Although TAPPER ZUKIE (real name David Sinclair) initially came to wider attention as a fiery DJ/toaster around 1975, it is surely the string of feverishly brilliant production work he was involved in during Jamaica's crucial period (1976 - 1980) that forms the bedrock of his legend.
Indeed, while Tapper's reputation may not have spread as widely as the likes of Joe Gibbs, King Tubby and the inimitable Lee 'Scratch' Perry, the 18 killer cuts collected on Trojan's magnificent new "Proud To Be Black" compilation suggest his work should be held in equally lofty esteem.
Subtitled "Rare Roots & Culture", the album collects the cream of the releases on Zukie's Stars label between his heyday period 1976 - 1988, though it's the creative splurge between '76 and '80 that provides the dynamite, kicking off with the stone cold classic "No Weak Heart" from Itals vocalist RONNIE DAVIS. This opening cut features all Tapper's splendid hallmarks: the wobbly, subterranean basslines; the woozy horn motifs and of course sweet, sweet vocals, all wrapped up in a cloak of Rasta miltancy that fits beautifully to this day.
Incredible stuff, and it sets a yardstick that - remarkably - most of the rest actually lives up to. Vocal quintet KNOWLEDGE sprang up from the youth centre Tapper set up in Kingston's tough ghetto area, and with "Population" they weigh in with another of "Proud.."s major highlights. It's a gorgeous, brooding'n'sparse ting from 1978, with spot on production from Zukie and a dubwise mentality always skulking down the hall.
The frequency-disabling bass, dubbed-out antics and militant toasting inform many of Zukie's other standout productions. HORACE ANDY is still arguably the sweetest of all reggae vocalists in this writer's humble opinion, and with "Stop Your Brutality", he turns in a vocal of some poignancy to hook up with Zukie's delicious skank of a melody, which features more louche horns and fairground organ before drifting into dubwise outer space.
Elsewhere, the dread beat'n'militancy is maintained with sublime cuts like ALTON ELLIS'S "We A Feel It" FRANKIE JONES' deceptively smooth plea for understanding on "Proud To Be Black" (with its' undeniable "yes, my skin is black, and if you see me coming don't turn your back" chorus and references to 'Armagideon Time') and CORNELL CAMPBELL'S "Press Along Natty", which is a great, brooding attack on legal injustice that remains utterly relevant today.
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Admittedly, Tapper Zukie may be less of a household name because he never worked with Bob Marley like Lee 'Scratch' Perry in the early days. However, he was respected enough to work with other serious Jamiacan commercial forces like THE MIGHTY DIAMONDS (who turn in a corker of a hymn to Marcus Garvey with 1980's "Morgan The Pirate"), not to mention co-writing amazing tunes like the sublime lovers rock of "Love Me Baby" with Horace Andy.
Impressively, even when confronted with the modern studio technology that finished off many a 70s production name, Tapper wasn't fazed. "Proud To Be Black" concludes with DENNIS BROWN'S "Death Before Dishonour", which finds him juxtaposing his familiar dread beat sound with the modern, digital rhythms then emerging and still coming out on top. Besides, it's kinda difficult to deny a song with a chorus that runs: "Go away, you ain't got no culture/ Go away, you actin' like vulture", right? Sure ting, Dennis. You tell 'em!
Although largely dormant in terms of production work over the past decade, Tapper Zukie is still alive and intact, and could still surprise us in the future. Even if he chooses to decline, though, "Proud To Be Black" proves he has already left us a mighty body of work which for once really deserves an overworked superlative like 'seminal.' That we shall see his like again remains very doubtful indeed.
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