The track featured this week is Father Lead Us by the African Brothers, a vocal harmony trio comprised of Tony Tuff, Derrick Howard and Lincoln 'Sugar' Minott. Without diminishing the work of the other two members of this trio, the main focus is on the late great Sugar Minott who tragically recently passed away on the July 10 2010 aged 54.
Sugar Minott was Kingston born and bred, he first got involved in the reggae business aged twelve singing in a talent competition. As a teenager he moved on to becoming a selector and deejay on Sound of Silence Keystone, before forming the roots harmony trio the African Brothers.
The group eventually split but Sugar's talent and energy was irrepressible, recording as a solo artist for Studio One, with a talent for reviving classic riddims with fresh vocals, delivering a succession of hits. He worked with most of the major producers and studios, over his four decades in the reggae business and he was equally apt voicing Studio One riddims, heavy roots, dancehall and digital riddims, lovers and modern roots - there was nothing he couldn't deliver.
His musical legacy not only includes his own work but also his works via Youth Promotion Sound and the Black Roots label, which he used not only to release his own material but as a vehicle to further upcoming talent names like Tenor Saw, Junior Reid, Yami Bolo and Garnett Silk to name a few. He is even said to have unearthed Musical Youth whilst in the UK. Youth Promotion is still nurturing upcoming talent.
Uptempo Records was founded in 1984, by Stephen Thomas aka Stephen Uptempo, first working with and releasing some of Sugar Minott's material and releasing material for other foundation artists such as John Holt, Don Carlos, Tenor Saw and Barry Brown. More recently the label has been reissuing some classics, the most recent a 10" EP featuring the African Brothers, Father Lead Us.
Father Lead Us was first released in the early 70's initially on the Micron label - writing and arrangement credits are listed as the African Brothers. The track opens with roots horns over a heavyweight 70's bass line, with the sweet voices of all three harmonising to delivering a poignant and uplifting spiritual chant.
On the dub the horns and drumming shine through with the vocal elements and guitar dropped in and out of the mix, all underpinned by that heavy bass line...it's classic high quality roots. The EP also features three other outstanding tracks - Righteous Kingdom, Youths of Today, and How Long (aka King Son) along with their dubs. If you don't own them already, or like me only had crackly presses of some of these tunes, it's a cracking little EP with excellent sound quality and all up really is outstanding value.
The reggae world lost one of its true greats when Sugar Minott passed away. Tunes like Mr. DC, Devils Pickney, Never Gonna Give Jah Up, Herbsman Hustling and Good Thing Going (one could go on all day) will ensure his musical legacy will never die. A success in JA, the US and the UK and as far afield as Japan, he even found time for a NiceUp interview/radio special for the roots and culture show in 2005. He was a true ambassador for reggae music and the title 'Godfather of Dancehall' only goes a small way to describing his contribution to reggae music.
Conviction Roots
Comments
wicked review. rip mista minott, been hearing lotsa tributes to him around the place. big loss to the industry.
bless.
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