The Meditations

The Meditations are a spiritual-conscious roots reggae vocal harmony group from Jamaica formed in late 1974, who have released several studio albums and are still performing in the 2000s and today.

The Meditations were formed by Ansel Cridland, formerly from The Linkers in late 1974, Danny Clarke formerly from The Righteous Flames and Winston Watson.^[1] After releasing singles credited to the individual members, they began recording as The Meditations in late 1976, shortly after which they released their biggest hit, "Woman Is Like a Shadow", which sold over 45,000 copies in its first month of release.^[2] They recorded in the mid-1970s for producers such as Dobby Dobson, Channel One Studios' Joseph Hoo Kim, and Lee "Scratch" Perry, their spiritually conscious and righteous Rastafarian style gaining comparisons with The Mighty Diamonds.^[1][3] Their first album, Message From The Meditations, was released in 1977. Robert Christgau called it "a nice one" in Christgau's Record Guide (1981), highlighting the "island chauvinism" of songs like "Running from Jamaica", which "gets on those who emigrate to Canada, Britain, the States, and Africa".^[4]

The Meditations sang backing vocals on a number of Bob Marley songs, including "Blackman Redemption", "Punky Reggae Party", and "Rastaman Live Up", as well as providing backing for Gregory Isaacs, Jimmy Cliff and The Congos on their highly regarded and influential Heart of the Congos album, later re-released on Steve Barrow's Blood and Fire (record label).^[2][5]

They appeared at the One Love Peace Concert in April 1978, officially a commemoration of the 12th anniversary of Haile Selassie's state visit to Jamaica, but more famous for the handshake between Michael Manley and Edward Seaga when they joined Bob Marley on stage.^[6]

The Meditations 1983 album, No More Friend, written and sung by Ansel, was produced by Linval Thompson and featured Errol Holt and Style Scott's band, The Roots Radics, and saw them adapting to the sparser, slower, early dancehall sound of the time.^[5]

While Cridland was in Jamaica due to an injury, Clarke and Watson recorded 1988's For The Good of Man without him. Upon his return to the US in 1993, they were reunited for Return of The Meditations.^[5]
All three members by this time were based in the US - Clarke in Phoenix, Arizona, Watson in Seattle, Washington, and Cridland in New York City.^[2]

They have subsequently toured the United States and Europe. In 2015, they released the album Jah Always Find a Way, which featured Sly Dunbar (drums), Lloyd Parks (bass), Ansel Collins and Sidney Mills (keyboards), Dwight Pinkney and Willie Lindo (guitars), and Derrick Barnett (bass).^[7] As of 2011, the group's official lineup consists of Cridland, Laury Webb, and Daddy Lion Chandell.^[7]

Danny Clarke died on 27 July 2024.^[8]

• Message From The Meditations (1977) Wild Flower (JA) / United Artists (UK & US)
• Wake Up (1978) Third World (UK) / Double-D (US/JA)
• Guidance (1979) Tad's/Guidance
• No More Friend (1983) Thompson Sound/Greensleeves
• For The Good of Man (1988) Greensleeves
• Return of The Meditations (1993) Sonic Sounds/Heartbeat
• Ghetto Knowledge (1999) Easy Star
• I Love Jah (2002) Wackies (recorded 1982)
• Stand In Love (2004) Meditations Music (US)
• Jah Always Find a Way (2015) Meditations Music (US)

• Greatest Hits (1984) Shanachie (US) / Greensleeves (UK)
• Deeper Roots: The Best of The Meditations (1994) Heartbeat
• Reggae Crazy: Anthology 1971-1979 (1997) Nighthawk

• 10 Ft Ganja Plant -album: Bass Chalice -song: To Each (2005) ROIR

• The Meditations at Roots Archives
• The Meditations at Rootsdub
• The Meditations discography at Discogs