The Meditations

In the great tradition of Jamaican vocal trios, the Meditations held their own, performing excellent reggae with an earthy Roots feel. Their 1976 album Message from the Meditations instantly established their warm style, with Ansel Cridland, Danny Clarke and Winston Watson trading off on lead vocals -- though Cridland later established himself as the group's main singer. Messages of love, unity and Rastafarianism work their way over minor-key harmonies and crisp backing from great drum and bass duos like Sly and Robbie or Carton and Aston Barrett. Their backing vocals are tight and smooth, flittering about in a falsetto so sweet that the band could be mistaken for a Motown act like the Temptations or the Impressions -- groups whose influence shines through on all of the Meditations' great recordings. Many artists took advantage of this sound; Bob Marley, Lee Perry, Jimmy Cliff and Gregory Isaacs are just a few of the artists that called on the Meditations for backup.