- The prolific pioneer of reggae and the DUB worked for decades with stars from John Holt and Slim Smith to Beenie Man and Buju Banton.
Jamaican producer Bunny “Striker” Lee, who helped cultivate reggae and DUB rhythms working with many of the most important stars on the island, He died yesterday afternoon at 79 years.
While the cause of his death is unknown, It was reported that in recent months he would have suffered from kidney disease; The legendary producer was diabetic and suffered from a series of ailments.
"Striker" Lee was born as Edward O’sullivan Lee in 1941 and Kingston, Jamaica, And he began his career as a record collector, Looking for clues for radio stations. Trained electrical engineer, It soon took off in his career as a producer at the beginning of the sixties. After working with several stamps, created his own, Lee’s. He was at the head of great artists like John Holt, Slim Smith, Delroy Wilson, Peter Tosh, HORACE ANDY AND MANY MORE, Since the mid -sixties onwards, Often granting them other record stamps such as Island Records.
Lee's rhythms contributed to moving the Jamaican music of the ska and rocksteady styles towards the distinctive tempo and rebound. “Do the Reggay” of the recently deceased Toots Hibbert may have cemented the name of the genre, but "Countyang", A lee track recorded with Stranger Cole, It is considered by many as the first reggae song itself.
Lee helped expand the reggae audience outside the island with license agreements that included an association with trojan records, that promoted the genre among the United Kingdom audience; Max Romeo's controversial 1969, “Wet Dream”, produced by Lee, It was one of reggae's first successes to reach the top lists 10 of successes of the United Kingdom where he remained for 25 weeks, Marking the beginning of the arrival of the genre abroad before Bob Marley broke into the scene shortly after.
Working with producer and engineer King Tubby in the early 1970, He was one of the pioneers to venture into the spooky sound and with an echo of the Dub, With your battery approach, the bass and the effects of study. The creation of the characteristic sound of “Flying Cymbals” introduced in "None Shall Escape the Judgment" and "Move Out of Babylon" by Johnny Clarke is just one of the milestones that highlighted Lee's most successful period in the seventies, which revealed his title as a pioneer of the industry.
The greatly prolific Lee was also one of the first producers to work with the Bob Marley band, The Wailers, as well as with other later Jamaican stars, Like Sly & Robbie, Beie Men'.
Lee, who also received the nicknames of "Striker" and "The Gorgon", He was known for his elegant style of dressing, including a characteristic yacht cap: “People like to see you well dressed”, reasoned in 2015. “You have to dress well to combine with who you are”.
Bunny “Striker” Lee received the Jamaica distinction order in 2008 for its contributions to reggae music. In 2013 A documentary about his life was launched, “I Am the Gorgon”.
He sentences his death, The messages did not delay in flooding social networks, including a declaration of Trojan Records that called him a music giant.
"The Jamaican music giant, Bunny Lee, He died. Bunny was enormously influential in the formation of Jamaican music, Starting as a record engraver in the sixties, then, as a pioneer record producer, From the Era of Rock Steady to the years of the Dancehall of the eighties “, Trojan said in a tribute to the late producer.
Ali Campbell and Astro de UB40 tweet: “RIP Bunny Lee. We lose another legend. Sleep calm “.
DJ David Rodigan gave his tribute saying: “The reggae world has lost another iconic figure; Bunny "Striker" Lee was undoubtedly one of the most charismatic and inspiring Jamaican music producers with a phenomenal catalog of successes. He promoted music over the decades and was responsible for making many artists popular and successful. On a personal level, He always felt welcome in his study sessions at King Tubbys; His passion for making records did not know limits, All night sessions were normal to “The Gorgon”. His kindness and his phenomenal memory served us all as fans. He was essentially a street encyclopedia of music and we will miss it deeply ”.
