Legendary, Grammy-winning Jamaican Reggae group Black Uhuru has announced a Sept. 14 concert at intimate Clifton club Ludlow Garage. Tickets for the show go on sale this Friday through Ticketmaster.
Formed in Kingston in 1972, Black Uhuru was at the center of the rise of Reggae internationally in the ’70s and ’80s. The band’s Island Records debut, 1981’s Sinsemilla, began Black Uhuru’s run as global Reggae superstars, championed by the likes of (and touring with) Rock bands like The Rolling Stones and The Police. The band won the very first Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 1985 with its LP Anthem.
Just as John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers were like a British Rock farm team (counting Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Mick Fleetwood and many others among their ranks), the revolving membership of Black Uhuru has included numerous Reggae legends. The rhythm section of Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare (aka “Sly and Robbie”) is the best known and most prolific bass/drums combo in Reggae history (they're also accomplished producers), while Black Uhuru singers like Michael Rose and Junior Reid also loom large in the music’s legacy. Original member Derrick "Duckie" Simpson and longtimer Andrew Bees anchor the current edition of Black Uhuru.
Here’s a pair of the band’s greatest hits:
