SIX OF THE BEST - Sly Dunbar

I was greatly saddened to hear of the death of Sly Dunbar at the age of 73. He may not ever have been that widely known, but his contribution to the development of reggae music over his lifetime, was literally immense. There was certainly a time in the 70's & 80's when Sly Dunbar seemed to be playing drums on everything coming out of Jamaica, Together with Robbie Shakespeare he formed the rhythm section and production duo, Sly & Robbie, who eventually became the most sought after producers outside of the reggae fraternity.

1971 - Dave & Ansell Collins - Double Barrel

Sly Dunbar began playing drums at the age of fifteen, in his first band the Yardbrooms. His first recorded appearance is on a single from 1971 with Dave & Ansell Collin's Double Barrel, a No 1 single I bought and played endlessly on my tiny record deck. I am the magnificent W Oh Oh Oh Oh. Reggae that reached the UK charts in the seventies always had an air of the novelty to it. Rarely reflecting the much harder and less musically cosy aspects of what was going on in the underground scene. This managed for the first time to reflect a bit of both.

1976 - Junior Murvin - Police & Thieves

Originally written as a comment on gang warfare and police brutality in Jamaica, Police & Thieves by Junior Murvin was produced by Lee 'Scratch' Perry. Sly provides a subtle yet distinctive lilt in the background. This became the ubiquitous underground reggae hit of the early 80's in the UK.  It's subject matter of police oppression, found it's own relevance in the UK when the Notting Hill Carnival produced days of street riots as tensions between police and the Black Carribbean community erupted into violence.Here it also features that new thing, the 12' extended version, which gave space for dub breaks. Police & Thieves musical lightness of touch, belies it's subsequent anthemic cultural impact, representing an aspect of the black experience in the UK and wider world.

1976 - The Revolutionaries - Kunte Kinte Dub Parts 1 - 4

Sly Dunbar was an integral part of the musical  collective that was The Revolutionaries, formed in 1975. Playing with them until the early 80's. He was very much the most sought after drum for hire, always bringing something new to the sound studio. He also contributed to work by The Upsetters, Lee Perry, The Aggrovators and Bob Marley.  Kunte Kinte Dub,is probably the most famous piece of dub, that became 'The' track to play and produce dub versions of through house sound systems. Drawing as it did on themes from the TV phenomenon of the Roots drama series, it fed into the growing mythology and Rastafarian presence in black urban culture at the time. This track also slipped 'rockers'  into the musical mid-stream between roots and reggae. This was and remains sublime stuff.

1981 - Grace Jones - Pull Up To The Bumper 

Sly first met Robbie Shakespeare in 1972,  they were both in high demand so worked together frequently. They worked so well as a creative musicians they began collaborating as a production duo, and we're often recruited to take an artists recorded output to another level. They worked with Grace Jones on three albums from her peak imperious period, but Nightclubbing is probably by far their most successful collaboration with her, or with anyone for that matter. This success only led to further work outside the reggae niche with Joe Cocker, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Herbie Hancock, to name drop a few. Here is the 12' version.

1985 - Sly & Robbie - Make Em Move

Throughout all their years of working together Sly and Robbie's own albums were still where they pushed the musical boundaries of reggae the most. 1985 they signed to Island who wanted to give them more mainstream  exposure. I'm not sure whether Language Barrier was quite what they had in mind. It's certainly accessible, it's a complex, almost bewildering fusion of so many musical styles and sources. It has a distinctive hard explosive gun like drum sound, and a very eccentric, if not wayward, adventurous musical spirit. I've always loved this album, even though, if you are not in the mood for it , this can be a bit like being bludgeoned repeatedly over the head with an inflatable dildo. Just lay back and enjoy all eight minutes of this platter.

1987 - Sly & Robbie - Boop ( Here To Go ) feat Shinehead.

Two years later, they produced this little gem of a top ten hit taken from the Rhythm Killers album. Again criss crossing all sorts of genres with consummate ease, this took them a long long way from 'rockers' blending in aspects of contemporary urban street. Sly and Robbie always kept a close ear to what was developing, and adeptly include aspects of what was then a new 'toaster' on the scene. 

And all these are just a little toe dip into the vast recorded archive of what Sly Dunbar was involved in and achieved during his lifetime. He was a truly unique creative force, that revolutionised reggae rythyms, not just once, but constantly.