Five Reggae Artists Beyond Bob Marley

SUGAR MINOTT
A pivotal figure in reggae, Minott is a powerhouse singer, prolific songwriter, and resourceful producer. He got his start as a pre-teen singing in the harmony trio, the African Brothers. As a solo artist in the late '70s, he helped revitalize Clement Dodd's Studio One by writing new melodies and lyrics for decade-old riddims-in a sense, that's what "dancehall music" is, and Minott is one of its creators. In 1978, he parted ways with Dodd to build his own label (Black Roots) and sound system (Youth Promotion). Minott scored numerous hits in the early '80s, including "Herbman Hustling," "Rub A Dub Sound," and "Buy Off The Bar." But it was his tireless mentoring of young singers during that decade-Tenor Saw, Yami Bolo, Triston Palma, and others-that may cement his reputation as one of the most important artists of his time. Teaching both the workings of the biz and proper singing techniques, Minott sometimes sacrificed his own success to further that of his protegés. Still going strong, Minott set out for his first U.S. tour in years this past February.

KING TUBBY
For years, Jamaican singles included an instrumental version of the song on the flip side of every release. King Tubby wasn't the first to remix these tracks-dropping instruments in and out, adding sound effects, and so on-to create entirely new songs instead of simply vocal-less versions. He was, however, the most important. An engineer who loved to mess around with studio equipment, King Tubby almost single-handedly spurred the evolution of dub. His experimentation found artistic expression in the otherworldly instrumental tracks he created during the '70s. Tubby was one of the first artists to make a name for himself purely as a dub producer. Following in his footsteps are notables such as Lee "Scratch" Perry, the Mad Professor, Prince Jammy, Scientist, and, for all intents and purposes, the entire drum & bass, jungle, and electronica movements. Tubby was shot dead in the early '80s, years before he had a chance to make a good living as an internationally known dub artist.

DENNIS BROWN
The "Crown Prince of Reggae" had been making hit records since he was a teen star in the early '70s. In 1972, he cut the huge hit "Money In My Pocket" for producer Joe Gibbs. During the rest of that decade, he recorded some of the best reggae tracks released before or since with producer Niney The Observer. Never a prolific songwriter, it was Brown's strong and emotive voice, and his fantastic stage presence, that made him one of the most cherished reggae artists in history. He died young, in 1999, [OF WHAT TK]. His greatest singles-and there are many of them, like "Revolution," "Tribulation," "Sitting And Watching," and "Westbound Train"-still elicit hearty roars from any savvy reggae crowd.

AUGUSTUS PABLO
Few artists in reggae are as associated with a single instrument as Augustus Pablo. His was the melodica, a mouth-powered keyboard. Because of his mastery of this instrument, many reggae fans forget that Pablo was also an amazing keyboard player, a great songwriter, a producer, and a bandleader. In early singles such as "East Of The River Nile" and "Java," he established his "Far East Sound," which relied on minor chords to set a mood. Pablo's instrumental work, often mixed by King Tubby, morphed into some of the best-known dub releases of the time. Their 1977 collaboration, King Tubby Meets The Rockers Uptown, earned international fame for both artists. As a producer, Pablo is best remembered for his work with Hugh Mundell, Jacob Miller, and Junior Delgado. Pablo died young [OF WHAT TK], in 1999.

LEE "SCRATCH" PERRY
Perry's is one of the most recognizable names to both aficionados and non-reggae heads alike. His career has covered most aspects of the genre, but it is his occasional forays into popular music, such as with the Beastie Boys or the Clash, that have given him his reputation. He has been called both a genius and a madman, and he has certainly earned both titles. He began working for Clement Dodd's Studio One sound system in the early '60s; when Dodd began recording music, Perry became one of his main in-house producers. Perry also recorded a number of ska singles, including "Chicken Scratch," which earned him his nickname but never heavyweight status in that genre. After a falling out with Dodd, he moved on to his own productions with his house band the Upsetters. In the late '60s, Perry began producing the Wailers; their collaboration resulted in some of the greatest songs of the band's career. In the early '70s, Perry became a major figure in dub and one of Jamaica's leading producers. His Black Ark Studio productions were noted for extensive layers of rhythms and odd noises. Always a bit paranoid, Perry eventually burned down his own studio. Later he moved to Switzerland and pretty much dropped out of the scene until fans such as the Mad Professor and the Beasties drew him back out. Though Perry has been recording and touring for a few years, he has yet to match the incredible work he did in the '60s and '70s.

-Lem Oppenheimer