The Congos are a reggae vocal group from Jamaica which formed as the duo "Ashanti" Roy Johnson (aka Congo Ashanti Roy) (tenor) (b. Roydel Johnson, 1947, Hanover, Jamaica) and Cedric Myton (falsetto) (b. 1947, Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica), later becoming a trio with the addition of Watty Burnett (baritone) (b. early 1950s, Port Antonio, Jamaica), and have been active on and off from the mid-1970s until the present day. They are best known for their "Heart of the Congos" album, recorded with Lee "Scratch" Perry.
(Read more at Wikipedia.)
Links to Peel[]
Huge reggae fan John Peel played the Congos regularly from the late 1970s until the early 2000s, almost exclusively featuring tracks from their celebrated 1977 LP "Heart Of The Congos," recorded at the legendary Black Ark studio with Peel favourite Lee Perry. On his 03 February 1996 (BFBS) show, the DJ described the album as "one of the great LPs of all time."
Although Peel plays for other Congos recordings were limited, the DJ did give airtime to Congo Ashanti Roy after he left the group in the early 1980s, in collaborations with Prince Far I and the Singers & Players collective of UK dub producer Adrian Sherwood.
Festive Fifty Entries[]
- None
Sessions[]
- None
Other Shows Played[]
(includes dub versions of Congos tracks)
The Congos - Row Fisherman
- 1970s
- 05 January 1978: Sodom & Gomorrow (album - Heart Of The Congos) Black Art
- 17 January 1978: Row Fisherman (7") Upsetter
- 29 August 1978: Upsetters: Congo Dub (b-side of double single Row Fisherman by Congos) Upsetter
- 31 August 1978: Upsetters: Congo Dub (b-side of double single Row Fisherman by Congos) Upsetter (also known as Fisher Man Dub by Lee Perry)
- 04 January 1979: Fisherman (LP - Heart Of The Congos) Black Art
- 03 September 1979: Children Are Crying (7") Congo Ashanti
- 1980s
- 12 April 1980 (BFBS): Fisherman (album - Heart Of The Congos)
- 03 February 1981: Row Fisherman Row' (LP - The Heart Of The Congos )
- 05 February 1981 (BFBS): Ark Of The Convenant (album - Heart Of The Congos) Go Feet
- 09 March 1981: Fisherman (7" - Fisherman / Can’t Come In) Go-Feet
- 19 March 1981: Row Fisherman
- 22 October 1981 (& Cedric Myton): Love And Understanding (LP - Face The Music) Go-Feet
- 31 July 1983 (BFBS): Fisherman (album - Heart Of The Congo Man) Black Art
- 02 May 1984 (BFBS): Fisherman (album - Heart Of The Congos) Go Feet BEAT 2
- 1990s
- 27 March 1993: Nicodemus () Upsetter Disco Cork
- 01 July 1994: Fisherman (LP – Heart Of The Congos )’ Black Art
- 09 July 1994 (BFBS): Fisherman (album - Heart Of The Congos) Black Art
- 26 January 1996: Children Crying (LP - Heart Of The Congos) Blood & Fire
- 02 February 1996: La La Bam-Bam (2xCD - Heart Of The Congos )’ Blood & Fire
- 03 February 1996 (BFBS): Children Crying (2xLP-Heart Of The Congos) Blood & Fire (JP: 'One of the great LPs of all time in fact, as I'm sure regular listeners to these programmes will know.')
- 10 February 1996 (BFBS): La La Bam-Bam (2xLP-Heart Of The Congos) Blood & Fire
- 27 February 1997: The Wrong Thing (Alternative Mix) (v/a CD - 2 Heavyweight - Another Blood And Fire Sampler) Blood & Fire
- 05 October 1999: Fisherman (LP – The Heart Of The Congos) Black Art
- 2000s
- 26 April 2001 (Radio Eins): Children Crying
- 10 May 2001: Children Crying (LP: Heart Of The Congos) Blood & Fire Records
- Ashantie Roy / Congo Ashanti Roy
Singers & Players - Breaking Down The Pressure 1983
- 16 August 1980 (BFBS) (& Prince Far I): 83 Struggle (7") Cry Tuff TUFF 001
- 23 August 1980 (BFBS) (& Prince Far I): 83 Struggle (7") Cry Tuff TUFF 001
- 26 August 1980 (& Prince Far I): 83 Struggle (7") Cry Tuff TUFF 001
- 10 May 1981 (BFBS) (& Prince Far I): 83 Struggle (7") Cry Tuff TUFF 001
- 30 May 1983 (with Singers & Players): African Blood (10") On-U Sound
- 05 June 1983 (BFBS) (with Singers & Players): African Blood (10") On-U Sound
- 27 July 1983 (BFBS) (with Singers & Players): African Blood (album - Staggering Heights) On-U Sound
- 06 November 1983 (BBC World Service) (with Singers & Players): Breaking Down The Pressure (10") On-U Sound
- 05 December 1983 (with Singers & Players): Breaking Down The Pressure (10") On-U Sound
- 13 December 1983 (with Singers & Players): Breaking Down The Pressure (10") On-U Sound
- 04 January 1984 (BFBS) (with Singers & Players): Breaking Down The Pressure (10") On-U Sound
- 31 March 1984 (BFBS)) (with Singers & Players): Breaking Down The Pressure (album - Leaps & Bound) On-U Sound
- 31 March 1984 (BFBS)) (with Singers & Players): Moses (album - Leaps & Bound) On-U Sound
- 22 September 2004 (with Singers & Players): Moses (LP - 'Leaps & Bounds') On U Sound
- Watty Burnett
- 22 March 1982: Dancing Shoes (12") Dread At The Controls DATC 007
- 02 February 1997: What A War (Various Artists - The Black Ark Presents Rastafari Liveth Itinually)’ Justice League
- 08 February 1997: What A War (v/a album - The Black Ark Presents Rastafari Liveth Itinually) Justice League JLLP 5001