Harrison”Professor” Stafford took off for Jamaica and brings together 3 legendary singers for a unique studio album between roots tradition and jazzy arrangements !

Harrison « Professor » Stafford Groundation’s lead singer went back to Jamaica but not to sing. Lover of Jamaican culture and music, lover of the island in general, Harrison Stafford passed on the other side of the studio and produced NATTY WILL FLY AGAIN a unique and passionated project which brings together 3 emblematic figures of the island which became world renowned because of the reggae that she spend and that she’s continuing to defend and represent. With Pablo Moses, Winston Jarrett and Roydel « Ashanti » Johnson Harrison Stafford makes honnour to the Jamaican roots. He takes them into his own musical vision searching for the perfect song worked by his own technics. He push them to go far away and produce this sound beautifully constructed between roots tradition and jazzy arrangements.

To understand the extraordinary quality and authenticity of that recordings let us remind history and origines of that 3 symbolic singers of the reggae movement.

Pablo Moses met Geoffrey Chung in Kingston who sang him the song “I man a Grasshopper.” Geoffrey liked the new style and lyrics and in 1975 they brought this song into the Black Ark studios where it was recorded by Lee “Scratch” Perry. The recording launched Pablo’s career and resulted in the release of his very successful first album “Revolutionary Dream.” After having studied Afrom American music at school, his follow up album, “A Song” was released in 1980 which sent Pablo Moses’ name to the top of the Reggae world. Today, he continues to tour and is recognized as one of the premier Reggae voices of all time.

Winston Jarrett moved to Kingston at 5 years old in 1945 and grew up alongside Reggae innovators and pioneers including Rasta Elder Mortimore Planno and singers Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer. Winston was taught to play guitar by Jimmy Cliff and Alton Ellis and began his singing career in 1962 as a member of the group Alton Ellis & the Flames. In 1967 when Ellis moved to the UK, Jarrett formed his own group, “Winston Jarrett & the Righteous Flames” then he joined forces with newly independent producer Lee “Scratch” Perry in 1969 and began recording in Perry’s Black Ark Studio with future Bob Marley rhythm section Aston “Family Man” Barrett on bass and brother Carlton Barrett on drums.

Roydel “Ashanti” Johnson was born in 1943 arrived in Kingston at 16 years old where he was spending time hanging around studios singing for his childhood friend Lee “Scratch” Perry, and playing guitar for groups like Ras Michael & The Sons of Negus, and Price Far I & the Arabs. Finally, in 1977 after hearing Ashanti sing his song “Row Fisherman Row”, Perry invited him to the studio to record an album. Ashanti brought Cedric Myton with him, and Perry joined Ashanti’s tenor voice with singing partner Cedric Myton’s falsetto, bringing in baritone singer Derrick “Watty” Burnett and one of reggae’s most talented trios The Congos was born. The resulting Congos recording, ‘The Heart Of The Congos’ has remained one of the greatest reggae albums ever produced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Dp2-rEVYgko

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