The music world mourns the loss of Sly Dunbar, the legendary Jamaican drummer and producer who passed away at the age of 73. As one half of the iconic rhythm section Sly and Robbie, Dunbar's innovative playing shaped countless tracks across genres, from foundational reggae to groundbreaking pop collaborations.
A Career Defined by Rhythm and Innovation
Sly Dunbar's career spanned over five decades, during which he contributed to hundreds of recordings. His drumming was characterised by technical precision, creative complexity, and an ability to adapt to diverse musical styles while maintaining a distinctive Jamaican flavour.
10 Essential Tracks from Sly Dunbar's Catalogue
Dave and Ansel Collins – Double Barrel (1970)
Dunbar's recording debut arrived in spectacular fashion with this early 70s reggae classic. While not his most technically showy performance, his playing demonstrates remarkable subtlety – note the light cymbal touches and tight fills. The single reached number one in the UK, selling 300,000 copies despite limited radio play, marking an extraordinary start to his professional journey.
The Mighty Diamonds – Right Time (1976)
This track helped establish Sly and Robbie's reputation while popularising the "rockers" rhythm in reggae. Dunbar's beat on the title track was so complex that fellow drummers initially suspected studio trickery. He later recalled that once musicians realised he had genuinely played it, "everybody started trying for that style, and it soon become established."
Junior Murvin – Police and Thieves (1976)
Here we hear Sly without Robbie, with bass provided by Boris Gardiner. Dunbar's astonishingly tight drumming creates a solid foundation beneath Murvin's eerie falsetto and the shimmering, echo-drenched backing track. Interestingly, Dunbar also claimed to have played on Bob Marley's Punky Reggae Party, a song inspired by the Clash's cover of this very track.
Culture – Two Sevens Clash (1977)
Dunbar's drums power what many consider one of the greatest roots reggae albums ever made. The apocalyptic title track, prophesying transformation on 7 July 1977, showcases the sheer force of Culture's harmonies and Joseph Hill's impassioned vocals, all driven forward by Dunbar's rhythmic foundation.
Grace Jones – Pull Up to the Bumper (1981)
As part of Compass Point Studios' house band, Sly and Robbie reinvented Grace Jones' sound. Pull Up to the Bumper exists in a unique space between dub, disco, electro-pop and post-punk. Dunbar's drumming is magnificent throughout, from the opening martial snare bursts to the humid, insistent groove that marries reggae lope with dancefloor pulse.
Bob Dylan – Jokerman (1983)
Recruited at Dylan's suggestion, Sly and Robbie became the folk-rock legend's rhythm section for his Infidels album. On the opening track, they gently infuse Dylan's biblical imagery with Jamaican spirit through such subtle, organic playing that it avoids the clumsy reggae appropriations common among rock artists of the era.
Gwen Guthrie – Padlock (1985)
Sly and Robbie produced Guthrie's early work, with Dunbar programming drums on her hit Ain't Nothin' Goin' on But the Rent. The Padlock EP features Larry Levan's dub-influenced remixes that foreground Dunbar's unshowy but supremely funky drumming – so prominently that Sly's name appears above the singer's on the sleeve.
Sly and Robbie – Boops (Here to Go) (1987)
The duo's biggest UK hit as artists blended cool sophistication with irresistible rhythm. Featuring Shinehead's laconic rap and interpolations from Rossini and Ennio Morricone, it felt adjacent to sample-heavy hip-hop while maintaining its own unique identity through fantastic rumbling funk rhythms.
Chaka Demus and Pliers – Bam Bam/Murder She Wrote (1992)
Sly and Robbie were instrumental in the dancehall duo's crossover success, co-producing and co-writing much of their Tease Me album. Both these tracks use a riddim featuring Sly alone – with no bass, just a beat showing clear Indian tabla influence – that subsequently appeared on countless 1992 reggae tracks.
The Enduring Influence of a Rhythm Pioneer
Sly Dunbar's legacy extends far beyond these ten tracks. His ability to move seamlessly between reggae foundations, pop productions, and experimental collaborations made him one of music's most versatile and influential rhythm creators. From transforming reggae drumming with the "rockers" beat to bringing Jamaican spirit to Bob Dylan's music, his contributions reshaped multiple genres and inspired generations of musicians worldwide.
