Israel Vibration | Artist

Israel Vibration is a Jamaican reggae harmony group formed 1970 in Kingston by Lascelle "Wiss" Bulgin, Albert "Apple Gabriel" Craig, and Cecil "Skelly" Spence. The trio first met as children at the Mona Rehabilitation Clinic, all sufferers of polio in the epidemic that spread through Jamaica in the 1950s. Funding for their first album came via a grant from the Twelve Tribes of Israel branch of Rastafarai after Hugh Booth, a member of the Twelve Tribes, had overheard the three men singing in a wooded area outside Kingston. Recorded at the Treasure Isle studio in 1976, their debut single "Why Worry", released on the Twelve Tribes label, was successful enough for the group to be offered support slots at shows by artists such as Dennis Brown, Inner Circle and Bob Marley. After recording their third album in 1982, the excellent Why You So Craven, The group relocated to New York to seek professional health care, but struggled to break through and they split up. They each attempted to launch solo careers, with Bulgin releasing the Mr Sunshine album in 1985, but by 1987 they decided to relaunch Israel Vibration. Gary "Dr. Dread" Himmelfarb, founder of RAS Records, set them up with sessions at the Lion and Fox Recording Studios in Maryland, backed by the Roots Radics, to record their Fourth album Strength of my Life. The band stayed with RAS into the 21st century, releasing more than a dozen albums for the label. Standout album releases include The Same Song, Unconquered People, Why You So Craven and Free to Move. Albert "Apple Gabriel" co-founder of the group succumbed to polio-related illness and died on March 23, 2020.

Artist Website: israel-vibration.com

Featured Albums: Israel Vibration

Related Artists: Apple Gabriel, Roots Radics

Video Clips: My Master's Will, Reggae on the River, Live in Holyland