Black Uhuru
53 images Created 19 Jun 2012
From the tough neighbourhood of Waterhouse in West Kingston came Black Uhuru, another three-piece harmony group; its most commercial incarnation was the third line-up that featured Michael Rose, Puma Jones and Ducky Simpson (left to right on opposite page). Once paired with the production talents of Sly and Robbie (background image), they produced tracks of the quality of 'Plastic Smile', 'General Penitentiary' and 'Abortion'. Signed to Island Records, Black Uhuru were pushed and promoted as a functioning live act with Sly and Robbie as honorary members; their Sinsemilla, Red and Chill Out albums sold strongly, and they became a sizeable concert draw - although London dates became a problem following a fatal stabbing at their London debut at the Rainbow Theatre. Their militancy may have worked against them as their career progressed into the conservative 1980s, and when first Michael Rose left the group in 1985, followed by Puma the next year, the group came to a virtual standstill - sadly, Puma Jones died of cancer in 1990. - ReggaeXplosion