Messenjah

Messenjah Is A Roots Reggae Band That Was Formed In 1981 In Kitchener Ont By Errol Blackwood Vocals Bass Guitar And Rupert 'Ojiji' Harvey Vocals Guitar Alto Saxophone The Latter Previously With The Toronto Reggae Bands Crack Of Dawn And Inner Fire. Other Early Members Were Eric Walsh Guitar Hal Duggan Keyboards And Raymond Ruddock Drums . Messenjah Released Its First Album Rock You High Independently In 1982 It Was Re-Issued By WEA 25-02021 In 1983. Jam Session WEA 25-04551 With Percussionist Tony King Added Followed In 1984. Harvey B Clarendon Parish Jamaica 9 Feb 1955 Assumed The Leadership When Blackwood Left Messenjah After Jam Session To Pursue A Solo Career. For Messenjah's Third LP Cool Operator 1987 Version VLP-001 Harvey Duggan And Walsh Recorded With Charles Sinclair Bass Guitar Haile Yates Percussion And Crash Morgan Drums . Donovan Black Replaced Morgan On Rock & Sway 1990 Kick Up KUCD-100 . Working After 1985 Out Of Toronto Messanjah Has Toured Extensively In Canada And The USA And Appeared In Jamaica Eg Reggae Sunsplash 1985 Developing An International Reputation As One Of The Leading Non-Jamaican-Based Groups In Reggae. The Band Was Seen In The US Feature Film Cocktail 1988 And Contributed To Its Soundtrack. Messenjah's Best-Known Songs In A Progressive Upbeat Reggae Style Flavoured By Funk Pop Rap Dub And Rock Include 'Arrested ' 'Rock You High ' 'Jam Session ' 'Cool Operator ' 'Crazy ' And 'Could It Be I'm Falling In Love?' Typically 'Crazy' Employs Sweet Vocal Harmonies In The US 'soul' Style As Well As A Rap Section Over A Relatively Soft-Edged Reggae Rhythm. read less