Reggae roots legend to perform at The MACC.

The internationally-revered reggae roots legend Israel Vibration is coming to the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s A&B Amphitheater on Friday, July 18, with Inna Vision opening the show at 6 p.m. Is-Vibes or I-Vibes, as they are known to staunch supporters in the reggae community, has one of the best live shows around, entrancing their loyal audiences with tales of Jah, unity and culture. The message is carried in falsetto harmonies and Bob Marley-like lead vocals backed by the heavy rhythms of their band.

Israel Vibration is presented by Good Vibez. Advance tickets are $30; $35 day of show. Advance tickets are available at The MACC Box Office, by calling 242-SHOW (7469) or online at www.mauiarts.org. Advance tickets are also available at Premiere Video & Music, located off Ohukai by Tesoro in Kihei; at Old Lahaina Book Emporium on Front Street in Lahaina; and at Request Music on North Market Street in Wailuku.

The three original members of Israel Vibration—Lascelle “Wiss” Bulgin, Cecil “Skelly” Spence and Albert “Apple Gabriel” Craig—first met as children in a polio clinic in Kingston, Jamaica. A shared spirituality and faith in Rastafari forged a friendship between them, helping to overcome the adversities of illness and poverty. Later expelled from the treatment center for their spiritual beliefs, the trio took to the streets of Kingston, where they sang for their suppers.

As polio victims, the trio knew what the hard life was about: aside from having to perform with canes and crutches, they often used dissonant singing to deliver their socially conscious message. The trio won a following, including that of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, a Rastafari religious group, which provided the financial backing for I-Vibes first single, Why Worry. This hit established the group’s roots-based sound and inspirational message, landed opening gigs for Bob Marley and a debut album entitled The Same Song—an instant classic that led to their international following and tour dates.

Wiss, Skelly and Apple relocated from Jamaica to New York for a quiet spell and some solo work, but came back together at the suggestion of RAS Records’ founder and president Doctor Dread, an admirer of the group’s early work who cited Marcus Garvey’s belief that “unity is strength.” The group released a number of seminal albums on the label, including two live albums that capture the vibrancy of the trio’s powerful live performance, and a three-CD retrospective, Power of the Trinity, which explores the band’s powerful contributions to the reggae genre.

Although Apple left in the late ’90s to pursue his own interests, Skelly and Wiss continue as a duo with the sound and message as strong and relevant as ever; the newest addition to their prolific and acclaimed output is 2007’s Stamina. Israel Vibration continues a rigorous tour schedule, performing over 100 concerts per year, headlining some of the world’s biggest reggae festivals.