LEE SCRATCH PERRY IN CONCERT:
As a master of both the studio and the stage, dub reggae pioneer Lee ìScratchî Perry has been making fans feel irie with his innovative recordings and colorful live performances for more than four decades. In addition to producing music for luminaries like Bob Marley, Junior Murvin, and Max Romeo, Perry has established himself as the undisputed king of dub with dozens of acclaimed solo releases (his 2003 album Jamaican E.T. won a GRAMMY for Best Reggae Album). At his live shows Perry is a total boss, dancing around in his signature outrÈ stagewear and engaging audiences with lively call and response vocals that keep the good vibes flowing. Heís in his 80s but youíd never know itóPerry and his band always bring the party with their intoxicating mix of old-school dub favorites and modern-day reggae classics.
BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:
Lee Perry was born into poverty in rural Jamaica, but his fortunes turned after he moved to Kingston in his teens and began dabbling in the cityís music scene. He gained prominence in the late ë50s and early ë60s working alongside established Jamaican producers like Clement Coxsone Dodd and Joe Gibbs, and in 1968 he established his own label Upsetter Records. Perryís first hit single, 1968ís ìPeople Funny Boyî, was a veritable sensation, selling more than 60,000 copies in Jamaica alone and helping define the then-nascent reggae sound. Starting with 1969ís The Upsetter LP, Perry released more than a dozen albums with his studio band The Upsetters, also dropping solo efforts like 1972ís Africaís Blood and 1975ís Roast Fish Collie Weed & Corn Bread. With the establishment of his backyard studio The Black Ark in 1973, Perry became a sought-after producer, and his innovative recording techniques attracted such notable reggae artists as Bob Marley, The Heptones, and The Congos. Perry remained prolific throughout the ë80s and ë90s, and in 2003 he added a GRAMMY Award to his long list of achievements. Perry impressed fans at Coachella with a career-spanning performance in 2013, and he continues to emit plenty of positive vibrations any time he takes the stage to perform his timeless reggae tunes.
