The Blackstones are a
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
-based
reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
vocal trio formed in 1974, in the tradition of the Jamaican harmony-trio.
[Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) ''The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn.'', ]Rough Guides
Rough Guides Ltd is a British travel guide book and reference publisher, which has been owned by APA Publications since November 2017. In addition to publishing guidebooks, the company also provides a tailor-made trips service based on custome ...
, , p.393
The Blackstones comprised the brothers Leon, Byron, and Neville Leiffer.
[Larkin, Colin (1998) ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae'', Virgin Books, , p.29-30] One of the group's early singles, "We Nah Go Suffer", was released on the Daddy Kool and topped the British reggae chart.
This success led to recording sessions with
Phil Pratt
Phil Pratt, born George Phillips (born 1942 in Kingston, Jamaica)Thompson, Dave (2002), ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , p. 316. is a Jamaican reggae singer and record producer.
Career
Phil Pratt worked at Studio One for Coxsone ...
using rhythm tracks recorded at
Channel One Studios
Channel One is a recording studio in Maxfield Avenue, West Kingston, Jamaica.Campbell, Howard (2014)Making magic at Channel One, ''Jamaica Observer'', 17 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014 The studio was built by the Hoo Kim brothers in 1972, and ...
in
Kingston, Jamaica, and vocals added at
Chalk Farm
Chalk Farm is a small urban district of north London, lying immediately north of Camden Town, in the London Borough of Camden.
History
Manor of Rugmere
Chalk Farm was originally known as the Manor of Rugmere, an estate that was mentioned ...
studios.
These sessions resulted in the debut album ''Insight'', released in 1979.
By 1983, the line-up had changed, with Leon Leiffer joined by Tony Douglas and Ken Kendricks. Their ''Take Another Look at Love'' album topped the reggae albums chart, the title track being similarly successful as a single.
In 1985 the group contributed to the British Reggae Artists Famine Appeal charity single "Let’s Make Africa Green Again", released by
Island Records. Further reggae chart hits followed in the mid 1980s, before the group became the backing band for
Lance Ellington
Lance Ellington (born 22 June 1957) is an English singer, songwriter and actor.
Ellington, the only son of the band leader Ray Ellington, specialises in swing and big ballads. He has worked with many artists including Sting, George Michael, Glo ...
. Although they never repeated their earlier success they remained popular, especially with Jamaican fans.
By 2004, the line-up had again changed, with Leon Leiffer now joined by Tony Mahoney and Junior Bailey. They were one of the last artists to work with
Clement "Coxsone" Dodd
Clement Seymour "Coxsone" Dodd (26 January 1932 – 4 May 2004) was a Jamaican record producer who was influential in the development of ska and reggae in the 1950s, 1960s and beyond.
He was nicknamed "Coxsone" at school due to his talent ...
, signing a deal with his
Studio One label and recording the album ''Tribute to Studio One'' shortly before he died in 2004.
[Henry, Balford (2004)]
Musical farewell for Dodd tomorrow
, '' Jamaica Observer'', 21 May 2004
Since 2019 The Blackstones are a quartet, Leon Leiffer, Tony Mahoney, Junior Bailey, AJ Franklin.
Discography
*''Insight'' (1979) Burning Rockers
*''Take Another Look at Love'' (1983) Pressure
*''Silhouettes'' (1995) Jah Larry
*''Outburst'' (1995) Prestige
*''Riding High'' (1996) Prestige
*''Somebody Ought to Write About It'' (1997) Prestige
*''Colours of Love'' Body Music
*''Unlimited'' (2000) Quartz Records
*''Greater Power'' (2006)
Jet Star
*''Tribute to Studio One'' (2007)
Studio One
*''The Blackstones Meet the Chosen Few'' (2007) Organized Crime (with
The Chosen Few)
*''100% Niceness'' (2008) Jetstar
*''Salute Slim Smith and the Uniques'' (2011)
*''We Can Do It'' (2015)
*Mellow Mood (2017)
*Got What It Takes (2019)
*The Blackstones & The Officinalis - Change Of Plan (2020)
References
External links
The Blackstones Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blackstones, The
British reggae musical groups