Three part harmony group The Mighty Diamonds is one of major cornerstones of the roots reggae movement. They are unique in being able to stay together for more than 40 years, with an equal amount of albums under their belt.
During their long career they worked with virtually every notable Jamaican record producer and on a new three disc compilation – two CD and one DVD – showcasing their impressive career, no less than 13 producers are credited, including the Diamonds themselves along with Bunny Lee, Augustus “Gussie” Clarke, Joe Gibbs, Donovan Germain, Augustus Pablo and, of course, Joseph Hoo Kim, for whom they recorded some of their biggest hits, including Right Time, Shame and Pride and Have Mercy. All taken from their rightly celebrated 1976 debut album Right Time aka I Need A Roof.
Pass the Knowledge is a remarkable 39-track selection showcasing some of the group’s most essential hits plus five previously unreleased dubplate exclusives. Included are also a number of more unknown gems, such as a swirling version of The 5th Dimension’s Let the Sunshine In, the relentless Gates of Zion and the pulsating Morgan the Pirate.
Vocal harmony groups have always been an integral part of reggae music, especially in the 60s and 70s. And this set shows that Jamaican musicians managed to take influences from Motown and the Philadelphia sound and make something truly unique. This is timeless, smooth and suffering harmonizing set to a banging reggae back drop.
Reggaemani 