Right on the cusp between reggae and dancehall
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stand a group of seven or eight 12" singles recorded by Black Uhuru, backed by Sly and Robbie, six of which can be found on the groundbreaking "Showcase" LP, with a new stripped down sound (no horns, no extra percussionists, only one guitar and one keyboard), and a new faster more metronomic beat. It is fair to say that by 1979, when this track was released the dances were changing, and "reggae", as widely understood although long since unused as a real term in Jamaica, was coming to an end.
The music that derived from these tunes and the Junjo Lawes produced Roots Radics records of the same era dominated Jamaican studios until "Sleng Teng" in 1985.
Comments (4)
Eighteen years later, Sizzla Kalonji revisited the tune for his breakthrough album "Black Woman and Child". He's been rather reviled recently for his homophobia and sexism, although I have to say that they're hardly his main lyrical obsessions, and I can't find any hint of either in this tune. It is, however, fair to say that Jamaica still has some way to go before it embraces diversity.
This is "Hard Ground"
Two great tunes.
I was just having a conversation today about the way that current dancehall styles are gravitating more and more away from the cultural vibes like these.
It seems to be a sad few years for the jamaican music scene, barring a few good tunes here and there, the gangster fashioned dancehall tunes leave me wailing for my rub a dub style.
Wow, it's great to hear Black Uhuru again. This was the peak of advancement in 70s reggae, so cutting edge and militant. I saw them live a couple of times with Sly and Robbie backing and it was transcendent. After this it all seemed to implode. Too much cocaine in Jamaica?? Also, Sly & Robbie became a global rhythm section and when they came back to reggae it didn't seem to have the same depth. The 'boops' albums sound great in a club but they're hardly vital in the way this is.
Belle/Jonh: agree with you both that things went rapidly downhill. By 1980 Bob Marley was terminally ill, and UK based labels were swiftly realising that hymns to ganja and Jah Rastafari were always going to be a minority interest, and dropping acts swiftly. Producers and singers went back to cutting tunes solely for home consumption, where guns and cocaine were indeed now the order of the day.
While the music and lyrics is often cyclical, with "conscious" overtaking "slackness" then itself being overtaken, it does seem as though American style is a bigger influence than ever.
There's no doubt that working with non-regae acts greatly benefited Sly & Robbie financially, but artistically it did nothing for them.