Abyssinians: Notes



From: Cedric Angila <cedric@ictv.com>
Newsgroups: rec.music.reggae
Subject: Re: Abyssinians (was Re: Best roots reggaeman!!!)
Date: Tue, 01 Oct 1996 15:58:20 -0700

Robert Nelson wrote:
>
> rocksteady wrote:
>
> > Just a note about the roots of the Abyssinians' sound, Donald and
> > Linford are related to Carlton Manning (brother I think?) of the group
> > Carlton and The Shoes, who had an LP and some singles out for Studio One.
>
> Weren't one of the Manning brothers also an Ethiopian Orthodox priest in
> Jamaica?
>
> Robert--------------------
Yes! Their older brother was an Orthodox priest who actually held the
funiral services and burial for Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. He passed a
couple of years ago. Their younger brother Linford played with his
brother Carlton for a while until Donald asked him to do some recording
with him and Bernard.
Roots,
Cedmon,

From: rastapoo@mailhost.winnet.net (Rastapoodle)
Newsgroups: rec.music.reggae
Subject: Re: Abyssinians (was Re: Best roots reggaeman!!!)
Date: Wed, 02 Oct 1996 02:54:11 GMT

rocksteady <rocksteady@wport.com> wrote:

>Rastapoodle wrote:

>> The Abyssinians have broken up, one reason being Linford is now Christian and refused to tour and be involved in the music business. Donald now has a band "Donald Manning and The Original Abyssinians", because he has rights to the name since he founded the group, formed their Rasta consciousness (was the only Rasta member of the group), and was generally in charge.

>Just a note about the roots of the Abyssinians' sound, Donald and
>Linford are related to Carlton Manning (brother I think?) of the group
>Carlton and The Shoes, who had an LP and some singles out for Studio One
>in the late 60s, the LP might even still be in print. Anyway careful
>listening to Carlton's group reveals the harmony roots of the
>Abyssinians, especially on songs like "Happy Land", etc. I'm not sure,
>but it's possible that one or both or the Manning brothers may have also
>been in this group. Also making the connection, the first Abyssinians
>singles and biggest hit (Satta) were recorded at Studio One. It's too
>bad that Donald & Bernard are in different groups, it can't really be
>the Abyssinians without Bernard, IMHO.
>Al
Allen Kaatz
> \\\\\\\\\\\\ rocksteady@wport.com ////////////

1.Yes, Carlton is the older brother of Donald and Linford Manning.
2. The LP is still available, on the Coxsone label.
3. Yes, the harmony roots are in the Shoes, since Linford Manning and Bernard Collins
were in the Shoes with Carlton.
4. Donald Manning started the Abyssinians and Linford and Bernard joined him, Linford
first.
5. Carlton also played lead and bass for Coxsone at Studio One
6. You never know, Bernard and Donald and Carlton might hook up again soon.............


Anya {{{~.~}}}
Rastapoodle@super.zippo.com
Garden designer, herbalist, aromatherapist, reggae lover
Zone 10 columnist for Organic Gardening Magazine
Reggae Ambassador Worldwide #629
*****"you gotta lively up yourself" -- Bob Marley*****

From: herblady@super.zippo.com (Rastapoodle)
Newsgroups: rec.music.reggae
Subject: Abyssinian CD liner notes
Date: Wed, 02 Oct 1996 21:38:47 GMT

Greetings:

I know we have been talking a lot recently about the new CD "19.95 + Tax" that contains the last 7 songs written and recorded by the Abyssinians, plus another 7 by Donald Manning, founder of the group, who has put out the CD. (It will be available for sale in one week, I will post the source here as soon as they give me permission).

Anyway, I thought that the liner notes to the CD were of interest to the reggae historians/fans that frequent rmr. Donald wrote them to give his side of the story of the history of the Abyssinians. The new CD isn't mentioned in the liner notes until the very end, but a lot of interesting insider information about the early days is. I have re-typed the liner notes exactly as Donald printed them. I am sure they will raise a lot
of discussion and questions, but please note that I cannot answer all of them. I am currently in the midst of interviewing Donald for the Web Magazine Uprising, due to debut in a few months, and he will answer all the questions there. I will copy all your questions and pose them to Donald for his reply.

Here's the liner notes:

