The Congos

The Congos

The Congos are a Jamaican reggae vocal group from Kingston, active from 1977 to the present. They work in reggae, roots reggae, dub and neo-psychedelia, and are known as a vocal harmony group built around three singers: Watty Burnett, Congo Ashanti Roy and Cedric Myton.

Formation and line-up

The group begins as a duo formed by Ashanti Roy, also known as Roydel Johnson, and Cedric Myton. Roy sings tenor and Myton sings falsetto. They later become a trio when Watty Burnett, a baritone singer, joins them. Myton previously performs with The Tartans in the late 1960s alongside Prince Lincoln Thompson, Devon Russell and Lindburgh Lewis, and also sings with Ras Michael’s group and with Thompson’s Royal Rasses in the mid-1970s.

Heart of the Congos

The group records its best-known album, Heart of the Congos, in 1977 with producer Lee “Scratch” Perry at Black Ark Studio in Kingston. The album includes backing vocals from Gregory Isaacs, The Meditations, and Barry Llewellyn and Earl Morgan of The Heptones. It is widely regarded as a major roots reggae recording and is described as one of the strongest productions from Perry’s career. It is first issued on Perry’s Black Ark label after his dispute with Island Records limits the record’s overseas release and leaves the group dissatisfied. The Congos then organise a limited pressing themselves, and the album is later reissued in the UK by Go Feet in 1980.

Later recordings and changes

After Heart of the Congos, the group records further material, but later releases do not match the profile of the 1977 album. Congo Ashanti is among these later recordings. Burnett leaves the group, followed by Johnson, who pursues a solo career. Myton continues to record under the Congos name with other musicians until the mid-1980s.

Reformation and later work

The Congos reform in the mid-1990s, with Myton and Burnett joined by Lindburgh Lewis, and several albums follow. In 2002 they appear on The Slackers and Friends by The Slackers. In 2005 Myton records Give Them the Rights with backup singers and session players including Sly and Robbie and Earl “Chinna” Smith. In 2006 Blood and Fire issues Fisherman Style, which includes a remixed version of “Fisherman” from Heart of the Congos alongside new versions by artists including Horace Andy, Big Youth, Dillinger, Prince Jazzbo, Luciano, Freddie McGregor, Gregory Isaacs, Max Romeo, Mykal Rose, Dean Fraser, Sugar Minott and U-Roy. In 2008 the group appears in the film Wah Do Dem, performing “Fisherman” and “Congoman Chant” at Helshire Beach outside Kingston. In 2009 Myton, Burnett and Johnson reunite with Perry for Back in the Black Ark, which is recorded at Myton’s studio in Portmore and at Mixing Lab in Kingston.