The Abyssinians, Big Youth

On May 19, 2026, The Black Lab in Wasquehal will host The Abyssinians and Big Youth.

Born in Kingston in the late 1960s, The Abyssinians established themselves as a roots vocal trio led by Bernard Collins and brothers Donald and Lynford Manning. Tight harmonies informed by gospel and soul, a measured tempo and deep basslines: their signature draws as much from Sam Cooke and Curtis Mayfield as from the Rasta imagination. Satta Massagana, first recorded at Studio One and later on their Clinch label, accompanied the shift from rocksteady to roots and cemented their name. Forward On To Zion (1976) and Arise (1978) crystallized a sound threaded with biblical references and Amharic words. Revived in the 1990s—most notably with Reunion—the group continues to present on stage ensemble singing that is both spiritual and socially engaged.

Born in Kingston in 1949, Big Youth, aka Manley Augustus Buchanan, is one of the key voices in the rise of Jamaican deejaying in the early 1970s. In the wake of U-Roy and the sound system scene, he refined a toasting style that blends spoken phrasing, singing and Rasta slogans. Singles like S.90 Skank and Chi Chi Run placed him at the heart of the emerging roots movement, later followed by Screaming Target (1973), Dreadlocks Dread (1975) and Natty Cultural Dread (1976). His precise diction and improvised commentary span themes of urban daily life, social justice and spirituality. Still active, reissued and frequently sampled, he links the golden age of sound systems to contemporary audiences.