Musically nicely forward of its time, The Abyssinians’ “Satta Amassa Ganna” undertook a winding path in the direction of changing into one among reggae’s best cultural anthems. Initially recorded in 1969 for Coxsone Dodd’s Studio One as a compositional cousin to Carlton & His Sneakers’ rocksteady single “Happy Land,” this devotional hymn to Jah Rastafari and repatriation to Africa (half sung within the historical Ethiopian language of Amharic) all however created the blueprint for the roots motion that will dominate reggae within the mid-Nineteen Seventies: a haunting minor key rhythm, beautiful group vocals, and a spirituality that spoke on to the sufferation skilled by a major swath of its listenership.
The track additionally represented a pivot level for the island’s music trade – away from an outdated guard out of contact with the style’s rising dread issues and in the direction of an independence that might extra readily accommodate this evolution. Unable to know “Satta Amassa Ganna”’s business potential, Coxsone shelved the recording; it could solely see launch two years later, as soon as the group was capable of purchase again the grasp tape and put it out themselves on their very own label (to vital gross sales and acclaim). A sequence of equally elegant self-released singles additional enhanced the status of the trio – lead singer Bernard Collins, and brothers Donald and Linford Manning – as roots progenitors. In 1976 The Abyssinians, finally, launched their debut LP exhibiting themselves totally in sync with the motion they helped pioneer.
Take heed to The Abyssinians’ Satta Massagana now.
That includes a lot of re-recordings of their early songs alongside new materials of equal benefit, Satta Massagana is a necessary standard-bearer for 70s reggae. And although the extra polished updates of such classics as “Declaration of Rights,” “Y Mas Gan,” and “Satta Amassa Gana” lack the lo-fi grit that made the originals resonate so strongly, there’s no denying the sterling work of the all-star solid of supporting gamers assembled right here – amongst them drummers Sly Dunbar, Leroy “Horsemouth” Wallace, and Mikey “Boo” Richards; bassist Robbie Shakespeare; guitarists Mikey Chung and Earl “Chinna” Smith; and producer/instrumentalist Clive Hunt. In the meantime the trio’s vocals are imbued with the gravitas intrinsic to conveying the satisfaction of ancestral African heritages, the anguish of the violence inflicted on these heritages, and the appeals for brotherhood and unity as explored of their lyrics. They specific these themes with a distinctively mournful magnificence, vocalizing prayers on the solemn “The Good Lord,” Biblical references on the righteous “Abendigo,” and hopeful exhortations on the beautiful “Forward Unto Zion” and “I and I.”
“African Race” will be the most affecting. Commencing quietly with a placing association of acoustic guitar and electrical keyboard, it builds to an indelible chorus: “We are the slave descendants from the African race/Where proud is no disgrace.” Regardless of the album’s artistic triumphs, The Abyssinians would break-up and re-form in varied iterations through the years. Recalling their journey in 1993, Donald Manning succinctly noticed, “When you listen to the songs, it show you that we were doing spiritual work.” By way of all of it, Satta Massagana stays a stirring testomony to their artistic dedication.
Take heed to The Abyssinians’ Satta Massagana now.
