****THE MEDITATIONS - I LOVE JAH****

.....

****THE MEDITATIONS - I LOVE JAH****

TRACKLIST


1. Take it Easy (Extended Mix)
2. We Gonna Make It (Extended Mix)
3. Rebounce
4. For The Good Of Man (Extended Mix)
5. You Care For Me (Extended Mix)
6. I Love Jah (Extended Mix)


DATE 1982
LABEL Wackie's

****THE MEDITATIONS - NO MORE FRIENDS****

.....

****THE MEDITATIONS - NO MORE FRIENDS****

TRACKLIST


1. No More Friend
2. Forcing Me
3. Jack On Top
4. Mother Love
5. Book Of History
6. Carpenter Rebuild
7. Fuss And Fight
8. Slick Chick
9. Talk Of The Town
10. Big City
11. No More Friend (12" Mix)




BACKED BY: Roots Radics


PRODUCED BY: Linval Thompson
RECORDED AT: Channel One
MIXED BY: Soljie
MIXED AT: Channel One


DATE 1983
LABEL GREENSLEEVES

****THE MEDITATIONS - NO MORE FRIEND 12 INCH MIX****

.....

****THE MEDITATIONS - NO MORE FRIEND 12 INCH MIX****

TRACK


the meditations no more friend (12inch mix)

****THE MEDITATIONS - GREATEST HITS ****

.....

***THE MEDITATIONS - GREATEST HITS ****

TRACKLIST


1. Fly Your Natty Dread
2. Tricked
3. Rasta Shall Conquer
4. Woman Is Like A Shadow
5. Standing On The Corner
6. Wake Up
7. Running From Jamaica
8. A Wey Mi Do (Lucifer)
9. Turn Me Loose
10. Ram Jam Session


Label: Shanachie
Audio CD (November 26, 1991)

****THE MEDITATIONS - WAKE UP****

.....

****THE MEDITATIONS - WAKE UP****

TRACKLIST


Wake Up
A Wey Me Do
Turn Me Lose
Nyah Man Story
Being A Dread Is No Crime
Fly Natty Dread
Traitor
Stoning Me Away
Get Left
Another Plight


Record date : 1978


Producer : Dobby Dobson


Engineer : Sylvan Morris


Vocals : The Meditations


Studios :
Recording : Harry J (Kingston, JA)

****THE MEDITATIONS - GHETTO KNOWLEDGE****

.....

****THE MEDITATIONS - GHETTO KNOWLEDGE****

TRACKLIST


1. African Connection
2. Ghetto Is A College
3. Great Tribulation
4. Blackman Redemption
5. Excited
6. Living On The Edge
7. Do Be Down
8. Educated Fools
9. One Of Us
10. Never Desert You
11. Moses
12. Only Jah Love
13. Enemies Away
14. Jah Music
15. The Police
16. Rudeboy Corner
17. The More I Try




LABEL Easy StarOrig Year 1999


Personnel Carlton "Carlie" Barrett - drums
Jerry Johnson
Winston Watson - vocals, percussion
Ron Butler - guitar
Ansel Cridland


Also: Sly Dunbar, Victor Axelrod, Kevin Batchelor, Maurice Gregory, Sky Juice, Style Scott, Junior Jazz, Andy Bassford, Danny Browne, Val Douglas, Antoinette Hall, Asax Howard Messam, Donovan McKitty, Errol Campbell, Franklin Waul, Frantz Hilaire, George Kouakou, Gerry Johnson, Jeff Karger, Joseph Sansaverino, Mafie, Michael G., Noel Alphonso, Ras Barnibas, Sidney Mills, Theophilus Beckford, Trammy, Trevor McKenzie, Danny Clarke, Derrick Barnett, Lincoln Thompson, Milton Henry, Reggie, Ronnie Butler, Anastus Hackett, Aston "Familyman" Barrett

GHETTO KNOWLEDGE transports traditional reggae into the new millennium. As has been the case for the many years that they've been recording, Danny Clarke, Ansel Cridland and Winston Watson continue to wrap their gorgeous harmonies around songs that praise Jah and speak of overcoming everyday injustices. The Meditations draw on their legacy by reprising Bob Marley's "Blackman Redemption," a song on which they originally sang back-up vocals. They also update their sound with songs such as "African Connection," which suggests the Internet as a means of unifying black culture. Elsewhere, the dub-like "Living On The Edge" and the more harmonically rich "Ghetto Is A College" address some of the hardships of street life.


Despite the serious subject matter in some of these songs, all is not totally somber in the world of the Meditations. The pure joy reflected in the trio's melodic sensibilities constantly comes to the fore of songs like "Rudeboy Corner." This exhilaration is reflected whether it's Ansel Cridland making like a Jamaican Eddie Kendricks on "Excited" or the rock spin given to Curtis Mayfield's "Do Be Down."

****THE MEDITATIONS - STAND IN LOVE****

.....

