LEE PERRY
Lee "Scratch" Perry (born Rainford Hugh Perry, on March 20, 1936, in Kendal, Jamaica) is a Grammy award-winning reggae and dub artist, arguably the first creatively driven, "artist-producer" in modern recorded music. He occupies the highest level of music making - standing comfortably next to pioneers like George Martin, Phil Spector, and Brian Wilson.
Perry formed his first label, Upsetter, in 1968. His first single "People Funny Boy” sold very well, and is notable for its innovative use of a sample (a crying baby) as well as a fast, chugging beat that would soon become identifiable as "reggae" (the new sound did not really have a name at this time). From 1968 until 1972 he worked with his studio band The Upsetters. During the 1970s, Perry released numerous recordings on a variety of record labels that he controlled, and many of his songs were popular in both Jamaica and the UK. He soon became known for his innovative production techniques as well as his eccentric character.
In the early 1970s, Perry was one of the producers whose mixing board experiments resulted in the creation of dub. In 1973, Perry built a studio in his back yard, The Black Ark, to have more control over his productions and continued to produce notable musicians such as Bob Marley & the Wailers, Junior Byles, The Heptones, and Max Romeo. With his own studio at his disposal, Perry's productions became more lavish, as the energetic producer was able to spend as much time as he wanted on the music he produced. It is important to note that virtually everything Perry recorded in The Black Ark was done using rather basic recording equipment; through sonic sleight-of-hand, Perry made it sound completely unique. Perry remained behind the mixing desk for many years, producing songs and albums that stand out as a high point in reggae history.
In the late 1980s Perry he began working with British producers Adrian Sherwood and Neil Fraser (who is better known as Mad Professor). Perry has attributed the recent resurgence of his creative muse to his deciding to quit drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis. He stated in an interview that he wanted to see if "it was the smoke making the music or Lee Perry making the music. I found out it was me and that I don't need to smoke."
Perry now lives in Switzerland with his wife Mireille and two children. He continues recording and performing to enthusiastic audiences in Europe and North America. His modern music is a far cry from his reggae days in Jamaica; many now see Perry as more of a performance artist in several respects. In 2003, Perry won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album with the album Jamaican E.T.. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Perry 100 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. More recently, he teamed up with a group of Swiss musicians and performed under the name Lee Perry and the White Belly Rats, and made a brief visit to the United States using the New York City based group Dub Is A Weapon as his backing band. Currently there are two feature length movies made about his life and work: Volker Schaner's "Vision Of Paradise" and "The Upsetter" by filmmakers Ethan Higbee and Adam Bhala Lough.
In 2007, Perry surprised the music world again when he invited "king of party music" and television personality, Andrew W.K., to produce his new full-length album, "Repentance". In 2008, Mr. Perry teamed up again with Adrian Sherwood for the release of "The Mighty Upsetter."
www.myspace.com/leescratchperry
THE CONGOS
The Congos formed as the duo "Ashanti" Roy Johnson (tenor) and Cedric Myton (falsetto), later becoming a trio with the addition of Watty Burnett (baritone) Myton had previously been a member of The Tartans in the late 1960s (along with Prince Lincoln Thompson, Devon Russell and Lindburgh Lewis), and Ras Michael's group, and had recorded with Thompson's Royal Rasses in the mid-1970s. He formed The Congos, initially as a duo with Johnson, recording the single "At the Feast" for Lee "Scratch" Perry.
Perry expanded the group to a trio with the addition of Burnett, this line-up recording the classic roots reggae album “Heart of the Congos” in 1977 at Perry's Black Ark studio. The album featured illustrious backing singers such as Gregory Isaacs, The Meditations, and Barry LLewellyn and Earl Morgan of The Heptones. The album has been described as "the most consistently brilliant album of Scratch's entire career"
Perry's previous productions by Max Romeo and Junior Murvin had been huge commercial successes thanks to a deal with Island Records, but Perry released the Congos’ album on his own Black Ark label. The Congos later organized a limited pressing of the album themselves, and UK label Go Feet reissued the album in 1980. “Heart of The Congos” was followed by several other albums before the group went their separate ways in the early 1980s.
In the mid-1990s, The Congos reformed, with Myton and Burnett joined by Lindburgh Lewis, several albums following in subsequent years. In 2005 Myton recorded “Give Them the Rights” with a host of backup singers and star session players such as Sly and Robbie and Earl "Chinna" Smith, very much in the spiritual 70s roots vein. In 2006, the UK reggae revival label Blood and Fire released the album “Fisherman Style” featuring a remixed version of the classic cut "Fisherman" from Heart of the Congos plus such legends as Horace Andy, Big Youth, Dillinger, Prince Jazzbo, Luciano, Freddie McGregor, Gregory Isaacs, Max Romeo, Mykal Rose, Dean Fraser, Sugar Minott, and U-Roy doing their own new versions over the original rhythm.
In 2009, Myton, Burnett, and Johnson reunited with Perry to record the album Back in the Black Ark, which, despite its title, was recorded at Myton's studio in Portmore and at Mixing Lab, Kingston.
www.myspace.com/the.congos
MAX ROMEO
Max Romeo is a performer who managed to rise above the rudest of beginnings (recording-wise) to become one of the first Rastaman singers to record a series of deeply spiritual and socially conscious roots songs. He was born Maxie Smith in St. Anns and first became famous for his raunchy early '60s hit "Wet Dream," containing suspiciously suggestive lyrics concerning a man in bed with his woman. The song was a runaway hit in Great Britain until older people began listening to it closely and banned it.
This did not stop the song from making it to the British Top Ten thanks to its popularity amongst London's rebellious young skinheads. As the '70s progressed, Romeo underwent a few profound spiritual changes. By the time he teamed up with production wizard Lee Perry in the mid-'70s, he had become a committed Rastaman and was singing visionary songs praising Jah and calling the sufferahs to social consciousness and culture. Songs from this period include "Let the Power Fall," "Pray for Me," "Every Man Ought to Know" and "Black Equality."
With Perry, Romeo recorded his magnum opus, War Ina Babylon (1976), with the Upsetters. Though Romeo penned or co-penned most of the songs, and sang all of the songs, most of the album's success has been attributed to the genius of Perry and many consider this one of his finest albums ever. Romeo continued recording singles with Perry for a short while afterward, but then the two had a falling out and split up.
Romeo left Jamaica for New York in 1976, releasing “I Love My Music”, recorded with the help of Keith Richards, and “Reconstruction”. He returned to Jamaica in 1990, and in the spring of 1992, London producer Jah Shaka recorded Far I Captain Of My Ship on Jah Shaka Records, an unabashed, Jamaican recorded roots album, generally reckoned to be Romeo's best work for over 15 years.
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