Reggae Roots Pioneers of the 70's Era

By Aba Shaka

The Musikal Ark of the Kovenant salutes the Great Cultural Practitioners.

Greetings and blessings of health, strength, wisemind and overstanding to all. For the past two years we have touched on several subjects pertaining to Reggae Roots Music. In the first reasoning in 1997, I reflected on the Sound Systems and the important role they played in delivering the ‘news’ musically to the Grass Roots Massive and anyone else who desired to listen. In 1998, we touched on "The Roots of Reggae’. This year we are acknowledging and honoring Roots Kulture harmony groups and Singing Artists of the 70’s era within the presentation of four leagues:

1. The Foundation League honoring Nyahbinghi Music and Spiritual Kultural Expression.
2. The Roots Kulture League honoring Classic 70’s Kulture Harmony groups.
3. The Mission League, honoring the Unsung Greats of 70’s Kultural musik.
4. The Singers and Players of Instruments League honoring 25 Roots Kulture artists from the 70’s era.

FOUNDATION LEAGUE

Honoring Nyahbinghi Musik and Spiritual Kultural Expression. These groups were primarily responsible for upholding and ensuring that the history and Kulture was musically documented. Also, it was in divine order that these groups would set a high standard of spiritual integrity, as well as delivering 1st rate musicianship which fully reflects their righteous works.

THE MYSTIC REVELATION OF RASTAFARI

When the definitive history of Rastafari music is finally written, only a handful of figures will stand predominant as the principle authors of its Nyahbinghi Riddims: Count Ozzie, Pa Ashanti (who I humbly apologize for not acknowledging in InI ‘98 article on the Roots of Reggae Music), Brother Job, along with Cedric M Brooks who is a creative genius in the music field, period!!! Many Jamaicans and reggae fans know of Nyahbinghi Musik through Count Ozzie’s creative fusion of his rhythms with popular musik forms. The contribution of these bredren to the musik however, has rarely been appreciated beyond the seal of the Nyahbinghi ritual itself. As a bredren expressed to I, hand on heart, If I man had to let go all my records and was able to keep 1 or 2, it would be the musik of the Mystic Revelation of Rastafaris SELAH! Their legacy is the half that¹s never been told.

Ras Michael & The Sons Daughters of Negus: It is in divine order that Ras Michael was in place to continue the works of his role model Count Ozzie. It is fair to say that both Count Ozzie and Ras Michael had experienced at some point during their tradition, opposition to their use of electrical instruments. However, this in no way has hindered their progress; they continued to move freely amongst sociable and like-minded bredren. Ras Michael developed his style of Nyabinghi Music that simply embraced all who listened to it! He has maintained the Afrikan Griout oral tradition of musik and reasoning. He has succeeded in crossing over to a broader audience taking the message of Love and Salvation forward to Europe and North America. Among the strongest of his works there are 3 albums entitled: ‘Freedom Soundz’, ‘DADAWAH’ (Peace & Love) produced by Lloyd Charmers, and the third simply entitled ‘NYABINGHI’.

THE WAILERS: This group is the most proficient, consistent, original and most culturally effective group of all time. The fact that Peter, Bunny, and Bob all carried their own creative ideas, as well as being ‘well-trained’ musicians kept these brothers ahead and in tune with the heartbeat of the grassroots listeners.

THE ETHIOPIANS: This group has lived up to the essence of their name. Their musik has covered a wide range of topics from the 60¹s right through the 70¹s era. Their ability to communicate the message of love, longsuffering, and kulture gave them the respect of the masses in the ghettos of Jamaica and the concrete jungles of London and Birmingham, England. With 95 percent of their musik being classics ranging from Ska to Rock Steady and Reggae, every generation should seek to know and learn of the Ethiopians. SELAH!

THE ROOTS KULTURE LEAGUE

Honoring Classic 70’s Kulture Harmonie Groups. The following groups are acknowledged simply for their powerful messages and commitment to maintaining the highest level of lyrical content for the elevation of the mind, along with musikal ingenuity.

THE HEPTONES: This group with lead singer Leroy Sibbles can claim responsibility for many classic early and mid 70’s Roots releases.

CULTURE: Joseph Hill, lead singer, is one of the finest vocal deliverers of Roots message musik of the 70’s era. Still today they don't come much better than Culture LIVE!

MIGHTY DIAMONDS: ‘Bet U By Golly Why’ the Mighty Diamonds 1st or 2nd single release clearly showed the influence of groups like the Delfonics, the Chilights and that Philadelphia sound. The MD’s have done more than their share to be included fully in Reggae Roots Musiks’ book of life.

THE WAILERS: Honored in both leagues for obvious reasons, never to stop leading the way in harmonies and lyrical creativity.

I THREE’S: These female Wailers added a new dimension to Bob’s already distinctive voice.

THE MEDITATIONS: With several classic early Reggae singles like ‘The Great Messiah’, and ‘Poison Dagger’, this trio constitutes classic 70’s Roots Harmonies.

THE ABYSSINIANS: Have graced hardcore Roots Reggae fans far and wide with their righteous chants and harmonies. Like many of the 70’s groups that uphold the faith of Rastafari and preach universal love, they have struggled long and hard to reach where they are today. No one could argue the fact that ‘Satta Massagana’ is not only held as a great Orthodox Churchical song, but also to stand as Roots Reggae’s all- time National Anthem. Let Jah Be Praised!

THE WAILING SOULS: One of the few harmonie groups that actually challenged the vocal authority of The Wailers (Bob, Bunny, Peter). From Studio One, to this date, the group has found great success in their vinyl releases as well as their live appearances.

