BLACK Uhuru and Lloyd ‘King Jammys’ James were trying to make their way in the music business when they met in Waterhouse during the late 1970s.
The roots trio of Duckie Simpson, Michael Rose and Errol Nelson teamed with the fledgling producer to record the album, Love Crisis.
“They had this unique sound I never heard before. It’s a special album to me ’cause is one of the first I did,” James told the Jamaica Observer.
James is presently working with a number of artists on a duets version of Love Crisis which was first released in 1977.
Artists such as Chronixx (King Selassie), Alborosie (Time to Unite), Tony Rebel (Bad Girl) and Kabaka Pyramid (Willow Tree) have added new lyrics and flavor to the original tracks.
James said the album is scheduled for release in the United Kingdom late this year by Greensleeves Records, the company that re-released Love Crisis as Black Sounds of Freedom in 1981.
Within one year, Nelson left the group and was replaced by American Sandra ‘Puma’ Jones. Along with Rose and Simpson, she recorded a series of songs (General Penitentiary, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and Plastic Smile) that made Black Uhuru one of the most successful reggae groups.
They won the first Grammy for a reggae album in 1985 with the Sly and Robbie-produced Anthem.
–By Howard Campbell
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