****THE MEDITATIONS - STAND IN LOVE****

TRACKLIST


1. War Night
2. Make Yourself Happy
3. Rasta Love
4. Stand In Love
5. Stranger In Love
6. You Must Believe Me
7. Glory Hallelujah
8. Wicked Men
9. Don't Cry
10. Born In War
11. Not Responsible
12. Youth Teach Wisdom
13. Give Praise
14. Thankful
15. Cold Sweat
16. Stand In Love (With Flourgon)




BASS: Val Douglasm Herbie, Danny Miller, Renard Shy, Daniel Thompson, Ainsworth Clarke
DRUMS: Sly Dunbar, Style Scott, Noel Alphonso, Aston Campbell
GUITAR: Junior Marvin, Andy Bassford, Ronnie Butler, Lincoln Thompson, Junior Jazz, Ansel Cridland
KEYBOARDS: Franklin Waul, Danny Brownie, Sidney Mills, Noel Alphonso, Antoinette Hall, Orville Brian, Jeffery Karger, Earl Appleton
HORNS: Alexander Beram, Chris Walter, Gerry Johnson, Michael Gayle, Kevin Batchelor
PERCUSSION: Sky Juice, Errol Campbell, Ansel Cridland, Glen Brown, Noel Alponso, Milton Henry


RECORDED AT: Mixing Lab Studio, Kingston, Jamaica
MIXED BY: Dennis Thompson, Phillip Smart, Sidney Mills
MIXED AT: HC&F Studio, Living Room & D&D

****THE MEDITATIONS - THE RETURNS OF MEDITATIONS****

.....

****THE MEDITATIONS - THE RETURNS OF MEDITATIONS****

TRACKLIST


1. Jailhouse
2. Scarface
3. Choice Of Color
4. Youth And Youth
5. False Doctrine
6. Ten Deh
7. Talking Love
8. She So Shy
9. Doubtful Love
10. What Kind Of World


LABEL Heartbeat
VOCALS: Ansil Cridland, Winston Watson, Danny Clarke
BASS: Robbie, Herbie, Pablove Black, Val Douglas, Danny Browne
DRUMS: Sly, Clevie, Nass T Hackett
LEAD GUITAR: Lloyd Willis, Danny Browne
KEYBOARDS: Danny Browne, Herbie, Rafael Allen, Mallory Williams, Steelie
SAX: Everton Gayle
TROMBONE: Barry Bailey


PRODUCED BY: Ansil Cridland, Sky High
RECORDED AT: Mixing Lab, Dynamic, 39 Street Studio, Leggo, HCF
ENGINEERED BY: Bulby York, Mikey Riley, Diane, Rohan Richards, Phillip Smart, Dennis Menace

****3 HARD WAY (WITH THE MEDITATIONS WAILING SOUL AND CULTURE)****

.....

****3 HARD WAY (WITH THE MEDITATIONS WAILING SOUL AND CULTURE)****

TRACKLIST


1. Wailing Souls - Old Broom
2. Wailing Souls - Fire House Rock
3. Wailing Souls - Sugar Plum Plum
4. Wailing Souls - Sweetie Come Brush Me
5. Wailing Souls - Water Pumping
6. Wailing Souls - Bounce Back
7. Wailing Souls - What Is Your Meaning
8. Meditations - Wake Up
9. Meditations - Turn Me Loose
10. Meditations - Nyah Man Story
11. Meditations - Being A Dread
12. Meditations - Fly Your Natty Dread
13. Meditations - Get Lef
14. Culture - Gather Round
15. Culture - Soon Come
16. Culture - Ethiopia Is Calling
17. Culture - Rastaman A Come
18. Culture - Make Good Use
19. Culture - Must It Be This Way


LABEL Sonic Sounds
PRODUCED BY: Sly & Robbie, Junjo Lawes, Dobby Dobson, Jack Ruby

****THE MEDITATIONS - GUIDANCE****

.....

****THE MEDITATIONS - GUIDANCE****

TRACKLIST


1. Justice
2. Jungle Feeling
3. Hard Life
4. War Mongers
5. Senorita
6. Something Looking Good
7. Life Is Not Easy
8. Play I
9. Marriage
10. Miracles
11. Woman Piabba
12. There Must Be A First Time
13. Changing Of The Time
14. Rome




Classic 1978 album; first time on cd.


BACKED BY: Aston Barrett, Sly, Robbie, Boo Richards, Santa, Val Douglas, Boris Gardner, Willie Lindo...


