The Cimarons are a British
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 ...
band formed in 1967. They were the UK's first self-contained indigenous reggae band.
History
Jamaican natives, the Cimarons migrated to Britain in 1967 with a lineup consisting of Franklyn Dunn (bass), Carl Levy (keyboards), Locksley Gichie (guitar), and Maurice Ellis (drums); vocalist, Winston Reid (better known as
Winston Reedy
Winston Reedy (born 13 July 1950, Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica, West Indies) is a Jamaican reggae singer. Previously vocalist for the Cimarons from 1970, he is best known as a lovers rock vocalist with hits such as "Paradise in Your Eyes", "Moi ...
) joined in London. They were primarily session musicians in Jamaica, and backed many artists, including
Jimmy Cliff
James Chambers OM (born 30 July 1944), known professionally as Jimmy Cliff, is a Jamaican ska, rocksteady, reggae and soul musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and actor. He is the only living reggae musician to hold the Order of Merit, t ...
. They performed at the Edinburgh Reggae Festival in 1973, where they also backed
Nicky Thomas's performance of "Is It Because I'm Black".
Their first LP ''In Time'', on
Trojan Records
Trojan Records is a British record label founded in 1968. It specialises in ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music. The label currently operates under the Sanctuary Records Group. The name ''Trojan'' comes from the Croydon-built Trojan truck ...
in 1974 featured a rendition of the
O'Jays' "Ship Ahoy", "Utopian Feeling", "Over the Rainbow," and "My Blue Heaven". Vulcan Records released ''On the Rock'' two years later.
They switched to
Polydor Records
Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...
, releasing ''Live at the Roundhouse'' in 1978. Polydor released ''Maka'' the same year. During this period they did a major British tour supporting
Sham 69
Sham 69 are an English punk rock band that formed in Hersham in Surrey in 1975. They were one of the most successful punk bands in the United Kingdom, achieving five top 20 singles, including " If the Kids Are United" and " Hurry Up Harry". T ...
.Three more albums followed: ''Freedom Street'', ''Reggaebility'' and ''On the Rock Part 2''. After the last of these, in 1983, they didn't surface again until 1995 when Lagoon Records released ''People Say'' and ''Reggae Time'', both compilations of earlier albums, followed by ''The Best of the Cimarons'', released in 1999 on Culture Press.
Reedy and Dunn continue to perform as The Cimarons.
Discography
Albums
*''In Time'' (1974)
Trojan
Trojan or Trojans may refer to:
* Of or from the ancient city of Troy
* Trojan language, the language of the historical Trojans
Arts and entertainment Music
* ''Les Troyens'' ('The Trojans'), an opera by Berlioz, premiered part 1863, part 189 ...
*''On the Rock'' (1976) Vulcan
*''Maka'' (1978)
Polydor
Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United State ...
*''Live'' (1978) Polydor
*''Freedom Street'' (1980)
Virgin
Virginity is the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. The term ''virgin'' originally only referred to sexually inexperienced women, but has evolved to encompass a range of definitions, as found in traditional, modern ...
*''Reggaebility'' (1982) Hallmark
*''On De Rock Part 2'' (1983) Butt (recorded 1976)
Compilations
*''People Say'' (1991) Lagoon (recorded 1974-76)
*''Reggae Time'' Lagoon
*''The Best of the Cimarons'' (1992) Culture Press
*''Maroon Land'' (2001) Rhino
*''Reggae Best'' (2004) Culture Press
*''Reggae Masters'' (2007) Creon
Singles
*"Funky Fight" (1970) Big Shot
*"Oh Mammy Blue" (1971) Downtown
*"Holy Christmas" (1971) Downtown
*"Struggling Man" (1972) Horse (split 7-inch with The Prophets)
*"Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" (1973) Mooncrest (as Hotshots) UK #4
*"Talking Blues" (#1 in Jamaica)
*"Check Out Yourself" Trojan
*"
You Can Get It If You Really Want" (1974) Trojan
*"Dim the Light" (1976) Trojan
*"Over the Rainbow" Trojan
*"Harder Than the Rock" (1978) Polydor
*"Mother Earth" (1978) Polydor
*"Willin' (Rock Against Racism)"/"Truly" (1978) Polydor
*"Ready for Love" (1981) Charisma
*"With a Little Luck" (1982) IMP
*"Big Girls Don't Cry" (1982) Safari
*"How Can I Prove Myself to You" (1982)
*"Be My Guest Tonight" (1995)
*"Time Passage" Fontana
The Cimarons also backed several singers on Trojan singles, often credited on the B-side with an instrumental version of the A-side.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cimarons, The
Musical groups from London
British reggae musical groups
Trojan Records artists