Channel One Presents - 100 Tons Of Dub

Genre: Dub Reggae
Format: LP
Catalogue No.: JRLP034
B/C: 5060135760373
Release Date: 12th March 2021

The mighty Channel One Studios,Kingston, Jamaica, has its place set in Reggae's Musical History.Its distinctive sound the studio created on opening its doors in 1972 to its closure in the early 1980's made it the Producers, Singers and Musicians studio of choice during this furtive period. Achieving that vibe and clarity, separated it from the other Kingston establishments.

Run by the Hookim Family's four sons, Jo Jo the eldest followed by Paulie, Ernest and Kenneth. Their father originally came from China and married a Chinese Jamaican lady and settled in the St Andrews district before moving to Kingston Town itself. The family business was built on jukeboxes and one armed bandit machines in and around Kingston. A lucrative venture until the gaming laws changed in 1970, outlawing the gaming machines. So the music side of the business would have to be expanded. So it was decided to open a studio to make the music to supply their already established Jukebox enterprise. The four brothers opened Channel One Recording Studios in 1972 at 29 Maxfield Avenue, Kingston 13. Initially as we stated the purpose of the studio was for the brothers use only, but this would soon change when the various Producers all looking for that Channel One sound came asking for studio time.

The brothers had used the services of Bill Garnet a renowned and well respected technical engineer on setting up the studio. They spent a lot of time laying out the space to get the right acoustics and picking the right quipment. They went with a four track API desk and the best quality microphones such as Neuman, Sony and AKG, vital in obtaining the quality sound and track separation that would prove so worthwhile after the music was recorded to give the best flexibility on the final mix downs. Jo Jo would take over the production duties after the initial hiring of Syd Bucknor a producer who had worked closely with Coxonne Dodds Studio 1 stable. The first release on the Channel One label would be 'Don't Give Up The Fight' by Stranger Cole and Gladstone 'Gladdy' Anderson.The initial two thousand run being swallowed up by their Jukebox interests and so the steady flow of hits would run up to the brake through hit of 1975 'Right Time' by the Mighty Diamonds.

1977 saw Jo Jo extending his stays in New York to a semipermanent status, returning mainly to oversee recording sessions and then taking the results back to America for worldwide distribution. His brother Paulies senseless killing in that year also added to Jo Jo's decision to spend more time with his Hit Bound Manufacturing set up in New York. The Channel One studio would be upgraded in 1979 to sixteen tracks and although Jo Jo and Ernest still covered the mixing and engineering duties Kenneth would now supervise sessions. An often untold part of Channel Ones history is the involvement of Producer Niney The Observer. The mid to late 1970's were heavy times both musically and politically and Maxfield Avenue was in the heart of this crossfire. Some artists and musicians were weary of using the establishment especially when sessions ended late at night and exiting the studio at these times could be somewhat dangerous. But Niney’s fearlessness seen him over running and in many cases running the all night sessions with his trusted set of musicians loosely called The Soul Syndicate. Having the run of the mighty Channel One studio's allowed Niney to build up and work on a stockpile of rhythms that he still has yet to unleash on the world. We have been lucky to select a bunch of material from Niney's vaults for this release. Some great unreleased rhythms and some different cuts to some tracks you might already know. Niney's work with Dennis Brown and his own distinctive heavy roots style productions have been documented and indeed his work on Channel Ones Yellowman releases stand tall also. We hope this fine set of Niney Productions set inside the hollowed walls of Channel One will sit beside them as they so richly deserve.

Side 1

Track 1 CHANNEL 1 BURNING WITH DUB
A killer lost dub to Horace Andy's 'Nice and Easy' cut with a great up front bassline and 'flying cymbals' HI - Hats kicking it along nicely…
Track 2 DUB FOURTEEN
A rhythm everybody from Big Youth to the Juno Boys have worked over and the Mighty Diamonds used it to back their 'Marcus Garvey' track.
Track 3 HILL AND GULLY DUB
Based on an old Coxonne rhythm, this has Bobby Ellis blowing his distinctive horn over an already killer track.
Track 4 MORE DUB PON DUB
Again another cut from Niney's vault of Channel 1 rhythms with Bobby Ellis leading the rhythm on its 60's big band sound
Track 5 DUB BETWEEN US
This rhythm Michael Rose used to back his 'Love Between Us' cut, before Mr Dennis Browns 'Westbound Train' had even left the station
Track 6 FEARLESS DUB
Max Romeo's 'You Gave Me Love' rhythm stripped down to its dub bones

Side 2

Track 1 FORCEFUL DUB
The great Errol 'Flabba' Holt plays bass on this 'Three Blind Mice' style lost rhythm from Niney's volt
Track 2 DUB EASY
Another unused rhythm from the Channel 1 sessions, sounding as only Channel 1 cuts can….nice
Track 3 DUB IN THE RING PALACE
Originally Niney told us, this rhythm was cut with a girl called Christine in mind which became the 'Saturday Night' rhythm. Great 'flyers' hi - hat work and rolling bass line.
Track 4 VILLAGE DUB
A rhythm that was used by the late great Delroy Wilson, this time for his 'Sally Baby' cut.
Track 5 WHITE MAN DUB
A great rhythm with an almost military drum pattern. Used later when voiced over by a white bot called Dominic from Portobello Road, who had himself some success in Jamaica
Track 6 HAUNTING DUB
A lost rhythm that was cut way back when but sounds strangely current. Which is a good sign for a timeless rhythm.
Track 7 DUB OVER DUB
The mighty Michael Roses 'Freedom' sounds great with its horn stabs and a killer bass line.
This is a lost till now alternative dub cut

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