RECORDED AT: Channel One, Harry J, Treasure Isle, Black Ark
LABEL Makasound
Even by Jamaican standards, the Meditations' early career is convoluted, and both Ansel Cridland and Danny Clarke's careers were already well underway before the pair linked up. Cridland, born in 1951, moved to Kingston as a child, and apprenticed as a jockey. However, he ended up working odd jobs, before deciding to make his career as a singer, and formed the vocal group the Linkers during the rocksteady era. The group's lineup was fluid, but regardless, the Linkers recorded nearly a dozen singles, although none particularly hit with the public. Clarke, a Kingstonian by birth, had sung briefly with the Flames, Alton Ellis' backing group. Another Flame, Sweet P, introduced Clarke to Cridland, and the two became fast friends. By the early '70s, the two were recording as solo artists, even though both much preferred the sound of harmonies. Things finally began coalescing in 1974, when the pair decided to audition together at Channel One. There, Junior Delgado was holding auditions for label head JoJo Hookim. He was blown away by the pair's "Woman Is Like a Shadow," as was another young hopeful, Winston Watson, who offered up his falsetto harmonies on the spot.


The embryonic Meditations were now complete, but not yet birthed. "Woman" was recorded, but Hookim, unhappy with the results, refused to release it. The three continued writing and practicing together. Then, in late 1975, Clarke and Watson went down to Federal Studios where Dobby Dobson was holding auditions. Clarke offered up "Babylon Trap Them," and Watson "Woman Piabba"; Dobson recorded them both. Although Cridland supplied backing vocals on both numbers, the songs were released as solo singles. In 1976, the trio cut Cridland's "Tricked," credited to Ansel & the Meditations. That single brought the singers to television and helped snag them their first Caribbean, on a junket that included Culture, the Tamlins, Carl Dawkins, and Leroy Smart. By the end of the year, the group had officially become the Meditations.


During this time, they continued steadily recording with Dobson, and released Message From the Meditations, one of the most breath-taking debut albums ever recorded. Virtually the entire album had been, or would soon, be released as singles, from "Woman Is Like a Shadow" (which Dobson had gotten from Hookim, who then promptly released it on 45) through their first recordings for the producer, on through Cridland's seminal "Running From Jamaica" to the breezy "Changing of the Times." 1977 found them at Madison Square Garden with Calypso Rose, then, back home, the trio readied their next album. The seminal Wake Up arrived in 1978, and was again filled with another bundle of hit singles, including "Fly Natty Dread," "Turn Me Loose," and the title track. Intriguingly, the set also included a re-cut "Nyah Man Story," a song that dated from Cridland's days with the Linkers.


However, by now, the trio were extremely unhappy with the re-numeration they were receiving from Dobson, and severed their ties with the producer. Lee "Scratch" Perry was keen to pick up the reins. The Meditations had recorded several of Message's tracks at his Black Ark Studio, leaving the producer highly impressed. Although the group would not acquiesce to his demand to produce their next album, they were willing to cut a few singles for him. "No Peace," "House of Parliament," and "Think So" duly followed, with the latter song making quite a splash in Britain, where Island released it on the flip of the Cridland-produced "Life Is Not Easy" single. It was Perry that introduced the Meditations to Bob Marley this same year, a fortuitous meeting that resulted in the trio backing the Wailer on "Rastaman Redemption," "Blackman Redemption," and "Punky Reggae Party." The Meditations provided harmonies for innumerable other artists during the late '70s, notably Jimmy Cliff and Gregory Isaacs.


As the decade faded, the trio's star brightened. Marley's Tuff Gong label intended on putting out the Meditations new album, and released the exuberant "Miracles" single. A number of Wailers provided musical accompaniment on that song, as well a clutch of other recordings from this period. Unfortunately, Cridland had a falling out with Tuff's label manager, and with that, the projected album was no more. However, the Meditations did perform two songs at the legendary Peace Concert at Marley's request. It was 1980 before the group finally released their third album, Guidance, which was again filled with classic songs. But by then, international interest in reggae was beginning to wane, while Jamaicans were now under the thrall of the DJs.


Three more years passed before the trio returned with another full-length, No More Friend, sublimely backed by the Roots Radics. The set was overseen by Linval Thompson, who had produced a number of the group's singles earlier in the decade, including 1982's "Sit Down & Reason." In 1984, the group recorded a handful of songs, including a re-cut "Quiet Woman" and it's flip "Reggae Crazy," both fired by the Revolutionaries. By the end of the year, the Meditations were no more. Or at least not the original Meditations. Cridland carried on alone as Ansel Meditations, while Clarke and Watson continued as a duo under the Meditations name.


Cridland's solo career continued apace, via singles and two albums, 1988's Thunder on the Mountain and 1990's African Vengeance. Later, he joined forces with Yami Bolo for the excellent Tribute to Marcus Garvey album. Meanwhile, the Meditations were making equal in-roads in the States, touring to much success, and finally inking a new record deal with the U.S. Heartbeat label. That resulted in 1988's sublime album For the Good of Man. To the surprise of many fans, some of the set was overseen by Cridland. However, the trio's differences had been more geographical than personal or musical, with Cridland wanting to remain in Jamaica, while his bandmates preferring the greener pastures of the U.S. And so, in 1990, the trio re-formed, and two years later announced the fact on wax with Return of the Meditations. Compilations of their earlier material continued to appear since then, and today the group are seen as elder statesmen of a roots scene that they were so instrumental in defining.