Trevor Earl Witter also known as Jah Witter was born and raised in central Kingston through the golden era of reggae music. Most Of his youth was spent in areas such as Back O Wall, Rhyme Land, and Wareika Hill.

He was a student of life and the arts learning many trades in sound from the legendary King Tubby and vocal artistry by daddy U Roy. He was a protégé of the great Jamaican painter, Ras Daniel Hartman who taught Witter the 2-dimensional side of things.

Creativity runs strong with the Witter family spirit. Trevor’s brother Anthony aka ‘Witter Dread’, was one of the lead painters for Lee Perry’s Black Ark Studio and also designed several important album covers throughout reggae history including Lee Perry’s Super Ape and Jah Lion’s Colombia Collie.

Witter migrated to the New York underground in the mid 1970's and formed a close friendship with Lloyd Bullwackie Barnes, quickly becoming an integral part of the original Wackies crew.

Captivity Captives was directed and produced by Jah Witter in 1978 on his House Of Dread International label. Recorded at Bullwackies Sounds Unlimited Studio in the Bronx and backed by his band Roots Underground.

Side A is an extended mix with DJ piece while track 1 on side B is the dub version ‘Call Of The Wild’. Track 2 on side B is a meditative interpretation of the classic Drum Song rhythm titled “Militancy’.

Witter explains, Captivity Captives is “A Rastafari phenomenon. The gathering together and bringing to fullness the WORD SOUND AND POWER of the Captives”.

The rhythm for Captivity Captives was later used by Lloyd Barnes for his Creation Dub album, Azul’s - Black Rose, and by Keith Hudson for the Steve Reynolds song called ‘Good Vibes’.

‘Militancy’ was also used for Wayne Jarrett’s Holy Mount Zion and on the Bullwackies Dub Generals album.

In recent years, Trevor has been painting murals around Kingston and has had several showings at the National Gallery Of Jamaica. He is the lead artist in a group called the Rastafarian Community Development Movement based in Parade Gardens. Trevor and Anthony have always been deeply involved with the Rastafari community which reflects perfectly in all their creations. They now reside near Kingston and are still making beautiful music, sculptures, jewelry, and paintings in their hillside home.

We hope you enjoy this beautiful roots obscurity from the renaissance man that is Jah Witter.

back cover layout by @unitygraph

photo credits @dj.lofi and @shella_records