Bushman

The Rasta roots reggae of the '70s blazed a trail for Jamaican music worldwide. The '90s has seen a roots resurgence, with a host of young Rasta stars cultivating a soundtrack for their own generation. Take traditional cultural messages and mix with a generous helping of modern musicianship, and you have the flavour currently tearing up Jamaica and every outpost abroad. We bring you...BUSHMAN!

Twenty six year old Dwight Duncan aka BUSHMAN, is an artist carved out of the same musical tradition as Bob Marley, Dennis Brown and Luciano, who he quotes as being his dominant influences. Hailing from the small rural parish of Prospect Beach, BUSHMAN was raised as a Rastafarian. By the tender age of nine he had grasped his musical potential, and his passions for football and cricket were fast overtaken by a commitment to the local church choir.

Moving into his teens and now known as Junior Melody, he kicked off his career proper as a selector (selecting the records played on a sound system) on the Black Star Line sound system. Taking his talent to the next stage meant travelling seventy miles to Kingston, as there were no studios in St. Thomas. Being poor he would have to hitch-hike before waiting around all day for the opportunity to record. Months passed in this way until he happened to meet top Jamaican producers Steely and Clevie at Arrows Dubplate Studio during an impromptu game of football. Steely immediately invited him to audition for his studio, Studio 2000.

Their first song together was "Grow Your Natty", a remarkable debut, which was swiftly followed by "Call The Hearse". Steely renamed him BUSHMAN, although not without a certain amount of resistance from the singer. He thought it derogatory to his country roots until discovering that BUSHMAN was an African term for 'Medicine Man'; "Music", he later wrote "is the original medicine"! This confirmed his vision that music was capable of inspiring love, unity and self-awareness. "Call The Hearse" became a big hit in Jamaica, followed up by some live dates, BUSHMAN receiving a rapturous welcome on a short US tour, and headlining a show at Kingston's hottest venue, The Mirage Club.

BUSHMAN's newly enriched creativity then led him to Lloyd James aka King Jammy. He says of their working relationship, "Jammy listens to my ideas and knows what I want, so he gets the best results." The combination of his year out and the mutual respect of artist and producer has resulted in a mature and focused second album, "Total Commitment".

He cites country and western, R&B, jazz and blues as major influences and this spectrum of musical taste is evident in the way he places more traditional roots and culture tracks side by side with dancehall rhythms. His rich, earthy voice is the thread that ties "Total Commitment" together. Never one to compromise his beliefs, BUSHMAN's faith, honesty and observation of the world around him leap out of his emotive lyrics. He is keen to capitalise on music as an instrument of education and send his message far and wide. He shares his "Worries and Problems", his insecurities about love in "Afraid of Commitment" and he reminds us to slow down and enjoy life in "Take It Easy".

Despite the ever-increasing recognition of his talent, BUSHMAN remains a humble and down-to-earth figure. He still lives in St. Thomas, frequently taking to the hills with his Bible and meditating in the lush Jamaican countryside. He sticks to a strictly ital diet comprising of natural juices and vegetarian dishes. He bathes in the hot water springs of his native parish and considers his Rastafarian faith a "levity" (total lifestyle, as opposed to a religion of convenience or fad).

Outstanding production and the most compelling Rasta chants to be heard from Jamaica in years, make BUSHMAN a force to be reckoned with in contemporary reggae. "Reggae music a tek back its full 'an proper course now", he says of his achievement with "Total Commitment".

BUSHMAN has arrived and the Rastafarian tradition continues.