by Rick Anderson
A roots reggae singer who has never gotten the level of international recognition he deserved, Junior Delgado is not primarily known as the object of producers' dubwise affections. But one significant dub album was released under Delgado's name in 1978, in an extremely limited edition of just 500 copies. Those sold out quickly and the album dropped from sight for almost 20 years, finally reappearing in CD format on the Big Cat label in 1997. The album is something of a mixed bag, featuring songs originally released on Delgado's Effort album and remixed by such top-notch studio talents as Sylvan Morris, King Tubby, and King Jammy. Not surprisingly, the most exciting versions are those that bear King Tubby's unique signature, chief among them &Mister Dub,& &Crack a Dub,& and &Downs,& the last of which also benefits from the tasteful inclusion of well-chosen shreds of Delgado's vocal. Not an essential purchase, but most dub fans will find much to enjoy here.