Sattalites
Encyclopedia
The is a Canadian reggae
group. They came together over twenty years ago in Toronto, Ontario as a music school
; from then they have flourished across Canada
as a very influential reggae group. They signed with the Canadian record label
Solid Gold Records early in their career and have been with them ever since. The worldly vibe that they emit comes from a wide variety of instruments and vocals and their peaceful attitude towards life.
voice to create the unique sound. The band started as a teaching group who opened The Music School on a pay-what-you-can basis to spread their influence in 1981. The consisted of various types of students from the school who wanted a sense of live performing. By 1982, The had melded into a collaboration of musician
s from exceptionally talented beginners to experienced pros, some of whom still perform. They became very well known for their enthusiastic live performances which initiated their extensive touring across Canada and the United States
. It was the only Canadian band ever invited to play at Jamaica
's "Sunsplash", playing before 25,000 people, and they gave an excellent performance at the 1993/94 World Skiing Championship in Whistler, British Columbia
. As two-time Juno
winners, The are known as Canada’s longest standing reggae group.
used. Fergus Hambleton has been the lead vocalist since the band's beginning but is accompanied by Jo Jo Bennett and Bruce Robinson. Hambleton also plays the guitar
, alto sax
and the keyboard
for The and has played in a number of other bands including A Passing Fancy
and The Ginger Group
in four decades of his musical career. Jo Jo Bennett, an equal founder of the group, focuses his talents not only on vocals but on the flugelhorn
and percussions. The other five members, David Fowler, Bruce McGillivray, Junior McPherson, Rick Morrison and Bruce Robinson, bring it all together with Fowler on keyboards, McGillivray on bass, McPherson on drums and electronic percussion, Morrison on saxophone and Robinson on piano
and vocals. During the 1980s and 1990s, Felix Taylor also played trombone
in the band and provided smooth vocal talent to some of the songs. With a different attitude and flavor coming from each member they are a genre of their own.
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
group. They came together over twenty years ago in Toronto, Ontario as a music school
Music school
The term music school refers to an educational institution specialized in the study, training and research of music.Different terms refer to this concept such as school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department or conservatory.Music instruction can be provided...
; from then they have flourished across Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
as a very influential reggae group. They signed with the Canadian record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
Solid Gold Records early in their career and have been with them ever since. The worldly vibe that they emit comes from a wide variety of instruments and vocals and their peaceful attitude towards life.
History
Jo Jo Bennett and Fergus Hambleton, the first members of The , met while touring with reggae singer afreen and the pair began performing together, mixing Bennett's instrumentals with Hambleton's smooth altoAlto
Alto is a musical term, derived from the Latin word altus, meaning "high" in Italian, that has several possible interpretations.When designating instruments, "alto" frequently refers to a member of an instrumental family that has the second highest range, below that of the treble or soprano. Hence,...
voice to create the unique sound. The band started as a teaching group who opened The Music School on a pay-what-you-can basis to spread their influence in 1981. The consisted of various types of students from the school who wanted a sense of live performing. By 1982, The had melded into a collaboration of musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s from exceptionally talented beginners to experienced pros, some of whom still perform. They became very well known for their enthusiastic live performances which initiated their extensive touring across Canada and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was the only Canadian band ever invited to play at Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
's "Sunsplash", playing before 25,000 people, and they gave an excellent performance at the 1993/94 World Skiing Championship in Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...
. As two-time Juno
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
winners, The are known as Canada’s longest standing reggae group.
Members
The are a very well-rounded musical group instrumentally. There are seven members who are almost all multi-instrumentalists, working together to create the smooth and unique sound for which they are known. There have been a number of different members who have been in and out due to the large range of instrumentsMusical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
used. Fergus Hambleton has been the lead vocalist since the band's beginning but is accompanied by Jo Jo Bennett and Bruce Robinson. Hambleton also plays the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, alto sax
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
and the keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
for The and has played in a number of other bands including A Passing Fancy
A Passing Fancy
A Passing Fancy was a Toronto band from the mid-1960s fronted by the singer-songwriter and guitarist Jay Telfer, today publisher and editor of the antique collector's magazine Wayback Times, and Dr...
and The Ginger Group
Ginger group
A ginger group is a formal or informal group within, for example, a political party seeking to inspire the rest with its own enthusiasm and activity....
in four decades of his musical career. Jo Jo Bennett, an equal founder of the group, focuses his talents not only on vocals but on the flugelhorn
Flugelhorn
The flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus...
and percussions. The other five members, David Fowler, Bruce McGillivray, Junior McPherson, Rick Morrison and Bruce Robinson, bring it all together with Fowler on keyboards, McGillivray on bass, McPherson on drums and electronic percussion, Morrison on saxophone and Robinson on piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and vocals. During the 1980s and 1990s, Felix Taylor also played trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
in the band and provided smooth vocal talent to some of the songs. With a different attitude and flavor coming from each member they are a genre of their own.
Albums
- 1985
- 1987 Live via
- 1990 Miracles
- 1993 All Over the World
- 1995 Now and Forever
- 2003 Reggaefication
Singles
- “Gimme Some Kinda Sign”
- “Too Late to Turn Back Now”
- “Now and Forever”
- “I’m Gonna Be The One”
- “Miracles”
- “Rendezvous”
- “Walkin On Sunshine”