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FYI

Sly & Robbie Meet Dubmatix: Dictionary

Juno-winning producer/composer Jesse King collaborates with the famed Jamaican reggae rhythm section on a new album, Overdubbed. This cut captures the bass-heavy essence of the dub form, but is fleshed out in appealingly inventive fashion.

Sly & Robbie Meet Dubmatix: Dictionary

By Kerry Doole

Sly & Robbie Meet Dubmatix:  - "Dictionary" (Echo Beach): Dubmatix (real name Jesse King) is a Toronto-based producer/composer/musician/remixer with an international reputation as one of the most original dub and reggae producers around. He has been nominated for a Juno for Best Reggae Recording seven times, winning in 2010 for Gonna Be Alright


That stellar rep is being enhanced by his latest project, Overdubbed  - Dubmatix meets Sly & Robbie. Released two weeks ago and grabbing global attention (airplay on 700 stations), it is a collaboration with Sly & Robbie, regarded as one of the best rhythm sections ever.

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King, given access to cuts by the dynamic duo, has beefed them up in highly creative fashion. "Dictionary" is a fine example, capturing the enduring appeal of classic dub while inserting ear-catching touches. The primarily instrumental track features the occasional chant of "are you ready?" atop the stomach-pummelling bass and percussion, scratching (by Illorn) and keyboards. Just when you think it is fading out, the horns of the Heavyweights Brass Band kick in, taking you briefly to another dimension.

The Sly & Robbie collaboration is the most recent partnership of Dubmatix and a reggae great, as he has previously worked with the likes of Alton Ellis, Freddie McGregor, Sugar Minott, Eek-A-Mouse, Horace Andy, U Roy, and The Mighty Diamonds.

Of note: Dubmatix is the son of the musical renaissance man (and FYI contributor) Bill King who guests on the album. A prolific artist, Jesse King is juggling plenty of other projects, including a sixth Dubmatix studio album skedded in the fall.

Dubmatix

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Charlotte Day Wilson
Norman Wong

Charlotte Day Wilson

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Charlotte Day Wilson to Play Special Orchestral Concert in Toronto in 2025

The soul/R&B singer-songwriter will play a career-spanning Red Bull Symphonic concert at her hometown Roy Thomson Hall on February 28. In an exclusive interview, she talks about her Grammy nomination for her album Cyan Blue, her collaborations and maturing in a youth-obsessed industry.

Charlotte Day Wilson is preparing for a hometown concert that she calls "a dream opportunity."

On February 28, 2025, the Grammy nominated R&B/soul singer-songwriter will play a Red Bull Symphonic concert with members of the the Symphonic Orchestra at Roy Thomson Hall, the home of the acclaimed Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

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