As the indigenous music business developed in Jamaica, it was not only the singers and lead musicians who attained fame from their latest hit recordings. Unlike many other countries, where session musicians often remain annonymous, in Jamaica many of the session players developed a following of their own.

In the early days of Jamaican music, many of the first recordings were backed by musicians who had already enjoyed a certain amount of renown through working on the live band circuit. These players included such great as Tommy McCook, Don Drummond, Roland Alphonso, Cluett Johnson and Cecil Lloyd, to name only a few.

As the music eventually developed into reggae, a name that has remained in place as a generic description of the ever changing styles of Jamaican music, that has changed many times since the term was first used to describe the music, the best session players have continued to attract the attention of devoted followers. The highest regards are often saved for the drum and bass players, who in Jamaican eyes hold everything together. This short piece pays tribute to four of the greatest of these rhythm sections...

Lloyd Knibb and Lloyd Brevett
The two Lloyd's, Knibb and Brevett, hold the prestigeous honour of being the rhythm section for arguably Jamaica's greatest ever session band, the Skatalites. There is hardly a single Jamican artist from the first decade of the industry that has not benefitted from the pairs talent.

Knibb, a powerfully built man, put all of his energy and strength into his drumming. He hit some of the hardest rimshots ever commited to tape, and countered this with some deft touches on the bell of the cymbal, creating a ringing aura that eminated from the often cluttered soundscapes produced by primitive Jamaican recordings. Good examples of this can be heard on the Skatalites classics Fidel Castro and Occupatition. Another Knibb trait was the crash cymbal emphasising the end of a bar.

As well as expertly holding down the archetypal ska beat, Knibb was also accomplished with the African burru beat, having played with Count Ossie at his encampment in Warieka Hills, and even implemented a bossa nova feel on the classic Ska Ba (Ska Boss). Listening to further cuts such as Addis Aba Ba from "In Memory Of Don Drummond" and China Town and Smiling (a real Knibb showcase) from "Ska Boo Da Ba" will clearly emphasise Lloyd's complete mastery of his chosen instrument.

Lloyd Brevett was taught to play double bass by his father, who was an accomplished player who also taught Lloyd how to build basses and make bass strings. Brevett teamed up with Knibb in the '40s, when they were young guns for hire, and this early partnership was the root for their musical understanding.

The role of the bass in ska was much less significant than in the days of rocksteady and reggae. Whereas the bass almost became the lead instrument on reggae records, in ska the patterns were less melodic and much more simple, usually built around a standard walking pattern.

This style was more restrained than on later recordings, but the need for a solid backbone was still required, and excellent examples of fine, understated bass playing can be heard on the entire Ska Boo Da Ba album and countless Skatalites 45s.

Carlton & Aston Barrett
The Barrett brothers will forever be remembered as the engine that powered the Wailers behind Bob Marley, but their achievements reach far beyond the international success that they tasted with Bob.

Their first recording was on Slim Smith's classic version of Watch This Sound, which featured a deep, persistant bass groove underpinning Slim & the Uniques ethereal vocals. Marley was so impressed with Familyman's playing that he searched out the new talent, and employed them on some of his early self productions, the first bond in a union that would eventually see the Barrett's touring the world.

The Barrett's began playing live shows and sessions as the Hippy Boys, and eventually hooked up with independent producer Lee Perry to form the backbone of his house band the Upsetters. Carlton and Aston played on dozens of instrumentals for Perry, including titles such as Doctor No Go and Clint Eastwood, but it was one that they didn't actually appear on that led to their first taste of international fame.

In 1969 Perry released an instrumental cut of Oh Babe, re-titled it Return Of Django and watched it reach the UK charts. Although the Barrett's didn't play on that session, they were chosen as the musicians to tour the UK with Perry to promote the single.

In 1970, Perry began producing the Wailers, and the collaboration of the Upsetters featuring the Barrett's and the Wailers resulted in what many believe to be their finest works. Aston's classic basslines were in place on many of these productions, although Perry's minimalistic approach often subdued Carly's contribution, but as a unit the Barrett's were unsurpassed.

With the Wailers signing to Island Records, the Barretts were taken in tow, and their stunning contributions to Marley's works in the following 7 years set the standards that all Jamaican drum and bass players would be judged by. Barrett constructed finely crafted, melodic bass patterns, and these coupled with Carton's unique drum sound, with sharp rimshots and skipping hi-hats were as important to the songs as Marley's lyrics and melodies. Carlton seemed to have the ability to turn logic inside out; he could play more and make it sound like less, and vice verse.

The Barrett's continued their session work during this time, and records featuring the pair are usually easy to recognise because of the unique sound that they stamped on productions.

Following Bob's death in 1981, the Wailers struggled on, but contractual difficulties left them without a record deal until 1989, by which time Carlton was dead, having been shot to death in April 1987. This tragic chain of events had finally seperated arguably the finest classic reggae rhythm section of all time, and with Carly's death, a certain part of reggae music passed also.

Sly & Robbie
Undoubtedly the most successful drum and bass partnership ever to emerge from Jamaica, Lowell "Sly" Dunbar and Robbie Shakespear have been responsible for changing the entire face of reggae music on several ocassions, from the mid 70's roots days into the digital era.

