![]() ![]() ![]() Housed within are all the unedited full-length mixes, dub mixes, U.K. As the title of this four-disc box set intimates, Hip-O Select's Complete Anthem Sessions (2004) is the final word on the album. The end result was a less-than-authentic interpretation of the material. While the platter would earn Black Uhuru the very first Grammy award given to a reggae artist, many purists were less than impressed by the undeniably overt pop/rock elements, including the copious use of synthesizers. With Anthem, the threesome took a bold and ultimately fruitful step, trying to appeal to a much larger audience. By the early '80s the lineup centered around the trio of Michael Rose (vocals), sole founding member Derrick "Duckie" Simpson (vocals), and in 1981 Sandra "Puma" Jones (vocals), an American who had previously been part of the all-girl combo Mama Africa. The original incarnation of the band - whose name translates as "to be free" in Swahili - evolved from the fertile environs of Kingston, Jamaica. Their musicianship and ability to tailor the arrangements and presentation was seminal to the success of the long-player. When Tom Tom Club sang "reggae's expanding with Sly & Robbie" on "Genius of Love," perhaps they were referring to their influence on Black Uhuru's landmark crossover, Anthem (1983). ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |