Black Roots (album)
Encyclopedia
Black Roots is a 1979 album by Sugar Minott
. It was the first to appear on Minott's Black Roots label, and was described in the book Reggae: 100 Essential CDs - The Rough Guide as a "classic, which catches the singer on the cusp of the roots and dancehall phases, and with total control over his music." The album includes contributions from some of Jamaica's top session musicians including Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace, Noel "Scully" Simms
, Eric "Bingy Bunny" Lamont
, Gladstone Anderson
and Ansell Collins
, with harmony vocals provided by Don Carlos
, Lacksley Castell
and Ashanti Waugh. Two of the tracks on the album had previously been issued as singles - "Hard Time Pressure" and "River Jordan". The album was described by Dave Thompson in his book Reggae & Caribbean Music as a "deeply dread collection...time has bestowed a stately uniqueness to it". Alex Henderson, writing for Allmusic, said of the album: "If you combined Stax's raw production style with the type of sweetness that characterized a lot of Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia soul and added a reggae beat, the outcome might sound something like Black Roots."
subsidiary, Mango, in 1980, and also on the Gorgon label. It was issued on compact disc
in 1990 by Mango Records.
except were noted
Sugar Minott
Lincoln Barrington "Sugar" Minott was a Jamaican reggae singer, producer and sound-system operator.-Biography:...
. It was the first to appear on Minott's Black Roots label, and was described in the book Reggae: 100 Essential CDs - The Rough Guide as a "classic, which catches the singer on the cusp of the roots and dancehall phases, and with total control over his music." The album includes contributions from some of Jamaica's top session musicians including Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace, Noel "Scully" Simms
Noel Simms
Noel Simms , often known by his nickname Scully, is a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae percussionist and singer.-Biography:...
, Eric "Bingy Bunny" Lamont
Eric "Bingy Bunny" Lamont
Eric Lamont , better known as Bingy Bunny, was a Jamaican guitarist and singer who recorded with the Roots Radics and The Morwells as well as recording solo material...
, Gladstone Anderson
Gladstone Anderson
Gladstone Anderson , also known by his nickname "Gladdy", is a Jamaican pianist, keyboard player, and singer, who has played a major part in the island's musical history, playing a key role in defining the ska sound and the rocksteady beat, and playing on hundreds of recordings as a session...
and Ansell Collins
Ansell Collins
Ansell Collins is a Jamaican keyboard player, producer, and occasional singer. Born 1949 in Kingston, Jamaica.-Biography:...
, with harmony vocals provided by Don Carlos
Don Carlos (musician)
Don Carlos a.k.a. Don McCarlos is a Jamaican reggae singer and composer.-Biography:He was born and raised in Western Kingston, Jamaica in a very deprived district known as Waterhouse out of which came many talented reggae musicians. One such artist was King Tubby, one of the founders of Black...
, Lacksley Castell
Lacksley Castell
Lacksley Castell was a Jamaican reggae singer best known for his work in the early 1980s.-Biography:...
and Ashanti Waugh. Two of the tracks on the album had previously been issued as singles - "Hard Time Pressure" and "River Jordan". The album was described by Dave Thompson in his book Reggae & Caribbean Music as a "deeply dread collection...time has bestowed a stately uniqueness to it". Alex Henderson, writing for Allmusic, said of the album: "If you combined Stax's raw production style with the type of sweetness that characterized a lot of Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia soul and added a reggae beat, the outcome might sound something like Black Roots."
Release history
The album was first issued in limited quantities in Jamaica on Minott's Black Roots label in 1979. It was issued in the United Kingdom on the Island RecordsIsland Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
subsidiary, Mango, in 1980, and also on the Gorgon label. It was issued on compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in 1990 by Mango Records.
Tracklisting
All tracks by Sugar MinottSugar Minott
Lincoln Barrington "Sugar" Minott was a Jamaican reggae singer, producer and sound-system operator.-Biography:...
except were noted
- "Mankind" – 2:17
- "Hard Time Pressure" – 3:24
- "River Jordan" – 3:10
- "Jail House" – 2:15
- "I'm Gonna Hold On" – 2:38
- "Oppressors Oppression" – 3:49
- "2 Time Loser" – 3:07
- "Black Roots" – 2:31
- "Clean Runnings" – 3:02
- "Mr. Babylon Man" (Minott, Morris) – 2:48
Personnel
- Sugar Minott - vocals, production
- Noel Bailey - guitar
- Eric "Bingy Bunny" LamontEric "Bingy Bunny" LamontEric Lamont , better known as Bingy Bunny, was a Jamaican guitarist and singer who recorded with the Roots Radics and The Morwells as well as recording solo material...
- guitar - Tony Chin - guitar
- Gladstone AndersonGladstone AndersonGladstone Anderson , also known by his nickname "Gladdy", is a Jamaican pianist, keyboard player, and singer, who has played a major part in the island's musical history, playing a key role in defining the ska sound and the rocksteady beat, and playing on hundreds of recordings as a session...
- piano - Ansell CollinsAnsell CollinsAnsell Collins is a Jamaican keyboard player, producer, and occasional singer. Born 1949 in Kingston, Jamaica.-Biography:...
- organ - Steely JohnsonSteely & ClevieSteely & Clevie, aka Wycliffe Johnson and Cleveland Browne, was a Jamaican dancehall reggae production duo. It worked with artists such as the Specials, Gregory Peck , Bounty Killer, Elephant Man and No Doubt....
- organ - Eric "Fish" ClarkeEric "Fish" ClarkeEric "Fish" Clarke is a Jamaican drummer who has been a member of the Roots Radics and Prince Far I's backing band, The Arabs.-Biography:Born c.1960 in Kingston, Jamaica, Clarke studied at the renowned Alpha Boys School, and began his career as a drummer in the 1970s, playing in Prince Far I's...
- drums - Junior Dan - bass guitar, rhythm guitar
- Michael "Ras Star" Ashley - bass guitar, rhythm guitar
- Albert Malawi - drums
- Noel "Scully" SimmsNoel SimmsNoel Simms , often known by his nickname Scully, is a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae percussionist and singer.-Biography:...
- percussion - Everton "Youth" Carrington - percussion
- Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace - drums
- Don CarlosDon Carlos (musician)Don Carlos a.k.a. Don McCarlos is a Jamaican reggae singer and composer.-Biography:He was born and raised in Western Kingston, Jamaica in a very deprived district known as Waterhouse out of which came many talented reggae musicians. One such artist was King Tubby, one of the founders of Black...
- backing vocals - Lacksley CastellLacksley CastellLacksley Castell was a Jamaican reggae singer best known for his work in the early 1980s.-Biography:...
- backing vocals - Glenmore "Ashanti" Waugh - backing vocals
- Johnny "Jah" Lee - backing vocals
- Mixed by Prince Jammy and Stanley "Barnabas" Bryan
- Engineered by Anthony "Crucial Bunny" Graham & Stanley "Barnabas" Bryan