Messenjah, the Kitchener, Ontario reggae band billed as the first Canadian reggae act signed to a major label, has released a new single, “No More.” The band says the track carries the same intensity as its earliest material, more than four decades after forming in 1981.
The group is led by founding member Rupert “Ojiji” Harvey alongside Carl “Carlos Bandana” Harvey, known for his work with Toots and the Maytals, with Charles Sinclair on bass, Orville Malcolm on keyboards and newest member Sammo on drums. According to the announcement, Harvey wrote “No More” with Malcolm and Sinclair, who also produced the track.
Messenjah’s history includes performances at Jamaica’s Reggae Sunsplash, an appearance in the film Cocktail, and a 1998 performance for Nelson Mandela at Toronto’s SkyDome, the same year the band won a Juno Award. Warner Music Canada previously reissued the group’s catalogue, and the band reunited for a 2014 Bob Marley tribute show in Toronto.
Based on a press release provided to Music Industry Weekly by Eric Alper, thatericalper.com.