The Abyssinians...
This group was formed in 1969, by Donald Manning. The name came about as I, Donald was
growing up, Morty Plano and Ras Dizz came to Knusford Park race track and told us about
Rastafari from the 1950's. Brother Marks thanks to him sold the books to educate us about
Africa, even before the Ethiopian Orthodox Church came to Jamaica. We always celebrated
Rastafari through fasting, prayer, and thanksgiving.
In 1969 Donald Manning and Bernard Collins recorded their first record at Coxen Studio, S.
Morris asked, "What's the name of the song?" D. Manning said, "Satta Amassagana", B.
Collins said, "No! far far away" it caused a argument for a while then S. Morris asked,
"What's the name of the group?" D. Manning said, "Abyssinians", Morris wrote it down and
the tune went out as far far away by the Abyssinians. Donald and Linford Manning and
Bernard Collins sang "Satta Amassagana". Donald, Linford, and Carlton Manning did the
flip side because B. Collins was unable to.
Carlton and Linford along with Henry Alexander sang as Carlton and the shoes before the
"Abyssinians". Because of relitious teachings by D. Manning, Linford left the "shoes" and
the brothers sang as the "Abyssinians" - so it was B. Collins and the "Abyssinians". The
record did nothing as far far away in 1969. I Donald Manning studied the record for a
period of time, I played the bongo and got together with Bongo Herman and Bongo Lez. I
played the bass drum, Herman on repeating, and Lez on Fundae, and we versioned far far
away in 1970. I, Donald Manning gave it the name "Satta Amassagana:, the flip side was
Thunder Story with the congo drum. There was so much versions that the people name
"Satta" Reggae National Anthem, even now some people sing "Satta" in the church.
Al the records on these albums were done equally in business by Donald anbd Linford
Manning and Bernard Collins. Check all Clinch labels and you will see some marked B.
Collins and the Abyssinians. We the "Abyssinians" try our best to stay in the scriptures
other wise called the Bible, because it shows equality to mankind. Linford Manning
decline, he will sing but in the church for Jesus Christ. This is the best and last of
the original "Abyssinians". DAHINA IGIZIABIHER YIMMASGAN. Give thanks to many musicians
that helped along the way that this success came through, and special thanks to Bimbo
Rodrigues most of all thank Jah forever.

Satta Manning

Anya {{{~.~}}}
Rastapoodle@super.zippo.com
Garden designer, herbalist, aromatherapist, reggae lover
Zone 10 columnist for Organic Gardening Magazine
Reggae Ambassador Worldwide #629
*****"you gotta lively up yourself" -- Bob Marley*****


From: Lee O'Neill <loneill@tiac.net>
Newsgroups: rec.music.reggae
Subject: Re: Abyssinian CD liner notes
Date: Thu, 03 Oct 1996 21:22:32 -0700

rocksteady wrote:
>
> Rastapoodle wrote: (Donald Manning says)

> > Bernard Collins sang "Satta Amassagana". Donald, Linford, and Carlton Manning did the
> > flip side because B. Collins was unable to.
>
> Thanks for the info... The flip side he refers to was a song called
> "Jerusalem" a great cut which is very hard-to-find, since as soon as
> "Satta" became popular, the B side was changed to a version called
> "Thunderstorm", as Donald mentions. In ten years of of going to JA and
> collecting records I've found maybe four copies of "Jerusalem". The
> first pressings of Satta with this B side came out on a blank label, but
> every copy I've ever found had "Satta" hand-written on it, not "Far Far
> Away", so somebody at Studio One must have thought that was the title.

Jerusalem was included on Forward, the Abyssinians album put together by Alligator in 1982. It included a few
songs that didn't appear on either of the Abyssinians first two albums and was a very nice release indeed. It
also makes me wonder whatever happened to Alligator's tiny but excellent catalog. I know of the Mighty
Diamonds' Indestructible (my #1 album of 1982), Black Slate and this Abyssinians and all three were wonderful.

From: rocksteady <rocksteady@wport.com>
Subject: Re: more abyssians (CD for sale)
Sender: news@eskimo.com (News User Id)
Reply-To: rocksteady@wport.com
Date: Tue, 10 Sep 1996 22:02:06 GMT

Harald Hammarstrom wrote:
>
> rhatid@idcomm.com wrote:
> >
> > any more abyssians albums out there besides arise and satta masagna
>
> atleast there's one called "forward"

I have a very recent Abyssinians CD called "1995 + Tax" by "The Original
Abyssinians featuring Tesfa Gabriel Manning". It's for sale to the
first person who expresses interest for $8 U.S. I don't think this is
easily available in shops outside of Miami or Kingston, as it is
distributed by Gabriel Manning himself. The CD also features
songwriting and vocals by Bernard Collins.

Al
-

From: highnote@eskimo.com (Allen Kaatz)
Subject: Re: ABYSSINIANS/SATTA MASAGANA
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 1996 18:22:37 GMT

On the music end of it, the harmony style of the Abyssinians in part comes from an earlier group called Carlton & The Shoes, who recorded some great tracks for Coxsone Dodd in the late 60s and early 70s. Carlton Manning (of The Shoes) is the older brother of Donald Manning who is in the Abbysinians... You can hear a similar sound in Carlton & Shoes songs, especially "Happy Land". Satta Masagana was recorded at Studio One, the rhythm was created by bassist Leroy Sibbles, and it was a massive hit when it came out, being versioned off many times. Peter Tosh even cut a record to the rhythm, "Here Comes The Judge". Another great Studio One cut by the group is "Declaration Of Rights", one of my favorites. I think this cut is on one of the Heartbeat Studio One comps, it's worth seeking out to hear it.

They did a tour of Europe in the late 80s, I heard a tape of a show in Paris that sounded fantastic. The leader of The Abbysinians, Bernard Collins, lives in Florida the last I heard, and the group is managed by his wife I think.

* * * Allen Kaatz <highnote@eskimo.com> * * *

Posted: Fri - February 21, 2003 at 09:50 PM      

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