Occasionally I am going to stray from the primarily heavy music format of this blog to share some of the other types of music experiences I enjoy... One such event is the night I witnessed The Mighty Upsetter, Lee "Scratch" Perry perform live, Sept. 21, 2013.
For an extremely short primer on Scratch... here is a man who started in the 1950s at Studio One, formed his own label with The Upsetters band, and opened his Black Ark studio in the 70's, where the most crucial work in reggae and perhaps all musical production was conceived. This is the heart of his legacy, working with and promoting such seminal artists as Bob Marley, The Wailers, The Heptones, The Clash, Paul McCartney, The Mighty Diamonds, and Max Romeo. Perry's timing skills and innovation with very basic technology blew away his peers using much more advanced equipment. He often employed the use of 'found objects' and superstitious acts to put a unique touch on things that no one could replicate.
His "dub remix"work and contributions to what a producer exactly does
was instrumental in launching dub, dancehall and all modern
dance/hip-hop mainstays. Lee Perry actually lives in Switzerland at the moment, where he rebuilt a studio reminiscent of the original Black Ark, and is also married with two children.
Perhaps what's most famous about Perry are his eccentricities.... he is a modern day Shaman, living and breathing music and an artistic nature as though he has no choice, as if he is just some sort of divining rod for the mysticism around us. He has been given the honor of Commander in the Order of Distinction, with only a few others such as Duke Reid and Coxsone Dodd. The Order of Distinction is conferred upon citizens of Jamaica who have rendered outstanding and important service to Jamaica.
For his live show, 77 year-old Lee Perry was backed by the excellent Subatomic Sound System and Woman In Dub (group from the UK). Joining him onstage was also the legendary Larry McDonald, who is also in his seventies. McDonald is famous in his own right... he is among the top few names that come to mind when one thinks of Jamaican percussionists. Larry has worked with Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, The Skatalites, Gil-Scott Heron, and even the NYC Ska Mob/Stubborn Records crew. Selections from Perry's back catalog were spun strategically by the skilled hands of Subatomic Sound, while the fine young ladies named 'Woman In Dub' did the harmonizing, for parts like the chorus in "Disco Devil."
Similar to his more recent recorded work, Lee Perry improvised his entire performance in a stream-of-consciousness fashion, often also incorporating props from his blinged-out garb or onstage suitcase. I was simply awestruck for the entire set. The man certainly has an other-worldly aura about himself, and it was an honor to be in the presence of a true artist in every sense of the word. One could tell he was just having a blast onstage, as he included the girls and other musicians in impromptu moments of ad-libbing, little dances and other gestures. Take a look at the YouTube vids I uploaded for the footage... the best one by far is the performance of the song "Underground," a classic off the album "Super Ape."
Here are my still photos as well. Thanks for checking it out!
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