Frogtoon Music

Chill Out (Album) by Black Uhuru

Artist Biography For Black Uhuru

Black Uhuru Is A Jamaican Reggae Band Probably Best Known For Their Hits "Shine Eye Gal" "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner " "Sinsemilla " "Solidarity " And "What Is Life?". They Were The First Group To Win A Grammy In The Reggae Category When It Was Introduced In 1985. They Originally Formed As 'Black Sounds Uhuru' The Kiswahili Word For Freedom . The First Line-Up Of The Group Was Garth Dennis Don Carlos And Derrick "Duckie" Simpson. The Group Has Undergone Several Lineup Changes Carlos Left Replaced By Michael Rose Then Dennis Left To Play With The Wailing Souls And Was Replaced By Errol Nelson. During This Early Period The Band's Most Famous Recording Is The Album Entitled Love Crisis Later Rereleased As Black Sounds Of Freedom. In 1979 The Group Was Joined By Sandra "Puma" Jones A Social Worker From North Carolina USA. Under This Lineup Rose Simpson And Jones With Sly & Robbie As Producers And Also Permanently Employed On Drum And Bass They Released The Band's Most Popular Albums Sinsemilla Red Chill Out And The Grammy-Winning Anthem¹ As Well As Others. During This Period Black Uhuru Became One Of The Most Popular Reggae Groups In The World Regularly Touring With The Likes Of The Police And The Rolling Stones. Live 1984 A Concert At The Rockpalast In Germany But Was Actually Recorded On October 18 1981 Captures The Band At The Height Of Its Powers. After Rose Went Solo In 1985 Junior Reid Joined For A Few Records And Also Left Puma Jones Left In 1987 And Died Of Cancer Three Years Later In 1990 . In 1990 Simpson Reunited With Dennis And Carlos In The Original Line-Up Of The Group. They Recorded Several Albums And Toured Extensively. By The End Of The 90's Dennis And Carlos Left The Band And Fought A Legal Battle Against Simpson Over The Name Black Uhuru. Simpson Won The Lawsuit And Formed Yet Another Incarnation Of Black Uhuru With Andrew Bees As Lead Singer. Only One Album Dynasty Was Released Before Bees Left The Group. In February 2004 It Was Announced In The Jamaican Press That Simpson And Michael Rose Had Re-United Under The Name "Black Uhuru Feat. Michael Rose". Together With A Female Backing Singer Named Kay Starr They Released A Single "Dollars" And Performed At Several Concerts Including "Western Consciousness 2004" On April 28 In Jamaica Of Which A Live Video Was Released Shortly Thereafter. A New Album Has Been Reported To Be In Progress. Discography 'Group Derrick "Duckie" Simpson Michael Rose Errol "Tarzan" Nelson' *1977 - 'Love Crisis'
*1981 - 'Black Sounds Of Freedom' "Love Crisis" Reedition 'Group Derrick "Duckie" Simpson Michael Rose Sandra "Puma" Jones' *1979 - 'Showcase'
*1980 - 'Black Uhuru'
*1980 - 'Sinsemilia'
*1981 - 'Red'
*1982 - 'Chill Out'
*1983 - 'Guess Who's Coming To Dinner' "Black Uhuru" Reedition *1983 - 'Anthem' 'Group Derrick Simpson Delroy "Junior" Reid Sandra "Puma" Jones' *1986 - 'Brutal'
*1987 - 'Positive' Puma Jones Replaced Olafunke 'Group Derrick "Duckie" Simpson Garth Dennis Don Carlos' *1990 - 'Now'
*1991 - 'Iron Storm'
*1993 - 'Mystical Truth'
*1994 - 'Strongg' 'Group Derrick "Duckie" Simpson Jenifah Nyah Andrew Bees' *1998 - 'Unification'
*2001 - 'Dynasty' 'Live / Dub Albums ' *1982 - 'Uhuru In Dub'
*1982 - 'Tear It Up - Live' Album And Video *1983 - 'The Dub Factor'
*1986 - 'Brutal Dub'
*1987 - 'The Positive Dub'
*1988 - 'Live'
*1988 - 'Live In New York City'
*1990 - 'Now Dub'
*1990 - 'Love Dub' "Uhuru In Dub" Reedition *1992 - 'Iron Storm Dub'
*1993 - 'Mystical Truth Dub'
*1994 - 'Strongg Dubb'
*2000 - 'Live 1984'
*2001 - 'In Dub'
*2001 – 'Dubbin'It Live' Summer 2001 At Paléo Festival

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Frogtoon Music Album Info: Chill Out


Arguably The Best Of Black Uhuru's Electrofied Albums Even If Its Predecessor Red Was The Bigger Sell Chill Out Is A Seminal Blend Of Styles And Cultures. Produced By Sly & Robbie At Channel One Studio In Jamaica And Again Backed By The Revolutionaries Ironically The Album's Greatest Beneficiaries Were The Riddim Twins Who Were Rocketed To International Fame Upon This Record's Release. They Deserved It Though And Chill Out Remains As Much A Tribute To Their Talent As The Vocal Trio's. Shakespeare Lays Down The Sinuous Bass Which Provides The Foundation For The Record's Rootsy Sound. The Four Guitarists Three Leads Plus Ranchie McLean's Reggae Riffing Flit Across The Grooves And Genres Touching Down On Funk Blues R&B And Rock Along The Way. The Pianists And Wally Badarou's Synth Add Atmosphere With Dunbar's Heavy Beats Combining Drums With Electro Syndrums Add A Throbbing Pulse To The Proceedings. The Sound Is Extremely Dense But The Producers Still Found Plenty Of Space For Black Uhuru's Sublime Vocals. Over Under And Around The Band The Electronic Effects Whoosh Pulling The Album From Its Island Roots And Planting It Firmly In An International Environment. This Is Most Notable On The Title Track Which Blends Rootsy Rhythms With A Dance Beat And Urban Stylings With A Tinge Of World Music. "Darkness" Is An Equally Adept Meld Of Roots With New Wave Touches. If The Album's A-Side Is Weighted More Towards The Crossover Crowd The Flip Is Rootsier In Orientation Even If It Too Is Awash In Electronics. Several Of The Songs Minus The Studio Wizardry Would Slot Nicely Into The Group's Late-'70s Repertoire Particularly "Mondays" And "Wicked Act." The Most Affecting And Effective Track However Is The Ghetto Misery Of "Emotional Slaughter " Which Sly & Robbie Sympathetically Arrange As A Showcase For Michael Rose's Superbly Heartfelt Vocal Performance. On Chill Out The Vocalists Band And Producers Came Together As One And Created More Than A Masterpiece The Album Remains A Stunning Legacy For All Involved.

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