The Abyssinians + Big Youth

When discussing “close harmonies” in reggae, then The Abyssinians will pop up almost immediately. This legendary roots reggae trio formed in 1968 and even now, sixty years on, they show no signs of stopping. The most popular song of this Kingston trio is ‘Satta Masagana’. The song has become and anthem in the seventies and was played in every Jamaican church, dancehall and on all radio stations. The album with the same name from 1976 is a stone-cold classic. These Jamaican veterans are going to turn this into a terrific reggae party. The Abyssinians have been together as a band for a very long time and have created a massive body of work. ‘Love Comes and Goes’, ‘Forward to Zion’, ‘Declaration of Rights’ and ‘I and I’ are just some examples of their long list of classics.

Next to The Abyssinians, there’s another major star that is performing tonight: Manley Augustus Buchanan, better known as Big Youth. This Jamaican, born in 1949, is one of reggae’s most famous toasters and started DJ’ing in the early seventies. Big Youth’s music is melodious, relaxed and innovative and he is politically and socially engaged.
In the seventies, he released a number of reggae classics, including ‘Screaming Target’ and ‘Isaiah First Prophet of Old’.