The vocal trio was originally formed in 1968 by Bernard Collins and Donald Manning.[1] Their first song was "Satta Massagana", which was strongly influenced by Carlton Manning's "Happy Land". "Satta Massagana" is a Rastafarian hymn sung partly in the EthiopianAmharic language.[1] They recruited a third vocalist, who was still at school and often unable to attend rehearsals; he was soon replaced by Donald's brother Lynford Manning, who like Donald had previously been a member of their brother Carlton Manning's group Carlton and The Shoes.[2]
"Satta Massagana" was first recorded for producer Clement "Coxsone" Dodd in March 1969, but he decided against releasing it, seeing no commercial potential for what he saw as a song constituting cultural subversion.[2] In 1971, the group purchased the master tapes from Dodd for £90 and released it on their own Clinch label, the single becoming a massive success, prompting Dodd to release his own instrumental and deejay versions.[2] The group released further takes on the song on Clinch by Tommy McCook, Big Youth, and Dillinger, as well as their own "Mabrak", featuring the group reciting passages from the Old Testament.[2] It has since been recorded by dozens of artists.[1][3] The group's second release, "Declaration of Rights", featured Leroy Sibbles on backing vocals, and like their first was a huge hit in Jamaica, (and subsequently in the international market) and has been covered several times since.[1] Their 1973 single "Y Mas Gan" was similar to "Satta" in its use of Amharic.
The group continued to record throughout the 1970s for producers including Lloyd Daley, Tommy Cowan, and Geoffrey Chung,[2] and their debut album, Forward on to Zion was produced by Clive Hunt and released in 1976.[3] The follow-up, Arise (1978), was recorded under stressful conditions with internal rivalries threatening to break up the group, and after the album's release, Collins left the band, to be eventually replaced by Carlton Manning.[1][3] This line-up performed at the 1979 Reggae Sunsplash festival, but split up the following year.[2]
Donald Manning had a brief solo career in the early 1980s, in which he recorded as Donald Abyssinian.[2]
Bernard Collins launched his own version of the group in the late 1980s, with two versions of the group existing for a time.[3] The original line-up reunited in 1998 and went on to record new material, including the singles "African Princess" and "Swing Low" and the album Reunion, although Collins was not involved in songwriting at this time.[1][3] Collins left again in 1999 and released material as Bernard Collins & the Abyssinians, releasing an album the same year.[3]
The Abyssinians are credited on "Slave Song", from Sade's 2002 album, Lovers Live, which starts with a sample from the Abyssinians' song "African Race".[4]
Discography
Bernard Collins
David Morrison
Studio albums
1976 : Satta Massagana - Jam Sounds (reissued 1988 on Clinch, 1993, 2007 on Heartbeat, also released as Satta and Forward on to Zion)
1999 : Last Days - Clinch (credited to Bernard Collins)
2003 : Abyssinians & Friends Tree of Satta vol. 1 - Blood & Fire
Live albums
2002 : Live in San Francisco - 2b1 II
References
^ abcdefLarkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae. Virgin Books. p. 5. ISBN0-7535-0242-9.
^ abcdefgThompson, Dave (2002). Reggae & Caribbean Music. Backbeat Books. pp. 18–19. ISBN0-87930-655-6.
^ abcdefMoskowitz, David V. (2006). Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall. Greenwood Press. pp. 3–4. ISBN0-313-33158-8.
^"Slave Song (Live): Sade;The Abyssinians: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
External links
Official website
Interview with Bernard Collins by Carter Van Pelt, 1998.
at Roots Archives.