Dunbar entered the business when keyboard player Ansell Collins carried him to a session to play on Night Doctor. Collins gave the track to producer Lee Perry, who released it credited to the Upsetters. The next session Dunbar worked on was also with Collins (with Lloyd Parks on bass), and resulted in the huge hit Double Barrell, an international smash for Dave Barker and Ansell Collins that reached number 1 in the UK in 1971.

Dunbar progressed to the drum stool for session band Skin, Flesh and Bones, and it was while working with the band at Randy's he first met Robbie Shakespear. The pair quickly developed a phenomenal musical understanding that flourished over the following years, culminating in some of the most original and inventive sounds to echo from Kingston's studios.

Sly and Robbie became the back bone of a new session outfit the Revolutionaries, operating out of Channel 1 studio on Maxfield Avenue, where they re-created many Studio 1 riddims in a new style they had developed called "Rockers". Instantly appealing, Rockers took a disco style bass drum playing four beats every bar, with a dry snare thumping through the riddim on every 3rd beat, developing a militant marching pattern that suited both lovers and roots reggae superbly.

Their creative playing led to a rise from mere session musicians to stars in their own right, and following a couple of years as the islands top rhythm section, they wisely decided to move into production. Taxi Records was launched in 1979, with Gregory Isaacs, an artist who had already benefitted greatly from Sly and Robbie's input, providing the initial hit Soon Forward. The same year saw a pairing that would become one of reggae musics most fruitful, when the new line up of Black Uhuru began working with them.

What emerged was a string of hits featuring some of their most resourceful creations yet. Robbie's bass lines broke the mould from which they had originally been inspired. With a startling simplicity, the patterns appeared almost understated, yet you soon realise that what he isn't playing is almost as important as what he is playing. Tracks such as Shine Eye Girl and Guess Who's Coming To Dinner were instant classics, and Virgin Records wisely picked up the sessions for release as the album known simply as Showcase.

Sly and Robbie became an integral part of Black Uhuru, and were present on all of the groups classic work for Island Records in the early '80s, as well as continuing the relationship after lead singer Michael Rose departed in 1984.

Equal to their success with Uhuru, Sly & Robbie were also the driving force behind the Word, Sound & Power band that backed Peter Tosh on his recordings and tours. Beginning with the classic Equal Rights album in 1977, the duo provided the soundscapes to Tosh's work on his following 3 albums, and the former Wailer's stunning, often zealous, live shows.

International acclaim led to collaborations with a host of major recording stars from overseas, ranging from Bob Dylan to Ian Dury, Robert Palmer to James Brown, and many more along the way.

The '80s saw the pair working as hard as ever. Dunbar was one of the first drummers to use an electronic Simmons kit, which soon became the stock drum sound right up until the digital revolution of 1985. As well as their own productions, Sly & Robbie continued laying rhythms for others, including a distinctive set for new producer George Phang, that saw his Powerhouse imprint (originally a label set up by Sly & Robbie) become one of the most consistant hit makers of the mid '80s.

With 1985's Under Me Sleng Teng, Prince Jammy unleashed a new sound on Jamaica that revolutionised the way reggae was to be produced. The completely electronic riddim threatened the livelyhoods of every session band on the Island that failed to adapt to the new phase. Sly & Robbie adapted better than anyone, their prior use of electronic sounds and understanding of the new technology gave them a head start on everyone.

Dunbar in particular excelled in the new age, and by the 90's was experimenting with banghra riddims from India, which fused with the raw dancehall sounds seamlessly. The biggest hit on this new beat was Chaka Demus and Pliers Murder She Wrote, but the pairs following hit Tease Me broke into an international hit, leading to a short stint as bone fide pop stars.

Sly and Robbie are revered by lovers of Jamaican music as possibly the greatest drum and bass pairing of all time. Ocassionally their innovations may have relied on gimmicks, but the radical changes that they have brought on the music stands testament to their status in the industry.

Flabba Holt & Style Scott
Errol Flabba Holt and Lincoln Style Scott were the original rhythm section for the legendary Roots Radics band, who played on a countless number of hits as the 70's turned into the 80's. Their first major contributions came for producer Henry Junjo Lawes, and most notably the debut album by teen sensation Barrington Levy (Bounty Hunter 1979). Playing a variation on the popular rockers style, with the producer adding some subtle dub effects to the mix, the band brewed their own distinctive hit sound, with original rhythms complimented by a staple of the standard Studio 1 classics.

Their sound became sparser on later recordings, with Style's hard snare punching through the space in the rhythms, providing a forceful backing that all the top producers were eager to employ or at least attempt to emulate. Linval Thompson was one such producer who really got the best from the band, such as his production on the 1982 Freddie McGregor album Big Ship, an album full of memorable rhythms, solid drumming and classic bass lines. The same year they played on Gregory Isaacs huge Night Nurse album, offering a more polished, but none the less impressive performance. The band were also Isaacs regular touring outfit.

The Radics were the most popular session band of the period, and their rhythms were often re-used many times by the producers who they worked for, as well as laying the foundation for many of the eras dub albums. Although Sly and Robbie remained popular and inventive during the Radics heyday, and the High Times band were more than capable of holding their own in the arena, it was the Radics who ruled. They really were the sound of reggae between 1980 and 1985.

Following the computerised revolution in Jamaica in the mid 80's, the Radics were less in demand and survived mainly as a touring outfit. After hooking up as the touring band for Israel Vibration for some time, Style Scott quit the band and was replaced by Carl Ayton (Bloodfire Posse), and this awesome rhythm section went their seperate ways.

Andy Clayden