''Mama Africa'' is a studio album by the Jamaican musician Peter Tosh, released in 1983. It peaked at number 59 on the ''Billboard'' 200, becoming Tosh's highest-charting album in the U.S. Tosh supported the album with a North American tour. A video was shot for " Johnny B. Goode".

Critical reception

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' wrote: "Like most of Mr. Tosh's albums, ''Mama Africa'' is uneven—Mr. Tosh's raw baritone can be inexpressive—but in 'Glasshouse' and a few other songs Mr. Tosh shows both vehemence and a preacher's timing." ''

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...

'' determined that "''Mama Africa'' has more snap rhythmically than anything he's done since ''Bush Doctor''."

Track listing

All tracks composed by Peter Tosh; except where indicated #"Mama Africa" - 7:56 #"Glasshouse" - 5:52 #"Not Gonna Give It Up" - 5:48 #"Stop That Train" - 4:02 #" Johnny B. Goode" (

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...

) - 4:04 #"Where You Gonna Run" (

Donald Kinsey Donald Kinsey (born May 12, 1953 in Gary, Indiana, United States) is an American guitarist and singer, best known as a member of the Word Sound and Power Band, the reggae backing group for Peter Tosh. Kinsey is one of three sons of the late ...

) - 4:09 #"Peace Treaty" - 4:21 #"Feel No Way" - 3:31 #"Maga Dog" - 4:30

Personnel

*Peter Tosh - lead and backing vocals, clavinet *Leebert "Gibby" Morrison,

Robbie Shakespeare Robert Warren Dale Shakespeare (27 September 1953 – 8 December 2021) was a Jamaican bass guitarist and record producer, best known as half of the reggae rhythm section and production duo Sly and Robbie, with drummer Sly Dunbar. Regarded as on ...

- bass guitar *

Carlton "Santa" Davis Carlton "Santa" Davis (born 21 November 1953) is a musician from Jamaica, primarily known for his drumming with bands such as Bob Marley & The Wailers, The Aggrovators, Soul Syndicate and Roots Radics. He has worked with reggae artists such as ...

, Sly Dunbar - drums * Geoffrey Chung, Lancelot "Maxie" McKenzie - engineer *Darryl Thompson,

, Ed Edizalde - lead guitar *

Mikey Chung Michael Chung (1950 – 28 December 2021) also known as Mao Chung, was a Jamaican musician who played keyboards, guitar and percussion instruments. He was also an arranger and record producer of Jamaican music, and worked with a wide array of m ...

, Steve Golding - rhythm guitar *Byron Allred, Peter Couch - keyboards * Robert Lyn - organ (tracks: A1 to A4, B3 to B5) * Skully,

Uziah Thompson Uzziah "Sticky" Thompson (1 August 1936 – 25 August 2014) was a Jamaican percussionist, vocalist and deejay active from the late 1950s. He worked with some of the best known performers of Jamaican music and played on hundreds of albums. Biog ...

- percussion *

Keith Sterling Keith Sterling (born Keith Sterling-McLeod, January 1952, Kingston, Jamaica)Larkin, Colin (2006) ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'', 4th edn., OUP USA, , p. 743 is a piano and keyboard player. Biography Keith Sterling is a well-respected Jam ...

- piano" *

Dean Fraser Dean Ivanhoe Fraser (sometimes appearing as Dean Frazer) (born 4 August 1957) Allmusic.com biography by Sandra Brennan/ref> is a Jamaican saxophonist who has contributed to hundreds of reggae recordings since the mid-1970s. He was awarded the Mu ...

- saxophone *Ronald "Nambo" Robinson - trombone *Arnold Brackenridge, David Madden, Junior "Chico" Chin - trumpet *Jon Paris - harmonica *

Audrey Hall Audrey Hall (born c. 1948 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a reggae singer. Biography Hall began her career singing with Dandy Livingstone in the duo Dandy & Audrey.Larkin, Colin (1998) "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books, They recorded ...

, Betty Wright,

, Dorett Myers, Pam Hall, Raymond Hall,

The Tamlins The Tamlins are a Jamaican reggae vocal group formed in the late 1960s, known for their hits such as "Baltimore", and their work with artists such as Peter Tosh. History The group originally comprised Carlton Smith, Junior Moore and Winston Mor ...

- backing vocals ;Technical *Chris Kimsey, Peter Tosh - mixing *

John "Jellybean" Benitez John Benitez (born November 7, 1957), also known as Jellybean, is an American musician, songwriter, DJ, remixer, and music producer. He has produced and remixed artists such as Madonna, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and the Pointer Sisters ...

- mixing on "Johnny B. Goode"

Charts

References

{{Authority control Peter Tosh albums 1983 albums EMI Records albums