Discography at Discogs
August 24, 2023
abyssinians, this, article, about, jamaican, musical, group, breed, abyssinian, other, uses, abyssinian, disambiguation, jamaican, roots, reggae, group, famous, their, close, harmonies, promotion, rastafari, movement, their, lyrics, performing, uppsala, reggae. This article is about the Jamaican musical group For the cat breed see Abyssinian cat For other uses see Abyssinian disambiguation The Abyssinians are a Jamaican roots reggae group famous for their close harmonies and promotion of the Rastafari movement in their lyrics The AbyssiniansPerforming at the Uppsala Reggae Festival 2010Background informationOriginJamaicaGenresRoots reggaeYears active1969 presentPast membersBernard Collins Donald Manning Lynford Manning Carlton ManningWebsiteTheAbyssinians com Contents 1 History 2 Discography 2 1 Studio albums 2 2 Compilation albums 2 3 Live albums 3 References 4 External linksHistory EditThe vocal trio was originally formed in 1968 by Bernard Collins and Donald Manning 1 Their first song was Satta Massagana which was strongly influenced by Carlton Manning s Happy Land Satta Massagana is a Rastafarian hymn sung partly in the Ethiopian Amharic language 1 They recruited a third vocalist who was still at school and often unable to attend rehearsals he was soon replaced by Donald s brother Lynford Manning who like Donald had previously been a member of their brother Carlton Manning s group Carlton and The Shoes 2 Satta Massagana was first recorded for producer Clement Coxsone Dodd in March 1969 but he decided against releasing it seeing no commercial potential for what he saw as a song constituting cultural subversion 2 In 1971 the group purchased the master tapes from Dodd for 90 and released it on their own Clinch label the single becoming a massive success prompting Dodd to release his own instrumental and deejay versions 2 The group released further takes on the song on Clinch by Tommy McCook Big Youth and Dillinger as well as their own Mabrak featuring the group reciting passages from the Old Testament 2 It has since been recorded by dozens of artists 1 3 The group s second release Declaration of Rights featured Leroy Sibbles on backing vocals and like their first was a huge hit in Jamaica and subsequently in the international market and has been covered several times since 1 Their 1973 single Y Mas Gan was similar to Satta in its use of Amharic The group continued to record throughout the 1970s for producers including Lloyd Daley Tommy Cowan and Geoffrey Chung 2 and their debut album Forward on to Zion was produced by Clive Hunt and released in 1976 3 The follow up Arise 1978 was recorded under stressful conditions with internal rivalries threatening to break up the group and after the album s release Collins left the band to be eventually replaced by Carlton Manning 1 3 This line up performed at the 1979 Reggae Sunsplash festival but split up the following year 2 Donald Manning had a brief solo career in the early 1980s in which he recorded as Donald Abyssinian 2 Bernard Collins launched his own version of the group in the late 1980s with two versions of the group existing for a time 3 The original line up reunited in 1998 and went on to record new material including the singles African Princess and Swing Low and the album Reunion although Collins was not involved in songwriting at this time 1 3 Collins left again in 1999 and released material as Bernard Collins amp the Abyssinians releasing an album the same year 3 The Abyssinians are credited on Slave Song from Sade s 2002 album Lovers Live which starts with a sample from the Abyssinians song African Race 4 Discography Edit Bernard Collins David MorrisonStudio albums Edit 1976 Satta Massagana Jam Sounds reissued 1988 on Clinch 1993 2007 on Heartbeat also released as Satta and Forward on to Zion 1978 Arise Tuff Gong Virgin Clinch 1998 Reunion Artists OnlyCompilation albums Edit 1982 Forward Alligator 1994 Best of the Abyssinians Musidisc 1996 19 95 TAX 1998 Satta Dub Tabou 1 1998 Declaration of Dub Heartbeat 1999 Last Days Clinch credited to Bernard Collins 2003 Abyssinians amp Friends Tree of Satta vol 1 Blood amp FireLive albums Edit 2002 Live in San Francisco 2b1 IIReferences Edit a b c d e f Larkin Colin 1998 The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae Virgin Books p 5 ISBN 0 7535 0242 9 a b c d e f g Thompson Dave 2002 Reggae amp Caribbean Music Backbeat Books pp 18 19 ISBN 0 87930 655 6 a b c d e f Moskowitz David V 2006 Caribbean Popular Music an Encyclopedia of Reggae Mento Ska Rock Steady and Dancehall Greenwood Press pp 3 4 ISBN 0 313 33158 8 Slave Song Live Sade The Abyssinians Amazon co uk MP3 Downloads Amazon co uk Retrieved 18 May 2014 External links EditOfficial website Interview with Bernard Collins by Carter Van Pelt 1998 The Abyssinians at Roots Archives Discography at Discogs Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Abyssinians amp oldid 1132186884, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
