Category: Black Uhuru

Black Uhuru – Now (1990)

posted by record facts

Black Uhuru is a Jamaican reggae group formed in 1972, initially as Uhuru (Swahili for ‘freedom’). The group has undergone several line-up changes over the years, with Derrick “Duckie” Simpson as the mainstay. They had their most successful period in the 1980s.

Now is a studio album by the Jamaican reggae band Black Uhuru. It was released in 1990 through Rhino Records.
The album peaked at number 121 on the US Billboard 200 chart, number 2 on the World Albums chart, and was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Reggae Recording at 33rd Annual Grammy Awards.

Black Uhuru has gone through more than their share of personnel changes over the years, yet maintained a distinctive, easily recognizable sound.
By the time the enjoyable, though not outstanding, Now was recorded in 1990, Uhuru had reverted to their original mid-’70s lineup of Don Carlos, Garth Dennis and Duckie Simpson.
Whether revisiting familiar classics like “Satan Army Band” and “The Heathen,” or offering new material on “Imposter,” “Freedom Fighter,” and the catchy “Reggae Rock,” the reggae veterans demonstrated that they could still have a strong rapport.
One of the most pleasant surprises here is a cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Hey, Joe,” which works quite well in a reggae setting.

 

Track listing

  1. Heathen – 3:37
  2. Peace and Love – 4:00
  3. Army Band – 4:20
  4. Take Heed – 5:01
  5. Reggae Rock – 4:27
  6. Thinking About You – 4:51
  7. Imposter – 5:08
  8. Freedom Fighter – 3:55
  9. Word Sound – 3:58
  10. Hey Joe – 5:10

Track 10 is a cover of "Hey Joe", written by Billy Roberts and performed by Jimi Hendrix

 

Personnel

  • Derrick Simpson – lead vocals, composer
  • Ived “Sen-C” Campbell – backing vocals
  • Frank Stepanek – lead guitar
  • Leebert “Gibby” Morrison – bass (tracks: 1-4, 7-9)
  • Christopher Meridith – bass (tracks: 5, 10)
  • Wrong Devon – bass (track 6)
  • Noel Davis – piano
  • Marcus “Rangatan” Smith – drums (tracks: 1-4, 7-9)
  • Anthony Brissett – piano, keyboards, drums (tracks: 5, 10), producer
  • Sydney Wolfe – percussion
  • Christopher “Sky Juice” Burth – percussion
  • Terry Rindal – executive producer, producer
  • Steven J. C. Stanley – engineering
  • David Rowe – engineering
  • Antoine Salassie – engineering
  • Collin “Bulby” York – assistant engineering
  • Lynford “Fatta” Marshall – assistant engineering
  • George Nauful – coordinator
  • Kathleen Cascone – art direction & design
  • Benjamin Groeper – photography
  • Conley Major – photography

Notes
Release Date: 1990
Recording Location: Channel One Studios, Kingston, Jamaica Mixing Lab Studios, Kingston, Jamaica
Genre: Reggae
Styles: Dub
Duration: 44:28
Producer(s): Terry Rindal (exec.)Black Uhuru (also exec.)Tony “Asha” Brissett

Label – Mesa RecordingsRhino Records