Local reggae frontrunner Ted Sirotas is organizing a new musical project in collaboration with “dubstep chemist,” Hopeton Brown (AKA The Scientist). Using Kickstarter, they hope to create the next modern classic record, “Live Dub Reggae: Ted Sirota’s Heavyweight Dub.”

In the tradition of great Jamaican studio bands spanning the past, the two are bringing together some great Chicago area talent. Check it out! They’ve got some great rewards lined up.

From their Kickstarter page:

Over the years I have grown more and more enamored with the great studio and backing bands of the 1960’s-1980’s in Jamaica – The Soul Vendors, The Revolutionaries, The Upsetters, The Aggrovators, Roots Radics etc. The same goes for the great Dub producers and engineers – King Tubby, Scientist, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Coxsone Dodd etc. There was a level of artistry and musicianship in Reggae music during this time that was at least on par with Motown, Stax, Atlantic, Blue Note, and the other great American studios/labels. But in my opinion, the creativity and urgency of the Jamaican music of this period was unsurpassed on a worldwide scale. Unfortunately, that level of creativity has greatly diminished over the years (in my opinion), as samples, drum machines, lack of musicianship, and Scientist’s departure from Jamaica has lead to a dearth of “disposable” music. 
 

Along with the great musicians joining me in this project, I want to help bring back a taste of that era when highly skilled and soulful musicians used their talents together to create a sound and a groove that could make the whole world want to get up and dance.
 

Who are the great musicians in this  band you ask?

Matthew Lux – bass (Iron & Wine, Isotope 217, Rob Mazurek)
Dan Bitney – percussion (Tortoise)
Tom Vaitsas – keyboards, melodicaCameron Pfiffner – saxophone, flute (Sabertooth)
Adam Thornburg – trombone (Chicago Samba)
Yanira Marin – vocals
K-rAd- sound & dub mixing