The Meditations | |
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| Origin | Jamaica |
| Genres | Roots reggae,lovers rock,dancehall,dub |
| Years active | 1974 (1974)–present |
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The Meditations are a spiritual, consciousroots reggaevocal harmony group from Jamaica formed in late 1974, who have released several studio albums and are still performing in the 2000s and today.
The Meditations were formed in 1974, by Ansel Cridland ( formerly from The Linkers) and Danny Clarke (formerly fromWinston Jarrett'sThe Righteous Flames ) and Winston Watson.[1] After releasing singles credited to the individual members, they began recording as The Meditations in late 1976, shortly after which they released their biggest hit, "Woman Is Like a Shadow", which sold over 45,000 copies in its first month of release.[2] They recorded in the mid-1970s for producers such asDobby Dobson,Channel One Studios'Joseph Hoo Kim, andLee "Scratch" Perry, their spiritually conscious and righteousRastafarian style gaining comparisons withThe Mighty Diamonds.[1][3]
Their first album,Message From The Meditations, was released in 1976, attracting attention amongst the consciousroots reggae sound system fraternity with Rockers compositions like "Babylon Trap Them" and the Lee Perry Black Ark produced tune, "RastamanPrayer", urging the listener to shun society'sconsumerism andhypocriticaleconomic materialism. The Lee Perry produced track "There Must be a First Time" reflects on theconcept andPraxis (process) of 'Do Unto Others' delineated inThe Golden Rule ofLuke 6:31 andMatthew 7:12, and to strive to 'Know thyself'.Robert Christgau called the album "a nice one" inChristgau's Record Guide (1981), highlighting the "island chauvinism" of songs like "Running from Jamaica", which "gets on those who emigrate to Canada, Britain, the States, andAfrica".[4]
The Meditations sang backing vocals on a number ofBob Marley songs, including "Blackman Redemption", "Rastaman Live Up", and "Punky Reggae Party", a single released in 1977 in response to the surge of interest inrevolutionaryroots reggae anddub at the time amongst England'spunk rock fraternity.The Meditations also provided backing forGregory Isaacs,Jimmy Cliff andThe Congos on their highly regarded and influentialHeart of the Congos album, later re-released onSteve Barrow'sBlood and Fire (record label).[2][5]
In 1977 and 1978, they recorded a number ofDiscomix vocal and dubs forLee "Scratch" Perry at the Black Ark Studio, includingNyabinghi rhythm-led "Houses of Parliament", "Life Is Not Easy", "No Peace" and "Much Smarter", all of which attracted significant attention from theroots reggae conscious Rockers sound system fraternity in Jamaica and in England, where they were played byJah Shaka andLloyd Coxsone's sound. The Meditations also released singles onBunny Lee's prolific 'Third World' label, amongst them, "Turn Me Loose", which was twinned with a 'B' side fromJohnny Clarke, who provided a Rockers' flying cymbals cover version ofCoxsone Dodd's Mad Lad's Studio One take of the "Ten To One" tune, a composition originally written and recorded byThe Impressions, agospel,R&B,doo-wop, andsoul vocal trio.[6]
The Meditations also appeared at theOne Love Peace Concert in April 1978, officially a commemoration of the 12th anniversary ofHaile Selassie's state visit to Jamaica, but more famous for the handshake betweenMichael Manley andEdward Seaga when they joinedBob Marley on stage.[7]
By 1981, they were releasingRoots Radics andScientist backed music onRoy Cousins' Tamoki-Wambesi label, a highpoint being the successfulLovers Rock infused "Stranger in Love"Discomix, backed by the more conscious "Unity", which maintained interest in their work amongst the seriousroots reggae anddub audiences at home and abroad. The Meditations 1983 album,No More Friend, written and sung by Ansel, was produced byLinval Thompson and featuredErrol Holt andStyle Scott's band,The Roots Radics, and saw them adapting to the sparser, slower, earlydancehall sound of the time.[5]
While Cridland was in Jamaica due to an injury, Clarke and Watson recorded 1988'sFor The Good of Man without him. Upon his return to the US in 1993, they were reunited forReturn of The Meditations.[5]
All three members by this time were based in the US - Clarke inPhoenix, Arizona, Watson inSeattle, Washington, and Cridland inNew York City.[2]
They have subsequently toured the United States and Europe. In 2015, they released the albumJah Always Find a Way, which featuredSly Dunbar (drums),Lloyd Parks (bass),Ansel Collins and Sidney Mills (keyboards),Dwight Pinkney and Willie Lindo (guitars), and Derrick Barnett (bass).[8] As of 2011, the group's official lineup consists of Cridland, Laury Webb, and Daddy Lion Chandell.[8]
Winston Watson passed away in New York on March 28, 2019.[9][10]
Danny Clarke died on 27 July 2024.[11]
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