The Congos

The Congos

Also known as: Congo

The Congos are a Jamaican reggae vocal group from Jamaica which formed as the duo "Ashanti" Roy Johnson (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.

History
Myton had previously been a member of The Tartans in the late 1960s (along with Prince Lincoln Thompson, Devon Russell and Lindburgh Lewis), and Ras Michael's group, and had recorded with Thompson's Royal Rasses in the mid-1970s. He formed the Congos, initially as a duo with Johnson, recording the single "At the Feast" for Lee "Scratch" Perry. Perry expanded the group to a trio with the addition of Burnett, this line-up recording the classic roots reggae album Heart of the Congos in 1977 at Perry's Black Ark studio. The album featured backing singers such as Gregory Isaacs, The Meditations, and Barry Llewellyn and Earl Morgan of The Heptones. The album has been described as "the most consistently brilliant album of Scratch's entire career". Perry's previous productions by Max Romeo and Junior Murvin had been commercial successes thanks to a deal with Island Records, but Perry was in dispute with Island at the time the Congos' album was finished, so it was released on his own Black Ark label, limiting its success overseas, and causing a rift with the group. The Congos went their own way, organising a limited pressing of the album themselves. United Kingdom label Go Feet eventually reissued the album in 1980, and although the group had recorded new material since leaving Perry, Heart of the Congos proved a hard act to follow and their other releases suffered as a consequence. Albums such as Congo Ashanti were sparser and sounded ordinary compared to Perry's kitchen-sink-and-all style of production. Burnett quit the group, soon followed by Johnson, who embarked on a solo career. Myton continued to record as The Congos with various other musicians until the mid-1980s. In the mid-1990s, The Congos reformed, with Myton and Burnett joined by Lindburgh Lewis, several albums following in subsequent years. In 2005 Myton recorded Give Them the Rights with a host of backup singers and session players such as Sly and Robbie and Earl "Chinna" Smith, in the spiritual 1970s roots vein. In 2006, the UK reggae revival label Blood and Fire released the album Fisherman Style featuring a remixed version of the classic cut "Fisherman" from Heart of the Congos plus such musicians as Horace Andy, Big Youth, Dillinger, Prince Jazzbo, Luciano, Freddie McGregor, Gregory Isaacs, Max Romeo, Mykal Rose, Dean Fraser, Sugar Minott, and U-Roy doing their own new versions over the original rhythm. In 2002, they appeared on the album The Slackers and Friends by the ska/reggae band The Slackers. In 2008, The Congos appeared in the independent feature film, Wah Do Dem which captures them performing "Fisherman," and "Congoman Chant," under a full moon at Helshire Beach outside Kingston. In 2009, Myton, Burnett, and Johnson reunited with Perry to record the album Back in the Black Ark, which, despite its title, was recorded at Myton's studio in Portmore and at Mixing Lab, Kingston.

Credits & Appearances (10)

Production
Producer 2
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Congo Ashanti Congo Congo Ashanti CBS 83796 LP CBS 1979 1979
Image Of Africa Cedric Myton & Congo Image Of Africa LP CBS 1979 1980
Musicians
Backing Vocals 1
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Graduation In Zion Kiddus I Graduation In Zion DSR CD 001 CD Dub Store 1978-80 2007
Percussions 1
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Congo Ashanti Congo Congo Ashanti CBS 83796 LP CBS 1979 1979
Vocals 3
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Heart Of The Congos The Congos Heart Of The Congos LP 4049 LP Black Art 1977 1977
Lion Treasure The Congos Lion Treasure CD JDC 197X-8X 2001
Face The Music Cedric Myton & The Congos Face The Music LP Ariola 1981 1981

Also Appears On (24)

Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Dubwise & Otherwise Various Artists Dubwise & Otherwise BFCDS 903 CD Blood And Fire 2000
King Scratch Lee Scratch Perry King Scratch TJDCD 605 CD Trojan 1969-2002 2022
The Best Of Lee Scratch Perry Lee Scratch Perry The Best Of Lee Scratch Perry TJDCD 550 CD Trojan 196X-7X 2016
Trojan Upsetter Box Set Various Artists Trojan Upsetter Box Set TJETD 021 CD Trojan 196X-8X 2002
Ultimate Collection Various Artists Ultimate Collection CD 314541301-2 CD Hip-O 1970-79 2000
Build The Ark Various Artists Build The Ark PERRY 3 CD Trojan 1972-76 1990
2 Heavyweight Various Artists 2 Heavyweight BAFCD 017 CD Blood And Fire 1973-79 1997
Open The Gate Various Artists Open The Gate PERRY 2 CD Trojan 1974-76 1989
Disco Devil Lee Scratch Perry & Friends Disco Devil UMC 9802 CD Trojan 1975-79 2012
Punky Reggae Party Various Artists Punky Reggae Party TJDDD 040 CD Trojan 1975-80 2002
Baffling Smoke Signal Various Artists Baffling Smoke Signal CDHB 252 CD Heartbeat 1976-78 2002
Arkology Various Artists Arkology CRNCD 6 CD Island 1976-79 1997
A History Of Jamaican Vocal Harmony Various Artists A History Of Jamaican Vocal Harmony MRMCD 11 CD Munich 197X 1996
Play On Mr. Music Lee Perry Play On Mr. Music RSUPCD 001 CD Rock A Shacka 197X 2020
Roots Music Various Artists Roots Music KSCD 005 CD Jamaican Recordings 197X 2005
Run It Red Various Artists Run It Red BAFCD 047 CD Blood And Fire 197X 2005
Singerman Various Artists Singerman BFCDS 906 CD Blood And Fire 197X 2007
Stand And Give Praise Various Artists Stand And Give Praise SPECXX 2043 CD Trojan 197X 2010
Dub Echoes Various Artists Dub Echoes SJRCD 201 CD Soul Jazz 197X-20XX 2009
Dub Sessions Various Artists Dub Sessions SESHDCD 211 CD Union Square Music 197X-8X 2003
The Kings Of Reggae Various Artists The Kings Of Reggae RR 066-067 LP BBE 197X-9X 2007
The RAS Portrait Series Various Artists The RAS Portrait Series CD RAS 198X
Trojan Ras Reggae Box Set Various Artists Trojan Ras Reggae Box Set TJETD 152 CD Trojan 198X-9X 2004
Fisherman Style Various Artists Fisherman Style BAFCD 050 CD Blood And Fire 2005 2006
7 albums
10 credits
9 labels
1977 - 2007