The Congos

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For other uses, see Congo (disambiguation).
The Congos
The Congos in concert in Chartres, France on 2006
The Congos in concert in Chartres, France on 2006
Background information
OriginJamaica
GenresRoots reggae
MembersRoydel Johnson
Cedric Myton
Watty Burnett
Kenroy Ffyffe
Past membersLindburgh Lewis
Devon Russell

The Congos are a

Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica), later becoming a trio with the addition of Watty Burnett (baritone) (b. early 1950s, Port Antonio, Jamaica),[1][2] and have been active on and off from the mid-1970s until the present day. They are best known for their Heart of the Congos album, recorded with Lee "Scratch" Perry
.

History

Myton had previously been a member of

Black Ark studio.[1] The album featured illustrious backing singers such as Gregory Isaacs, The Meditations, and Barry LLewellyn and Earl Morgan of The Heptones.[4] The album has been described as "the most consistently brilliant album of Scratch's entire career".[5]

Perry's previous productions by

Congo Ashanti
were sparser and sounded ordinary compared to Perry's kitchen-sink-and-all massive productions.

Burnett quit the group, soon followed by Johnson, who embarked on a solo career. Myton continued to record as The Congos with various other musicians until the mid-1980s.

In the mid-1990s, The Congos reformed, with Myton and Burnett joined by Lindburgh Lewis, several albums following in subsequent years.[1] In 2005 Myton recorded Give Them the Rights with a host of backup singers and star session players such as Sly and Robbie and Earl "Chinna" Smith, very much in the spiritual 70s roots vein. In 2006, the UK reggae revival label

Mykal Rose, Dean Fraser, Sugar Minott, and U-Roy doing their own new versions over the original rhythm.[6][7]

In 2002, they appeared on the album The Slackers and Friends by the ska/reggae band The Slackers.

In 2008, The Congos appeared in the independent feature film, Wah Do Dem which captures them performing "Fisherman," and "Congoman Chant," under a full moon at Helshire Beach outside Kingston.

In 2009, Myton, Burnett, and Johnson reunited with Perry to record the album Back in the Black Ark, which, despite its title, was recorded at Myton's studio in Portmore and at Mixing Lab, Kingston.[8]

Discography

Albums
  • Black Ark
  • Congo aka Congo Ashanti (1979) Congo Ashanty/CBS
  • Image of Africa (1979) Congo Ashanty/Epic/CBS
  • Heart of the Congos(1981) Go-Feet Records
  • Best of Congos vol. 1 (1983) Tafari
  • Natty Dread Rise Again (1997) RAS
  • Revival (1998) VP
  • Live at Maritime Hall: San Francisco (2000) 2B1
  • Lion Treasure (2001) JDC/M10
  • Give Them the Rights (2005) Young Tree
  • Fisherman Style (2006) Blood and Fire
  • Cock Mouth Kill Cock (2006) Explorer Music also issued as Feast (2006) Kingston Sounds
  • Swinging Bridge (2006) Mediacom/Nocturne
  • Back in the Black Ark (2009) Mediacom
  • We Nah Give Up" Pura Vida & The Congos(2011), Lost Ark Music 001
  • Dub Feast (2012) Jamaican Recordings
  • FRKWYS Vol. 9: Icon Give Thank (2012), RVNG Intl – with Sun Araw and M. Geddes Gengras
  • Morning Star (2018), Lost Ark Music – with Pura Vida
Contributing artist

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 0-7535-0242-9
    .
  2. ^ Peter I (January 2003). "Open the Gate and Let I Man Free – An interview with Watty Burnett". reggae-vibes.com. Retrieved 8 January 2008.
  3. ISBN 0-7475-6847-2
    .
  4. ^
    ISBN 1-85828-567-4
    .
  5. ISBN 1-85828-247-0
    .
  6. ^ Jacob Arnold (April 2006). "The Congos: Fisherman Style review". gridface.com. Retrieved 31 December 2007.
  7. ^ "Various Artists: Fisherman Style". Roots Archives. Archived from the original on 17 October 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2007.
  8. ^ Katz, David (2010) "Culture Section", MOJO, March 2010, p. 15

External links

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