Bunny Lee counts as one of the unsung heroes of reggae and dub, no question. Having recognized in himself an acumen for production, although no studio, Lee culled a group of players from other outfits, the Skatalites and some session players that resulted in the formation of the Aggrovators. Taking a cue from the skinhead youth culture in Britain - the term 'aggro' was a substitute for violence - this newly christened band worked at a variety of studios where Lee could afford to purchase time. So, anywhere from Studio One to Randy's could be considered the home of this roving ensemble. But the music that they created during the '70s is unsurpassed by other dub ensembles.

Being brought into the music industry during the early part of the sixties, Lee took advantage of counting Derrick Morgan as brother-in-law. By decade's end, the producer had found hits with everyone from Slim Smith to Roy Shirley. These successes, though, didn't translate into Lee's ability to find a home studio - thus the hobo approach to recording. But it didn't matter to the Aggrovators, who were all seasoned players and more than capable of turning in quick and flawless performances. Of course, these rhythms weren't the most complex pieces of music, but maybe some of the most interesting and long lasting.

Backing some of the biggest names in the genre, the Aggrovators eventually found themselves in the company of Bob Marely - or at least helping to version the album Kaya. Counting King Tubby as an engineer, Lee was able to take Marley's classic and rework it into a sparse, yet musically inviting group of atmospheric, bassy, drum tracks replete with production flourishes and occasional horn lines. Kaya Dub is almost unrecognizable when compared to it's source material, but invigorating to listen to. Hearing the echo on each rim shot or snare beat enables listeners to completely forget their surroundings and focus on the immense time and effort that went into reimagining this album.

Though, this disc was probably the most commercially viable project that the band was credited with, the Aggrovators' discography is an unending lineage of Jamaican music. It'd be difficult to summarize a career that covered literally hundreds and hundreds of sides. But considering the occasional lack of proper credit on some discs, there are undoubtedly some lost classics that should bare the Aggravator's name, but don't.

Eventually, though, as King Tubby amassed enough credentials to move out on his own and function out of a studio that he had a hand in constructing, Lee was necessitated to move on, as were the Aggrovators. And even if the latter, made up of some extraordinarily talented players, continued to do sessions, their boss wouldn't really have any impact on the '80s. A new crop of producers arose with more electronically inclined work that must have seemed disconcerting to a man who had worked in JA music for nearly twenty years. His legacy is assured, though. But next time you pick up some dub effort, check for his name - it might be there.