Satta Massagana

iTunes Review

Formed in 1968, the Abyssinians — Bernard Collins and brothers Donald and Lynford Manning — will be remembered as one of reggae’s premier harmony vocal trios. They recorded their landmark song of faith, “Satta Massagana” (“give thanks”), in 1969, and over the course of the next several years, it would become one of the most influential roots tracks ever created, a Rastafarian paean that was covered, sampled, reworked, and copied countless times (by the Abyssinians and other artists). After recording several other monumental singles in the early ‘70s, the group decided to make their first LP in 1976, under the supervision of Clive Hunt. Taking advantage of much improved audio fidelity, they produced this roots-reggae milestone, a profoundly deep album that revisited a few of the earlier classics and was centered on their fervent spiritual devotion, Afrocentric ideals, and calls for social justice. With the heavy subject matter tempered by the hypnotic grooves and dazzling vocal harmonies, tracks like the spellbinding “I and I” have the power to both pacify and inspire.