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| Sly and Robbie Rhythm Section | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sly and Robbie Rhythm Section |
| Background | group_or_band |
| Origin | Kingston, Jamaica |
| Years active | 1970s–present |
| Associated acts | Black Uhuru, Grace Jones, Peter Tosh, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Bootsy Collins |
Sly and Robbie Rhythm Section are a Jamaican rhythm duo formed by drummer Lowell "Sly" Dunbar and bassist Robert "Robbie" Shakespeare. They became central to reggae, dub, and popular music from the 1970s onward, shaping recordings, tours, and production techniques for artists across Kingston, Jamaica, London, and New York City. Their work spans collaborations with roots reggae figures, pop icons, and avant-garde producers, influencing scenes from Dub to Dancehall and crossover genres involving Hip hop and Electronica.
Dunbar and Shakespeare first rose to prominence in the early 1970s recording for producers such as Coxsone Dodd at Studio One, Lee "Scratch" Perry at Black Ark Studios, and Joe Gibbs at Haile Selassie dub style sessions, soon becoming the house rhythm section for The Revolutionaries and The Aggrovators. They formed a consistent partnership while working with backing bands like The Upsetters and producers including Bunny Lee and Augustus Pablo, later relocating to Kingston's evolving scene that connected them with artists such as Jimmy Cliff, Toots Hibbert, and Gregory Isaacs. In the late 1970s and 1980s they expanded internationally, recording and touring with acts like Bob Dylan, Sting, Paul Simon, and Madonna, while producing for labels including Island Records and Ze Records. Their studio projects and touring lineups incorporated session musicians from Nashville and Miami, leading to cross-pollination with producers like Sly & Robbie collaborator Adrian Sherwood and engineers such as Chris Blackwell and Lee "Scratch" Perry's contemporaries. Across decades they adapted to technological shifts from analog mixing desks and tape echo to digital samplers and MIDI production, maintaining prominence through collaborations with artists including Grace Jones, Roxy Music, Yellowman, and Shaggy.
Their rhythmic approach centers on a locked bass-and-drum pocket characterized by Dunbar's inventive use of the one-drop, rocksteady, and steppers patterns and Shakespeare's syncopated melodicism influenced by Aston "Family Man" Barrett and Bootsy Collins. They integrated dub techniques pioneered by King Tubby, Errol Thompson, and Lee "Scratch" Perry—notably heavy use of echo, reverb, and drop-outs—into pop and rock productions for artists like Grace Jones and Sting. Their production style often featured sparse arrangements emphasizing groove, with programmatic use of drum machines such as the Linn LM-1 and Roland TR-808 alongside live percussionists like Sticky Thompson and keyboardists including Wally Badarou. They collaborated with mixing engineers and producers from London's On-U Sound collective and New York's studio scene, employing multi-tracking, dub plate editing, and remix techniques later adopted by House music and Techno producers.
Their catalog includes sessions and production work for Bob Marley and the Wailers, the medleys and remixes for Grace Jones's albums, and rhythm tracks on Peter Tosh records. They co-produced and played on releases by Black Uhuru (with producer Sly Dunbar working alongside Rita Marley's contemporaries), remixed tracks for Kool & the Gang and Dennis Brown, and provided rhythms for crossover projects with Paul Simon and David Bowie's contemporaries. In the 1980s and 1990s they worked with Madonna's production teams and contributed to sessions for Yoko Ono and Herbie Hancock, while collaborating with reggae and dancehall stars such as Shabba Ranks, Buju Banton, Yellowman, and Beenie Man. Their production credits include work with Sinead O'Connor, No Doubt's members, and remix projects for Grace Jones and Roxy Music affiliates, while studio partnerships extended to engineers like Errol Brown and producers such as Chris Blackwell and Arif Mardin.
Selected studio albums, productions, and compilations include rhythm albums and collaborations with artists on labels such as Island Records, Trojan Records, and Greensleeves Records. Notable entries: rhythm and dub albums produced in the 1970s and 1980s; collaborative albums with Grace Jones and Black Uhuru; production and session credits across records by Bob Dylan, Sting, Paul Simon, Madonna, Sinead O'Connor, Herbie Hancock, Yellowman, and Shabba Ranks. Compilations and remix projects were issued by labels including Island Records, On-U Sound, Kerrang! affiliates, and VP Records, documenting their remit from early roots reggae to modern dancehall and international pop crossovers.
They earned critical acclaim and industry recognition including nominations and awards from organizations such as the Grammy Awards and plaudits in publications like Rolling Stone and NME. Their productions contributed to Grammy-winning or nominated projects for artists including Grace Jones and Black Uhuru, and industry honors from institutions like The Recording Academy and regional Jamaican awards recognizing lifetime achievement. Music historians and institutions such as The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and university music departments have cited their innovations in rhythm and production in academic and curatorial contexts.
Their influence extends across generations of musicians and producers: bassists and drummers cite them alongside Aston "Family Man" Barrett, Sly Dunbar collaborator session players, and funk pioneers like Bootsy Collins; producers from Dub to Drum and Bass and Reggaeton reference their grooves alongside techniques from King Tubby and Lee "Scratch" Perry. Their rhythmic templates permeate recordings by artists in Jamaica, United Kingdom, United States, and beyond, informing the work of Sade's rhythm sections, No Doubt's ska-pop arrangements, and modern producers in Hip hop and EDM who sample and reinterpret their grooves. Academic texts, documentaries, and curated compilations place them among seminal contributors to 20th- and 21st-century popular music, ensuring their patterns and production approaches persist in contemporary recordings and pedagogy.
Category:Reggae musicians Category:Jamaican musical duos