Messenjah is a Canadian-based

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

group that flourished to become one of the most successful and popular reggae groups in the history of Canadian music.

History

Messenjah was formed in 1980 in

Kitchener, Ontario Kitchener is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario, about west of Toronto. It is one of three cities that make up the Regional Municipality of Waterloo and is the regional Administrative centre, seat. Kitchener was known as Berlin until a ...

and released their first album ''Rock You High'' independently in 1982. They were the first Canadian reggae band to be picked up by a major label;

Warner Music Canada Warner Music Canada is the Canadian division of Warner Music Group. The label previously operated as WEA Music of Canada, Ltd. (French: ''WEA Musique du Canada, Ltée''), often shortened to WEA Canada, the Canadian subsidiary of WEA Internationa ...

(also known as WEA). After 1985, the band began working out of

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

. In 1988, the band was featured in the U.S. feature film ''

Cocktail A cocktail is a mixed drink, usually alcoholic beverage, alcoholic. Most commonly, a cocktail is a combination of one or more liquor, spirits mixed with other ingredients, such as juices, flavored syrups, tonic water, Shrub (drink), shrubs, and ...

'' as well as on the film's soundtrack. They were also featured on the soundtrack of the Canadian produced movie ''Milk and Honey'' (1989). Messenjah had toured all over North America as well as in Jamaica for over sixteen years and in 1989 won the

Juno Award The Juno Awards (stylized as JUNOS), or simply known as the Junos, are awards presented by Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to recognize outstanding achievements in Canada's mu ...

for Best Reggae Recording. In 1990, they collaborated on the one-off single "Can't Repress the Cause", a plea for greater inclusion of hip hop music in the Canadian music scene, with Dance Appeal, a supergroup of Toronto-area musicians that included

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

Maestro Fresh Wes Wesley "Wes" Williams (born March 31, 1968) is a Canadian rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and author. He is known professionally by his stage names Maestro Fresh Wes (formerly Maestro Fresh-Wes) or Maestro as a musician, and is credited ...

, Dream Warriors, B-Kool,

Lillian Allen Lillian Allen (born 5 April 1951) is a Canadians, Canadian dub poetry, dub poet, writer and Juno Award winner. Biography Born in Spanish Town, Jamaica, Spanish Town, Jamaica, she left that country in 1969, first moving to New York City, where ...

Michie Mee Michelle Ann Camille McCullock (born November 1, 1970), better known by her stage name Michie Mee, is a Canadian rapper and actress. Canada's first notable female Master of Ceremonies, MC, she is considered a national hip hop music, hip-hop pionee ...

, Eria Fachin, HDV, Dionne, Thando Hyman, Carla Marshall, Jillian Mendez, Lorraine Scott,

Lorraine Segato Lorraine P. Segato (born June 17, 1956, in Hamilton, Ontario) is a Canadian pop singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist for and a principal songwriter of new wave and pop rock group The Parachute Club, with which she continues to ...

, Self Defense,

Leroy Sibbles Leroy Sibbles (born Leroy Sibblies, 29 January 1949) is a Jamaican reggae musician and producer. He was the lead singer for The Heptones in the 1960s and 1970s. In addition to his work with The Heptones, Sibbles was a session bassist and arra ...

, Zama and Thyron Lee White."Urban Music"
. ''

The Canadian Encyclopedia ''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' (TCE; ) is the national encyclopedia of Canada, published online by the Toronto-based historical organization Historica Canada, with financial support by the federal Department of Canadian Heritage and Society of Com ...

''. Messenjah has not released an album since the late 1990s, and it is assumed the group disbanded around that time. The band was originally started by Errol Blackwood (vocals, bass guitar), who left after 1986 to start a solo career, and Rupert "Ojiji" Harvey (vocals, guitar, saxophone). After Errol Blackwood's departure Harvey became the head of the group. Other original band members include Eric Walsh (guitar), Raymond Ruddock (drums), Hal Duggan (keyboard) and Tony King (percussion). Four new members joined in 1987; Roy Garrick (drums), Crash Morgan (drums), Charles Sinclair (bass guitar) and Haile Yeates (percussion). Finally, in 1990 Donovan Black (drums) replaced drummer Crash Morgan. In February 2014, the band reunited for a Bob Marley tribute concert in Toronto. The band now consists of Rupert Harvey (lead vocals, guitar and founding member), Haile Yates (percussion), Robert Stephenson (drums),

Carl Harvey Carl Harvey (born 1 October 1958) is a Jamaican born Canadian guitarist and record producer who recorded as a member of Crack of Dawn and The Aggrovators in the 1970s, and later became guitarist for Toots & the Maytals. Early life and education ...

(lead guitar), Charles Sinclair (bass) and Orville Malcomb (keyboards).

Career highlights

Notable appearances and performances of Messenjah include the Reggae Sun Splash (Montego Bay, Jamaica), World Youth festival (Kingston, Jamaica), World Music Gallery Tour, The Bob Marley Memorial (Long Beach, Ca), Lahaina Civic (Maui, Hawaii), Vermont Reggae Music Festival, The Canadian National Exhibition, Ontario Place Forum, Maple Leaf Gardens, The Omni Theatre (Oakland Ca), Havana Cuba, The Starlight Bowl Amphitheatre. Messenjah also appeared on stage with Nelson Mandela at the Toronto SkyDome in 1998.

Airplay

Messenjah's song "Jam Session" was used for many years as the intro for KCMU (now KEXP-FM)'s long running reggae show Positive Vibrations.

Discography

Albums * 1982: ''Rock You High'' (1983 re-release through WEA) * 1984: ''Jam Session'' (WEA 25–04551) * 1987: ''Cool Operator'' (Version VLP-001) * 1990: ''Rock & Sway'' (Kick Up KUCD-001) * 1990: ''Cool But Deadly'' (Trend) * 1997: ''Catch De Vibe'' * 1998: ''Catch De Vibe DJ BOOM PAC'' (Earth One 1998) Popular singles * "Arrested" * "Rock You High" * "Jam Session" * "Cool Operator" * " Could It Be I'm Falling In Love?" * "Crazy" Soundtrack appearances * 1988: ''Cocktail'' * 1989: ''Milk and Honey'' * 1990: ''What's the Matter with Us?'' - Starring

Raffi Raffi Cavoukian (, born July 8, 1948), known professionally by the mononym Raffi, is an Armenian-Canadian singer-lyricist and author born in Egypt best known for his children's music. In 1992, ''The Washington Post'' called him "the most p ...

*2017: /hai taim/ by Urban Robot

References

External links

*
Messenjah:Catch De Vibe
*
Messenjah Official Site
{{Authority control Black Canadian musical groups Canadian reggae musical groups Juno Award for Reggae Recording of the Year winners Musical groups from Kitchener, Ontario Musical groups established in 1980 1980 establishments in Ontario