Bunny Lee

Bunny Lee

Bunny Lee - I Am The Gorgon  - Jamaican Recordings. - Director Diggory Kenrick. 85 Mins

Very few producers would be able to have a DVD made like this - with so much talent. I will list them because it's important to get an understanding of how important Bunny Lee is to reggae music.

Roll Calls begins - Singers: John Holt, Horace Andy, Johnny Clarke, Cornell Campbell, Ken Boothe, Linval Thompson, Derrick Morgan, Max Romeo, Errol Dunkley, Stranger Cole, BB Seaton, Roy Shirley, Jimmy Riley, Winston Francis. Groups: The Blackstones, The Twinkle Brothers. Deejays: Tappa Zukie, U Roy, Dennis Alcapone, Dillinger, TriniAtad Jah Stitch, Prince Jazzbo. Musicians: Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Aston 'Family Man' Barrett, Earl 'Chinna' Smith, Carlton 'Santa Davis, Producers: Lee Perry, King Jammy, Scientist and Niney.

And that is just a partial list - there are many many more - and some of them are included in this excellent DVD - narrated by Dennis Alcapone in fine style.

Also very important is the use of animation in the DVD - which really adds to the enjoyment a great deal. This is produced by Stirzolular. A real talent.

The package also includes a 22 track CD plus a full-colour massive booklet 32 pages. 

It really is something else.

Yet the most important thing is the story it tells. What makes Bunny so different to so many producers is that 'unreleased '- is a dirty word to the man.

Can you imagine the heartbreak of making a great album for a producer-only for the producer to add it to his collection of 'Unreleased' albums?

So many great albums have been 'Parked' for a variety of reasons - careers have been stalled or distorted by such actions.

Bunny along with the vast majority of reggae producers - looked at 'Royalties' in a way that is unknown in the major markets of the US and Europe.

But Jamaica doesn't run so. It's not an excuse it's a reality. And another reality is that Bunny gave so many people a break. 

And will remain an inspiration to so many people in the business. He tired - it would have been good to see Bunny hit the pop charts - that never happened. But the great thing about music - is that it could still happen!!! 

     V/A - Once Upon A Time At King Tubbys - Pressure Sounds

     One of the greatest DJ clashes of all time is the clash between Prince

     Jazzbo and I Roy!!! Forget about any of the nonsense that goes on

     today. Rolling around on stage is not entertainment - they should join

     a fight club. No the serious business is verbal. And no one got hurt.

     What Prince Jazzbo and I Roy was provide enjoyment to such an extent

     that everyone wanted to be involved. So gathering up all the many cuts

     from the various producers was never going to be easy - but now its

     been done. And with detailed notes from Noel Hawks so you can follow

     this musical madness its just about as good as it gets. The I Roy cuts

     are some of the wildest tunes ever made. He uses his ability to mimic

     to the most. Jazzbo is the heavy hitter and scores some big points. In

     between there is Prince Far I, Derrick Morgan, Johnny Clarke and so

     many more. Musical History that is no longer a mystery!!!

     Various Artists - Heavy Stereo Inna Kingston Town Vol 2- Kingston

     Sounds

     Another revival label - featuring more Bunny Lee productions from the

     sixites and seventies. And yes there are some well known favourites

     Delroy's 'Rain From The Sky' , Pat Kelly's 'How Long', Johnny Clarke's

     'Death In The Arena' - that have been on many many compilations.

     However what sets this one apart, are tracks like Ken Boothe's ' 'I'm

     Not For Sale' this was originally on some showcase set produced by

     Bunny in the late seventies.

     'Kiss Me Girl' from Ernest Wilson it seems was first released on Pama

     in the late sixties, and is probably the first time its been on a

     album. An amazing tune. John Holt's 'My Number One' is also not

     something I have heard a lot of, if at all. While the only time I have

     heard Jackie Edwards 'Im In The Mood For Love' featuring the Now

     Generation band on the rhythm - was when Freddy Big Foot played it on

     his radio show - it sounded great then, and it sounds even better on

     CD!!!

             Various Artists - Bunny Lee The Cool Operator - Smugg

   The bulk of Bunny Lee's album releases have always been Artist based.

   With a just a few Various Artists sets spaced over a very long career.

   Compare that with some producers for instance Lee Perry who's career

   is now dominated by various artists set. And you can see how and why

   Bunny Lee got his name 'Striker Lee' he's got a knack for finding the

   net. If you want an hit you go to Bunny. And all the big names are

   here. Including Johnny Clarke, Horace Andy, Cornell Campbell, I.Roy

   and Dennis Alcapone. Yet strangely on this 20 track there are also

   tracks with artists like Gregory Isaacs and the Mighty Diamonds, plus

   Lee Perry!!! I suppose these kind of one off tunes are ideal for a

   Various Artist set. Also on this CD is a CD Rom interview with Bunny

   which is excellent. What a shame its not a 4 hour job. If its good

   enough for Coxsone - its good enough for Bunny. Someone make it

   happen!

   (Bunny Lee) V/A - Jumping With Mr Lee - 1967-68 - Trojan. Producer

   Bunny Lee's influence over reggae music as been considerable, and it

   started with some of the excellent records found on this album. Vocal

   groups like the Uniques and The Sensations, singers like Derrick

   Morgan, Pat Kelly, Ken Parker and Slim Smith, and musicians like

   Lester Sterling and Vin Gordan all enjoyed great success with Striker

   Lee. And one or two of the really big hits are here, but the real

   purpose of this album is to show the foundation of where those hits

   came from.