As a pianist, Butler has recorded, worked and toured with a long list of musicians including Bunny Wailer and Jimmy Cliff. His older brother, Leslie, was a keyboardist who played at the Federal Studio during the 1960s and the 1970s. Another brother has recorded and toured for Bunny Wailer, Dennis Brown, Jimmy Cliff, Culture and Judy Mowatt.
He has recorded, co-produced and produced with and for some of Jamaica’s best musicians and singers. Hits for singers include Pam and Woody (Book of Life), Beresford Hammond (One Step Ahead), Cynthia Schloss (Love me Forever) and Ernest Wilson (Let True Love Be). His solo albums, which include and feature both vocal and instrumental tracks, are: The Butler did it, My Life : Part 1, Meditation Heights, African On My Mind, and the soundtrack for the movie Children of Babylon.
During the 70's he recorded for the most important Jamaican artists and producers. The list of artists he played for is huge and we want to remember a few names at least. As a keyboardist he played for Beres Hammond, Bunny Wailer ("Black Heart Man"), Culture ("Two Sevens Clash" and "Cumbolo"), Delroy Wilson, Dennis Brown ("Visions Of Dennis Brown"), The Meditations ("Guidance"), Sylford Walker, Toots & Maytals. As a pianist he played for Cedric Im Brooks ("United Africa"), Derrick Harriott, Ernest Ranglin, Ken Boothe. As an organist he played for Joe Gibbs ("African Dub All-Mighty" and "African Dub All-Mighty Chapter 3"), Pablo Moses, Trinity ("Three Piece Suit"). On synthesizer, he played for Beres Hammond, Ken Boothe. And finally we must remember him on melodica for Judy Mowatt's "Black Woman".
His solo albums are: "The Butler Did It", "My Life : Part 1", "Meditation Heights", "Africa On My Mind", and the soundtrack for the movie "Children of Babylon". By the late 80's some mental problems forced him to retire from the activity, but in recent years he has reappeared onstage with good acclaim. The present set collects some material recorded around 1978. The mood is quite puzzling. The recipe is made of Jazz, some light Roots, Soul and some so called African reminiscences on the background. The tracks are basically instrumentals, in some cases sustained by vocals and chorus. Apart from some tracks listed below, this risky mixture of sounds and atmospheres is uncertain and at the end almost disappointing. On nine tracks emerge "Liberation" (featuring Beres Hammond), "South Africa", "Crying In Soweto" and "Out Of Bondage" as a great Jazz track. The album was produced by Herman Chin Loy and recorded at his legendary Aquarius Studio. It was engineered by Mervyn Williams and Stephen Stanley; and mixed by them with the addition of Boris Gardiner
Credits
Appears on
* Children Of Babylon
o Pass The Fire
o White - Slave Lament (Trad.)
* Jah Children Invasion
o Dedication Rock
* Real Authentic Reggae Volume One
o Smile Orange Reggae
As a musician
Keyboards
* B.B. Seaton - I'm Aware Of Love [1979]
* Barry Biggs - Sincerely [1977]
* Beres Hammond - Let's Make A Song [1981]
* Bunny Wailer - Black Heart Man [1976]
* Culture - Cumbolo [1979]
* Culture - Two Sevens Clash [1977]
* Dean Fraser - Black Horn Man [1978]
* Delroy Wilson - Sarge [1976]
* Dennis Brown - The Best Of Dennis Brown Part 2 [197X]
* Dennis Brown - Visions Of Dennis Brown [1978]
* Harold Butler - Gold Connection [1978]
* Lord Laro - Yu Have Fe Dread [198X]
* Meditations - Guidance [1978]
* Sylford Walker - Nutin Na Gwan [1975-79]
* Toots & Maytals - Live At Reggae Sunsplash [1982]
* Toots & Maytals - Toots Live [1980]
* Various Artists - Jah Children Invasion [1983]
* Various Artists - Jah Children Invasion Chapter II [198X]
* Various Artists - United Dreadlocks Vol 1 [1977]
* Various Artists - United Dreadlocks Vol 2 [1980]
Piano
* B.B. Seaton - Colour Is Not The Answer [1976]
* Beres Hammond - Soul Reggae [1976]
* Cedric Im Brooks - United Africa [1978]
* Cedric Myton & Congo - Image Of Africa [1979]
* Cedric Myton & Congos - Face The Music [1981]
* Congo - Congo Ashanti [1979]
* Derrick Harriott - Reggae Disco Rockers [1979]
* Derrick Harriott & Revolutionaries - Reggae Chart Busters Seventies Style [1977]
* Ernest Ranglin - Ranglin Roots [1976]
* Harold Butler - Africa On My Mind [1978]
* Harold Butler - Gold Connection [1978]
* Joe Higgs - Unity Is Power [1979]
* Ken Boothe - Blood Brothers [1976]
* Meditations - Greatest Hits [197X]
* Pat Kelly - Lonely Man [1978]
* Prince Junior - On Top [1980]
* Ruddy Thomas - First Time Around [1981]
* Toots & Maytals - Just Like That [1980]
* Toots & Maytals - Knock Out ! [1981]
Organ
* Audley Rollens - Role Model [1984]
* B.B. Seaton - Colour Is Not The Answer [1976]
* Cedric Myton & Congo - Image Of Africa [1979]
* Cedric Myton & Congos - Face The Music [1981]
* Congo - Congo Ashanti [1979]
* Derrick Harriott - Reggae Disco Rockers [1979]
* Harold Butler - Africa On My Mind [1978]
* Harold Butler - Gold Connection [1978]
* Jerry Johnson - For All Seasons [198X]
* Joe Gibbs - African Dub All-Mighty [1975]
* Joe Gibbs - African Dub All-Mighty Chapter 3 [1978]
* Joe Gibbs & Professionals Featuring Errol Thompson - No Bones For The Dogs [1974-79]
* Ken Boothe - Blood Brothers [1976]
* Pablo Moses - Tension [1985]
* Trinity - Three Piece Suit [1977]
Synthesizer
* Beres Hammond - Soul Reggae [1976]
* Harold Butler - Africa On My Mind [1978]
* Ken Boothe - Blood Brothers [1976]
* Ruddy Thomas - Reggae By Ruddy Thomas [1983]
Strings Synthesizer
* Derrick Harriott & Revolutionaries - Reggae Chart Busters Seventies Style [1977]
* Harold Butler - Gold Connection [1978]
* Willie Lindo - It's Not Too Late [1977]
Melotron
* Derrick Harriott - Reggae Disco Rockers [1979]
Electric Piano
* Congo - Congo Ashanti [1979]
* Harold Butler - Gold Connection [1978]
Melodica
* Judy Mowatt - Black Woman [1980]
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