Kingston 14

Personnel: Keith Powell, Dalton Brownie (guitar); Ronald "Nambo" Robinson, Glen DaCosta (saxophone, trumpet); Robert Lyn, Wycliffe "Steely" Johnson (keyboards); Mallory Williams (synthesizer); Lowell Bailey, Style Scott, Sly Dunbar (drums); Errol Graham, Uziah "Sticky" Thompson (percussion).
Audio Mixers: Conrad Malcolm; Noel Hearne.
Recording information: Dynamic Studios, Genoa, Italy; Music Mountain.
Arrangers: Delroy Wright; Al Campbell.
The Wailing Souls belong in any short list of great reggae vocal groups, especially in terms of harmonies and songwriting. The compositions on this '87 set are uniformly gripping, finely writtten and exquisitely performed, despite the fact Winston Matthews, Lloyd McDonald and Devon Bedford are all complementary singers rather than spectacular leads. But their trading of the spotlight and those shimmering harmonies are so superbly done that this slight defect is totally obscured. The Wailing Souls show those unaware of their skills that they're in the pantheon of great reggae trios. ~ Ron Wynn