Israel Vibration and Duane Stephenson

Moes Alley Presents Israel Vibration with Duane Stephenson

Moes Alley presents the return of Jamaican reggae legends Israel Vibration with very special guest Duane Stephenson all backed by the iconic Roots Radics band!

Friday, May 16th Doors: 8pm / Show: 9pm $40 in advance / $45 day of the show 21+

Israel Vibration

A living lesson in fortitude, the vocal trio of Cecil Skeley Spence, Albert Apple Gabriel Craig, and Lascelle Wiss Bulgin overcame adversity, illness, and poverty to become one of the finest roots groups in Jamaica's history. All three had been afflicted by polio and first became acquainted, albeit briefly, at Kingston's Mona Rehabilitation Clinic. The three teens had individually all previously converted to rastafarianism; now their shared faith and childhood experiences helped forge a strong friendship.

They spent the next six years singing around Kingston for their suppers and by 1975, Israel Vibration was a vocal force to be reckoned with. The group's exquisite dread sound and militant cultural themes made an instant impression, and the trio now found themselves on-stage opening for the likes of Bob Marley and Dennis Brown. The trio's deeply devotional songs, cultural themes, inspirational lyrics, and original take on the roots style had struck a chord with reggae fans around the world.

They relocated to New York City, perhaps believing that the large immigrant community could sustain them or that America was now ready to embrace roots. But a few occasional live appearances aside, the group swiftly disappeared from view. All three attempted solo careers, but only Bulgin made it on to record; his Mr. Sunshine album paired him with the Freedom Fighters Band.

In 1997, Apple Gabriel left the group to pursue a solo career, releasing the album Another Moses in 1999. Skelly and Wiss continue to record albums and tour the world as Israel Vibration, backed by longtime associates Roots Radics. In December 2014, they were reportedly recording a new album set for release in early 2015. The new album, entitled Play It Real, was released on 31 March 2015 via Utopia.

On March 23rd, 2020, Albert Apple Gabriel, co-founder and former member of the group, died due to complications from sickness. Earlier reports indicated that Albert was not well for quite some time; this was supposedly due to some of the polio infections left in his body. On a Facebook post on March 7, 2020, he had indicated that he had suffered a stroke. He died on March 23, 2020. On August 26th, 2022, Cecil Skelly Spence died of lung cancer.

Duane Stephenson

Duane Stephenson has distinguished himself as a respected singer and songwriter with a purity of heart and sound that can be felt from the first note of his melodic instrument. From the quality of his voice to his potent lyrics and memorable melodies, Duane ably addresses a variety of issues, ranging from powerful social commentary to romance. Duane's work as a singer and songwriter is reflective of his early artistic exposure to the music industry veterans, many of whom have provided guidance and inspiration along his path.

Event Details

This event is 21 and over. Any ticket holder unable to present valid identification indicating that they are at least 21 years of age will not be admitted to this event and will not be eligible for a refund.