The Meditations

The Meditations are a Jamaican reggae group formed around singer-songwriting and harmony singing in the mid-1970s. The classic line-up consists of Danny Clarke, Ansel Cridland and Winston Watson. The group is known for roots reggae, with strong use of close vocal harmonies and dub-era studio backing.

Formation and early history

Ansel Cridland moves to Kingston as a child and first works as a jockey apprentice before turning to singing. He forms the vocal group the Linkers during the rocksteady era; the group records nearly a dozen singles, but does not achieve major commercial success. Danny Clarke, who is born in Kingston, sings briefly with the Flames, Alton Ellis’ backing group. A mutual contact introduces Clarke to Cridland, and the pair become close friends. By the early 1970s both are recording as solo singers, though they prefer harmony work. In 1974 they audition together at Channel One, where Junior Delgado is holding auditions for JoJo Hookim. Their performance of “Woman Is Like a Shadow” also leads to Winston Watson joining them with falsetto harmonies, completing the group.

First recordings and debut albums

Hookim records “Woman Is Like a Shadow” but does not release it. The trio continue writing and rehearsing, and in late 1975 Clarke and Watson audition at Federal Studios for Dobby Dobson, recording “Babylon Trap Them” and “Woman Piabba” as solo singles, with Cridland adding backing vocals. In 1976 the three cut Cridland’s “Tricked,” credited to Ansel & the Meditations. That single brings them television exposure and their first Caribbean engagement, on a bill that includes Culture, the Tamlins, Carl Dawkins and Leroy Smart. By the end of 1976 they are officially the Meditations.

They then record steadily with Dobson and release Message From the Meditations, their debut album. The album draws together many of their early singles, including “Woman Is Like a Shadow,” “Running From Jamaica” and “Changing of the Times.”

Wake Up, Lee Perry and Bob Marley connections

In 1978 the group issues Wake Up, which includes “Fly Natty Dread,” “Turn Me Loose,” the title track and a new version of “Nyah Man Story,” a song from Cridland’s Linkers period. Dissatisfied with their pay from Dobson, they end their working relationship with him. Lee “Scratch” Perry, impressed by recordings they make at Black Ark Studio, works with them on a few singles rather than a full album. These include “No Peace,” “House of Parliament” and “Think So.” The latter gains attention in Britain when Island issues it on the flip of the Cridland-produced “Life Is Not Easy.”

Perry also introduces the Meditations to Bob Marley in 1978, leading them to provide backing vocals on Marley recordings including “Rastaman Redemption,” “Blackman Redemption” and “Punky Reggae Party.” During the late 1970s they also supply harmonies for other artists, including Jimmy Cliff and Gregory Isaacs.

Later albums and line-up changes

Towards the end of the 1970s, Marley’s Tuff Gong label plans to release a new Meditations album and issues the single “Miracles,” with musical support from members of the Wailers on that and other recordings from the period. A dispute between Cridland and Tuff Gong’s label manager stops the album from appearing. The group performs two songs at Marley’s Peace Concert at his request.

The Meditations release their third album, Guidance, in 1980. Three years later they return with No More Friend, backed by the Roots Radics and overseen by Linval Thompson, who had produced earlier singles such as “Sit Down & Reason.” In 1984 they record several more tracks, including a new version of “Quiet Woman” and its flip “Reggae Crazy,” both with the Revolutionaries. By the end of that year the original Meditations are no more.

Solo work, partial splits and regrouping

After the split, Cridland continues as Ansel Meditations and releases singles and two albums, Thunder on the Mountain in 1988 and African Vengeance in 1990. He later records Tribute to Marcus Garvey with Yami Bolo. Clarke and Watson continue as a duo under the Meditations name, while the group also builds a following in the United States and signs to the Heartbeat label. This leads to For the Good of Man in 1988, with some of the album overseen by Cridland. The trio reform in 1990 and mark that reunion on record with Return of the Meditations two years later.

Legacy

The Meditations remain associated with roots reggae harmony singing and with a catalogue that includes both group originals and reworkings of earlier songs from Cridland’s career. Their later compilations keep the early recordings in circulation, and the group is regarded as part of the roots reggae tradition they help shape.