THE GLADIATORS: The musik of this group leaves you energized! The Gladiator’s musik focuses on the simple things in life that matter! Like Justin Hinds and The Dominoes, the Gladiators share a gift of proverbial lyrics and sweet harmonies. This band of bredren has always displayed a closeness of heart with words full of wisemind and joy. It would be a blessing for anyone to experience this group LIVE. If not, catch any one of the LP’s from the 70’s to the mid 80’s.

ISRAEL VIBRATION: Their first album is considered by most roots fans to be one of the best LP’s ever alongside the likes of Bunny Wailers’ ‘Black Heart Man’.

THE CONGOS: It can be said also that the Congo’s first LP is among the top 10 all-time best roots LP’s. What do you think?

TWINKLE BROTHER’S: Better known in England at this time. However their 70’s Roots output is as good as any in Musik.

BLACK UHURU: Their first LP for Prince Jameys is an all-time classic along with their first single called ‘Folk Song’.

THIRD WORLD: First rate musicians and writers. They are loved and respected throughout the world of reggae.

THE ITALS: ‘Ina Dis Ya Time’, ‘Don’t Wake The Lion’, ‘Brutal Out Deh’, and ‘Jah Glory’ are all classic singles from this roots harmonie group.

THE MISSION LEAGUE

Honoring The ‘Unsung’ Greats of 70’s Kulture MusiK. These groups represent the half that hasn’t been told. Even though these groups didn’t experience as much commercial success, they produced some of the greatest Kulture musik of the 70’s era. Both the Viceroys and the Royals have classic Studio One releases.

THE MORWELLS: Bingy Bunny, founder of the original Radix.

THE VICEROYS: Released many classic Studio One roots releases.

THE MAYTONES: Vernon Buckley, lead singer; highly popular, as far as Africa!

EARTH STONE: Heartical Roots Style. Released double vocal and dub LP with all their Channel One hits. Solid Roots Harmonies.

tHE LIGHT OF SABA: Founded by Cedric Im Brooks. This Orthodox Nyahbinghi style group developed a sound of their own that included African /Brazilian influences. Their 3 Lp’s ‘The Light Of Saba’, ‘Saba In Reggae’, and ‘Sabebe’ are highly sought after collector’s items.

tHE ROYALS: Their 1st Studio One release ‘Pick Up The Pieces’ is in itself a classic. The great production work of Roy Cousins manifested itself in an all-time classic album released in Jamaica and England on the United Artist label.

tHE CHANTELLS: Not greatly known by many, they recorded most of their musik for the Phase One label out of which 3 major hits came, ‘Wading in The Park’, ‘Children of Jah’ and ‘Tree Born African’; simply a sweet harmony group with a conscious delivery.

THE SINGERS AND PLAYERS OF INSTRUMENTS LEAGUE

Honoring 40 Roots Kulture Artist from the 70’s Era. These artists represent the very best of what Roots musik of the 70's era offered to the world:

BURNING SPEAR, JOE HIGGS, SUGAR MINOTT, DENNIS BROWN, GREGORY ISAACS, FREDDY MCGREGOR, JUNIOR BYLES, HORACE ANDY, MAX ROMEO, RONNIE DAVIS, FREDDY MCKAY, GLENN BROWN, CORNAL CAMPBELL, AL CAMPBELL, ALTON ELLIS, JOHN HOLT, WILLY WILLIAMS, ROD TAYLOR, BUNNIE WAILER, PETER TOSH, BIG YOUTH, UROY, JUNIOR DELGADO, DENNIS ALCAPONE, PRINCE LINCOLN, HORTENSE ELLIS, MARCIA GRIFFITHS, JUDY MOWAT, RITA MARLEY, PRINCE ALA, JONNY CLARK, BIM SHERMAN, ROMAN STEWART, JONNY OSBORNE, JIMMY RILEY, FRED LOCKS, ERAL DUNKLEY, SILFORD WALKER, PABLO MOSES, JUNIOR MARVIN, BOB MARLEY.

Reggae Roots Musik shall live and never die! This musik demonstrates and reflects what is in the heart of all upright people. This musik is like the river that runs to the sea and is ever flowing, yet still the sea can never fill up!!! It is my overstanding that every new generation should supercede the PRESENT generation.

The influence of the RASTAFARI way of life had a serious impact on the people of Jamaica. Seventies Roots Reggae is the influence of the previous generation and their ideas and lyrical direction. Of the ‘original’ generation (the 60’s) I would say that Lee Perry, Bob Marley, Justin Hinds, The Maytals, and The Ethiopians were the most recorded and had the greatest influence on the style that developed in the seventies. However, my firm belief is that without the spiritual influence/inspiration of the Rastafari way of life, the musik of the seventies would not have been born! I pray that you, the readers, have found this HONOR ROLL useful!

We are looking forward to the year 2000 whereby we can look at the whole history of reggae from the 60’s, to the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. The future article will take a tremendous amount of work, so please feel free to give your ideas, comments and input. For further information regarding anything pertaining to this presentation please write us at our email khe916@mindspring.com. Give Thanks. Aba Shaka & Family, Musical Ark Of The Kovenant Sound/ Archives, 650 Evans Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30310. Source/Acknowledgments: Bob Scholfield of Nighthawk Records, Ras Elliot, Cosmic Lovebeat Family.

Editor’s Note ­ Aba Shaka and his wife, Sister Jonani Shaka have headed off to Africa where they will be opening a community center at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. Repatriation to the Motherland is the ultimate goal. We will ask them to share their African experiences with us in next year¹s issue. Their store, Kovenant Hearts & Education in Atlanta, Georgia continues to offer a large selection of music, books, videos, and tapes on the subjects of Rastafari, Ethiopia, Judaism, Christianity, and esoteric.