Israel Vibration
Encyclopedia
Israel Vibration is a reggae
harmony trio, originating from Kingston, Jamaica
. Lascelle "Wiss" Bulgin, Albert "Apple Gabriel" Craig, and Cecil "Skelly" Spence all overcame childhood polio, and went on to be one of the most successful roots groups to form in Jamaica
in the late 1970s. The trio initially met as children at a rehabilitation center.
After going their separate ways, and each converting to the Rastafari movement
, they reunited in Kingston around 1969 and formed a vocal group. Funding for their first album came in the form of a grant from the Twelve Tribes of Israel branch of Rastafari after Hugh Booth, a member of the Twelve Tribes, had overheard the three men singing in a wooded area outside Kingston. Apple and Wiss were living in the area, which they had converted into a home.
After releasing the single
"Why Worry" (1977), Israel Vibration recorded three albums; The Same Song, Unconquered People, and Why You So Craven, before temporarily disbanding in 1981 after recording sessions for the latter were left incomplete. The three men moved to the United States
to seek professional health care, and escape the growing dancehall
movement in Jamaica. In 1988, Gary "Dr. Dread" Himmelfarb, founder of RAS Records
, urged the trio to reunite and record an album. Skelly, Apple, and Wiss were flown to Washington, D.C.
to record a new album at the Lion and Fox Recording Studios in College Park, Maryland
. Strength of my Life was the group's fourth album.
In 1997, Apple Gabriel left the group to pursue a solo career. Skelly and Wiss continue to record albums and tour the world as Israel Vibration, backed by longtime associates Roots Radics
.
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
harmony trio, originating from Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
. Lascelle "Wiss" Bulgin, Albert "Apple Gabriel" Craig, and Cecil "Skelly" Spence all overcame childhood polio, and went on to be one of the most successful roots groups to form in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
in the late 1970s. The trio initially met as children at a rehabilitation center.
After going their separate ways, and each converting to the Rastafari movement
Rastafari movement
The Rastafari movement or Rasta is a new religious movement that arose in the 1930s in Jamaica, which at the time was a country with a predominantly Christian culture where 98% of the people were the black descendants of slaves. Its adherents worship Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia , as God...
, they reunited in Kingston around 1969 and formed a vocal group. Funding for their first album came in the form of a grant from the Twelve Tribes of Israel branch of Rastafari after Hugh Booth, a member of the Twelve Tribes, had overheard the three men singing in a wooded area outside Kingston. Apple and Wiss were living in the area, which they had converted into a home.
After releasing the single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Why Worry" (1977), Israel Vibration recorded three albums; The Same Song, Unconquered People, and Why You So Craven, before temporarily disbanding in 1981 after recording sessions for the latter were left incomplete. The three men moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to seek professional health care, and escape the growing dancehall
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
movement in Jamaica. In 1988, Gary "Dr. Dread" Himmelfarb, founder of RAS Records
RAS Records
RAS Records, also known as Real Authentic Sound, is a reggae record label.-History:RAS Records was founded in 1979 by Doctor Dread. In his travels to Jamaica he created a network within the reggae artist community there. By the early to mid 1980s RAS had signed artists such as Black Uhuru, Inner...
, urged the trio to reunite and record an album. Skelly, Apple, and Wiss were flown to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to record a new album at the Lion and Fox Recording Studios in College Park, Maryland
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
. Strength of my Life was the group's fourth album.
In 1997, Apple Gabriel left the group to pursue a solo career. Skelly and Wiss continue to record albums and tour the world as Israel Vibration, backed by longtime associates Roots Radics
Roots Radics
The Roots Radics Band was formed in 1978 by bass player Errol "Flabba" Holt and guitarist Eric "Bingy Bunny" Lamont. They were joined by many great musicians. As a combined force the Roots Radics became a well-respected studio and stage band, which dominated the sound in the first half of the 1980s...
.
Discography
- The Same Song (1978)
- Unconquered People (1979)
- Why You So Craven (1981)
- Strength of My Life (1988)
- Praises (1990)
- Dub Vibration: Israel Vibration in Dub (1990)
- Forever (1991)
- Vibes Alive (1992)
- IV (1993)
- I.V.D.U.B. (1994)
- On the Rock (1995)
- Dub the Rock (1995)
- Israel Dub (1996)
- Free to MoveFree to MoveFree to Move is a 1996 reggae album by the group Israel Vibration.-Track listing:...
(1996) - Live Again! (1997)
- Pay the Piper (1999)
- Jericho (2000)
- Dub Combo (2001)
- Fighting Soldiers (2003)
- Live & Jammin (2003)
- Stamina (2007)
- Reggae Knights (2010)