This is a combination rerelease of Pecker Power and Instant Rasta, two albums recorded by Japanese percussionist Pecker in conjunction with Jamaican musicians. It's an interesting effort, combining a certain Jamaican rawness with a sophisticated Japanese surface, and it certainly comes equipped with the reggae muscle to kick it along - Sly & Robbie on the one hand, and the Wailers band on the other, and both Channel One and Tuff Gong studios (if only they'd managed Federal as well, but that might have meant the Dragonaires as a backing band). I'm not sure exactly how much of Pecker's work is really being heard on this album, but that really isn't the point - the point is more that it's a good reggae and dub set. ROIR is the home of some killer reggae, and this album is no exception to Neil Cooper's rule. I'd consider "21st Century Dub" a must-have for any dub fan, great or small.
"Some of the best dub of all time. This complete reissue of two Japanese LP's ('Pecker Power' and 'Instant Rasta') combines the best of classic mid-70's dub (Joe Gibbs 'African Series', Pablo, Tubby styles) with the best in technological advances. Quite simply, classic." - Peter Wright (now GM of Rykodisc) 1987
From ROIR site:
"An amazing but true story about an experimental dub session organized by BOB MARLEY in Jamaica in 1979!!!
In 1979 during a visit to Japan, Bob Marley met the acclaimed Japanese percussionist Pecker. Pecker, a big fan of reggae, convinced Marley to bring top Japanese musicians (mostly members of The Yellow Magic Orchestra) to Jamaica to mix it up with the cream of Jamaican reggae artists, to jam and play out in informal dub sessions at both Channel One and Tuff Gong Studios. The astounding results were released only in Japan on two separate LP's in 1980."
Tracklist:
1. Pecker - Mystical Cosmic Vibrations (5:24)
2. Pecker - International Orchitis (4:10)
3. Pecker - Pecker Power Part Two (1:25)
4. Pecker - Pecker Power Part One (5:07)
5. Pecker - Concrete Jungle (5:11)
6. Pecker - Militant Sniff (4:27)
7. Pecker - Jamming (4:11)
8. Pecker - Mystical Electro Harakiri (5:02)
9. Pecker - Beggar Suite Part 1 (4:54)
10. Pecker - Beggar Suite Part 2 (3:32)
11. Pecker - Beggar Suite Part 3 (2:49)
12. Pecker - Dub Jam Rock (4:50)
13. Pecker - Kylyn (6:42)
14. Pecker - Dr. Dr. Humanity (1:18)
21st Century Dub (Roir, 1980)
(192 kbps, small front cover included)
