Black Uhuru

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  • Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
  • Red

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About Black Uhuru

No reggae group sounded as consistently righteous, rebellious, and harmonically vital during the '80s as Black Uhuru. Formed in Kingston, Jamaica, by Don Carlos, Garth Dennis, and Derrick "Duckie" Simpson in 1972, Uhuru (Swahili for "freedom") announced themselves with an unsweetened cover version of The Impressions’ "Romancing to the Folk Song." By decade's end, the band had coalesced into their classic lineup: singers Simpson, Michael Rose, and South Carolina's Sandra "Puma" Jones, accompanied by rhythm legends Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare. From 1980's Sinsemilla through 1984's Anthem (which won the first Grammy for a reggae album), Black Uhuru re-invented reggae as an uncompromisingly heavy arena medium open to funk, disco, and synthesizers. When Rose went solo, Junior Reid replaced him on 1986's Brutal, with New York dance producer Arthur Baker brought in to co-produce. After Dennis and Carlos returned for four albums during the '90s, the band's lineup changed yet again for later albums, including 2018's As the World Turns.

ORIGIN
Kingston, Jamaica
FORMED
1974
GENRE
Reggae

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