The Meditations

For other uses, see Meditation (disambiguation).
The Meditations
Origin Jamaica
Genres Reggae
Years active 1974 (1974)–present
Members
  • Ansel Cridland
  • Laury Webb
  • Drayton Chandell
Past members
  • Danny Clarke
  • Winston Watson

The Meditations are a reggae vocal harmony group from Jamaica formed in late 1974. They have released several studio albums and are still performing in the 2000s and today.

History

The Meditations were formed in late 1974, when Danny Clarke left The Righteous Flames, recruiting Ansel Cridland (previously of The Linkers) and Winston Watson.[1] After releasing singles credited to the individual members, they began recording as The Meditations in late 1976, shortly after which they released their biggest hit, "Woman Is Like a Shadow", which sold over 45,000 copies in its first month of release.[2] They recorded in the mid-1970s for producers such as Dobby Dobson, Joseph Hoo Kim, and Lee "Scratch" Perry, their righteously Rastafarian style gaining comparisons with The Mighty Diamonds.[1][3] Their first album, Message From The Meditations, was released in 1977.

The Meditations sang backing vocals on a number of Bob Marley songs, including "Blackman Redemption", "Punky Reggae Party", and "Rastaman Live Up", as well as providing backing for Gregory Isaacs, Jimmy Cliff and The Congos (on their Heart of the Congos album).[2][4]

They appeared at the One Love Peace Concert in April 1978, officially a commemoration of the 12th anniversary of Haile Selassie's state visit to Jamaica, but more famous for the handshake between Michael Manley and Edward Seaga when they joined Bob Marley on stage.[5]

The Meditations 1983 album, No More Friend was produced by Linval Thompson and featured The Roots Radics, and saw them adapting to the prevailing dancehall sound.[4]

Cridland left the group, leaving Clarke and Watson to record 1988's For The Good of Man without him, but they were reunited for 1993's Return of The Meditations.[4] All three members were based in the US - Clarke in Phoenix, Arizona, Watson in Seattle, Washington, and Cridland in New York City.[2]

They have subsequently toured the United States and Europe. In 2015 they released the album Jah Always Find a Way, which featured Sly Dunbar (drums), Lloyd Parks (bass), Ansel Collins and Sidney Mills (keyboards), Dwight Pinkney and Willie Lindo (guitars), and Derrick Barnett (bass).[6] As of 2016 the group comprises Cridland, Laury Webb, and Drayton Chandell.[6]

Discography

Albums

Compilations

Collaborations

References

  1. 1 2 Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae. Virgin Books. ISBN 0-7535-0242-9.
  2. 1 2 3 Germa, Romain & Maslowski, Nicolas (2007) Guidance sleeve notes from the Makasound release
  3. ↑ Barrow, Steve; Dalton, Peter (1997). Reggae: The Rough Guide. Rough Guides. ISBN 1-85828-247-0.
  4. 1 2 3 E A S Y S T A R * R E C O R D S
  5. ↑ Thompson, Dave (2002). Reggae & Caribbean Music. Backbeat Books. ISBN 0-87930-655-6.
  6. 1 2 Campbell, Howard (2016) "More Meditations", Jamaica Observer, 27 January 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016
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