RIP Sly

[Drunk Monk]

Sly Dunbar

One of the greatest reggae drummers of all

[Drunk Monk]

DJ Benny is on it. JAH's Music is live today, and Benny is already playing some fierce Sly tracks. His voice is a little shaky. 

For those who don't know, Sly & Robbie formed the backbone of countless roots reggae and dancehall tracks. Riddem & bass mon, riddem & bass.

[King Bob]

And beyond reggae, in the 80s they played on Grace Jones' Island records as well as on Dylan's Infidels.

[Drunk Monk]

He has an insane list of collabs: Sinnaed, Jagger, Cocker, Gainsbourg, Ono, Bootsy… so many.

One of my favs is Stripped to the Bone, just him & Robbie doing music for strippers. There was an accompanying video series of dancehall divas windin up dey wais. Not all of th tracks hit but a few are dirty grinds. I should dig that out and give it a listen in honor… I’m fairly sure I’ve kept it. I think I dusted it off when Robbie died a few years back.

Like Cliff, I cant say how many times I saw Sly & Robbie.

[thatguy]

And Tom Tom Club...Apparently Belew, Sly & Robbie were working on Grace Jones album next door and that's how they got involved in Tom Tom Club...

--tg

[King Bob]

I looked up the Sly & Robbie discography on Wikidpedia and just learned that they played on Equal Rights, which I think was the first reggae album I bought. They also played on Dylan's Empire Burlesque, but I've never heard it. And they played on a couple of Material albums with Bill Laswell.

[Drunk Monk]

Spliff Skankin is dropping his tribute on the Reggae Express and I just gotta tune in. 

https://kpfa.org/program/the-reggae-express/

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Been listening to a lot of Sly intensily and what really stands out is his high hat. It's slow, almost behind the beat, but just at that sweet stoney spot. It's so defining for the timing of reggae percussion. He truly is a forefather of it all.

[Drunk Monk]

DJ Tiffany's first hour is devoted to Sly. She's playing some pretty standard tracks, but that's cool. I'll likely see her tomorrow at the dancehall, where we'll mourn Sly in proper fashion, with the bass turned up.