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BUSHMAN
SNWMF 2001 - Photo by
Mark Siebert
Born Dwight Duncan, in the lush
picturesque hill top village of
Spring Garden, St. Thomas,
Jamaica. He was raised as a
Rasta since the tender age of
two. Dwight attended the Lysson
All Age School, where his music
teacher noticed his potential
for music and nurtured him in
his developing stages. Dwight
then went on to Yallas High
School where he continued to
shine musically as a member of
the school choir, a member of
the Yallas drum core, playing
the bass organ, also
participating in numerous school
concerts. He was also a member
of the New Testament Church of
God Choir, where he earned the
name Ark Angel.
During his teenage years he
became the selector for Black
Star Line sound-system, then
known as Junior Melody he took
part in several singing
competitions and talent searches
in and around St. Thomas.
Gaining a strong local fan base
Junior Melody began to sing dub
plates for local sound-systems
such as Lees Unlimited, Mello
Construction, King Majesty and
others. The rave reviews from
the sound selectors and the
people of his community
encouraged Junior Melody to take
his talent to the next level,
the studios of Kingston Jamaica,
the place to be if he wanted to
make a name for himself in the
reggae business.
These were hard times for Junior
Melody, travelling to Kingston
is a seventy mile return
journey. Being poor he would
have to hitchhike most of the
time, sharing one bulla and a
bag juice with anyone of his
friends that dared to make the
journey with him. (Bushman later
recorded a song relating to this
period of his life, Titled Life
ain't
no bed of Roses).
The hard times did not deter him
from seeking his dream. After
many month of travelling to
Kingston and waiting around at
the studios. It was during an
impromptu game of football at
Arrows Dub plate studio where
Junior Melody met Steely and
Clevie. Steely commented that
Junior Melody was not to good at
football, Junior Melodys
response was I can sing though
in hearing that Steely prompted
him to sing something. Right
there in the yard Junior Melody
sang, Steely immediately invited
him to audition at Studio 2000.
Their first song together was
Grow Your Natty, an outstanding
debut, Swiftly followed by the
hit Call The Hearse. With talks
of an album Steely wished to
change the name Junior Melody to
Bushman. Initially the
singer/song writer was not happy
with this name at all, he
thought it some how derogatory
to him coming from the country,
until he researched the name
only to discover that Bushman
was an Afrikan name for Medicine
Man. Bushman became the musical
Medicine Man. Bushman has been
full filling the meaning of this
name to date.
Call The Hearse became a big hit
in Jamaica and England, after
which followed some live dates.
Bushman received a rapturous
welcome on a short US tour
followed by more live shows in
Jamaica. Bushman was to see the
release of his first album Nyah
Man Chant (Greensleeves) during
the year 1997. Nyah Man Chant
earned a five star rating all
over the world, with comments
such as A set of tunes that are
both inspired and inspiring.I
stopped listening to individual
tracks about halfway through the
CD as I realized that Nayah Man
Chant is good till the very last
drop. BurninUp; The Journal
5/7/97.adding five stars. Nyah
Man Chant as now earned its
self-a place in the realms of
Greensleeves Reggae Classics.
Bushman's newly enriched
creativity made him a much sought
after artist both home and
abroad. However it was the
famous King Jammy (Lloyd James)
who produced the next two albums
following by Bushman. The first
being Total Commitment (Greensleeves)
With a combination of Bushman's
year out, and the mutual respect
between artist and producer the
results brought forth a more
mature and focused second album.
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Total Commitment took the reggae
music business like a stormy inferno. With tracks like Fire Bun
a Weak Heart a big hit! Babylon Dead, Live Your Life Right, and
many others. Just seven weeks after its released Total
Commitment was ..7 in the US album charts, also gaining ..1 in
Finland.
2001 saw the release of Bushman's
third album Higher Ground (Greensleeves). A charming piece of
work from Jamaica's finest, producer,
singer/songwriter and instrumentals. With tracks like Yadd Away
Home, giving you Bushman in his finest smooth bar tone,
alongside the well renowned saxophone player Dean Frazser. Your
Love a song inspired from his personal life and a big favorite
with his fans across the globe. This album consists of hit after
hit bringing you songs titled Fire Pan A Deadas, Love of The
Heart and Make A Change. Songs with lyrics to provoke critical
thinking about politics, diet, life style and the current state
of the world today. Bushman pleases his fans again.
A Better Place, a fourth
contribution from Bushman. For this album Bushman teamed up with
English based Stingray. It took Bushman 2 weeks to write every
song on this15 track album, which was released at SOBs New York,
in October 2001. This album host a liveication to Bushmans
mother track 14,Mama,Fill My Cup is a testament to the life and
achievements of Bushman. Again the outstanding lyrics of each
track will carry you to higher and higher levels of
enlightenment, leaving you feeling strong and ready to bring
positive vision to reality.
Aside from these four great
albums Bushman has a selection of singles such as Life Ain't No
Bed of Rose, Jerusalem School Room, Extortions, Sunshine, Where
are Your Clothes, Afrikan Women, and many others including a
combination medley with Morgan Heritage, Truly Great, another
great hit around the world.
Bushman enjoyed his first major
tour of the US, with the Kings of Kings Family. Bushman was the
headliner for the tour with the awesome job of closing every
show. Bushman was delight with the response he received in the
US hosting sellout shows in cities such as San Francisco,
Durango, Seattle, New York and Canada. Every venue where Bushman
preformed promoters have renew their contracts for further
shows.
This tour was followed with a
dynamic sellout second tour of Europe. Where Bushman preformed
for the first time in countries such as Germany and France, all
shows where a total sellout, making Europe Bushmans largest fan
base to date. He will be returning to Europe in June/July 2002
for the big festivals. Bushman has also performed in most if not
all the Caribbean Islands, he also gave an outstanding
performance at the Nevada World Music Festival, June 2001, and
he stormed the crowd for the first time at Bob Marley day 2002.
Despite the ever-increasing
recognition of his talent Bushman remains a humble down to earth
figure, who still lives in St.Thomas with his wife and children.
Joying in the frequent trips to the lush bath fountain where
they bathe in the hot mineral water. Living a life style of
strictly ital foods and juices. Yes Bushman leads a humble but
enlightened life in his birthplace parish of St. Thomas.
Bushman with his natural talent
for singing, is an outstanding artist carved from the same
iritical musical tradition as Bob Marley, Dennis Brown and
Luciano (with whom he has a very close relationship), who he
quotes as being his most dominant influences.
With his dynamic lyrics, Superb
showmanship and classic performances, the Rastafarian known as
Bushman is an artist with which to hold a joy with, and a force
to be reckoned with. Bushman's latest Album, Get It in Your Mind
is an independant release on the Burning Bushes Label.
- Bio by
Vanessa Duncan
The Music of Bushman - Track List
Bushman Links:
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