The New First Family of Reggae: Morgan Heritage

In 1994, the Morgan family (Denroy, David, Jeff, Lukes, Memmalatel, Ray, Peter, and Una) released their debut album on MCA titled "Miracle." Considering their billing as "the next generation of reggae," the album was almost a total flop. Each track reeked of popness and major label interference. There was no roots, there was no lovers rock, just mass market reggae.

But three years later, the next generation of reggae was born -- for real this time. 1997's "Protect Us Jah" on VP Records was an outstanding effort, certainly one of the year's best releases. The collaboration with Bobby Dixon turned out to be a Godsend for this (mostly) young group. Lovers tracks like "Love is Flowing," "Let's Make Up," and "Me or You" were hot, but the real strength of this group proved to in roots. "Exalt Jah," "What Man Can Cry," and "Let Them Talk" were excellent classic roots tracks with their feet planted firmly in the present. "Protect Us Jah" was perhaps the most spiritual album of the year.

Could it be a fluke, though, that a group that had put out such a mediocre album the first time around could return so strongly? Not quite. In early 1998, "One Calling" was released, another "year's best" qualifier. This time around King Jammys handled the production, with even better results than Bobby Dixon brought. Out of the 14 tracks on "One Calling," 10 of them were outstanding. Again, roots sounds prevailed on "God is God" ("God is God and man is man, / So it is written, so let it stand"), "Trodding to Zion," and "Iziz to Jah." VP had done it again -- whatever it was that they were doing, it brought out the best in the Morgan family.

Later in 1998, Artists Only! Records released a compilation called "Morgan Heritage and Friends." With Morgan Heritage only prominent on three tracks (Denroy Morgan, Jr.'s "Link Up," the group's "Liberation," and "Fellowship," an excellent tune with Toots Hibbert), it's more of a collection of relative newcomers like Military Man and Jahmali. There are certainly some great tunes here (with Ras Shiloh appearing, you know that there has to be some definite value to the collection), but it's not an essential Morgan Heritage release, despite their high billing.

So what can we expect in 1999? Well, actually, the Morgans have already dropped their third album on VP, "Don't Haffi Dread" ("Don't haffi dread to be a Rasta"). Needless to say, we have another winner on our hands. Packed to the brim with great tracks (18 of 'em on this one), standouts include the title track (which also gets a decent remix job at the end of the disc), "Trodin' Jah Road," and "Earthquake." The formula they've used on their last two VP releases has worked again: very powerful roots with scattered lover's rock resulting in the year's most positive release thusfar. Bobby Dixon returns to the mixing board to work his magic.

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