub 

 

 

 

 

In the early 90s Jah Shaka offered up his New Testament of Dub... 

 

 

Jah Shaka - New Testament of Dub Pt. 1, Jah Shaka Music SHAKACD923, 1992.

Promise Dub
Real Dub
Natty Dub
Testament Dub
Armegedon Dub
Right Dub
Alert Dub
Halilujah Dub
Sunshine Dub
History Dub

 

 

 

 

One final offering from the 21st Century, Jah Shaka teaming up with King Tubby's Firehouse Crew...

 

 

Jah Shaka meets Firehouse Crew - Authentic Dubwise, Blow BLOWCD04, 2002.

Identity Dub    
Homeland Dub    
Restoration Dub    
Intervention Dub
Dub Oof Desire    
Persecution Dub    
Dub Comfort    
The Kingdom Dub    
Dub Key    
Messiah Dub    
The Witness Dub    
Poor People's Dub    
Dub of Justice    
Rastafari Dub    
Dub for Everyone

 

 

Jah Shaka forever,
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