Third World | Artist

Third World is a Jamaican reggae fusion band formed 1973 in Kingston by Michael "Ibo" Cooper (keyboards), Steven "Cat" Coore (guitar, cello), Richard Daley (bass), Carl Barovier (drums), Irvin "Carrot" Jarret (percussion) and Milton "Prilly" Hamilton (vocals). Coore, Hamilton and Jarret had all previously been with the band Inner Circle, as were singer William "Bunny Rugs" Clarke and drummer Willie Stewart, who joined in 1976. They were soon signed by Island Records and toured Europe with The Wailers. The band's self-titled debut album was released in 1976 and was followed by the excellent 96° in the Shade then Journey to Addis, over the next two years. Journey to Addis gave the band their commercial breakthrough with the single "Now That We Found Love", a cover of the O'Jays tune. While never recapturing the magic of these first three albums, the band has continued to release consistently good albums right up to the present day. Very much like Inner Circle, Third World's hybrid reggae sound is strongly influenced by soul, funk and disco, making them quite distinctive in the context of Jamaican bands of their era. Guitarist Cat Coore said of their music: "The hybrid of various types of music is a natural thing because, by growing up in Jamaica, we know the direct roots of reggae and ska. At the same time we live in a country where you get to hear Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and all the R&B artists.. we took roots reggae music and put branches on top of it." Although it has undergone several line-up changes, Stephen "Cat" Coore and Richard Daley have been constant members and still perform regularly today.

Artist Website: thirdworldband.com

Featured Albums: Third World

Related Artists: Inner Circle

Video Clips: Dancing on the Floor, 96 Degrees in the Shade, Try Jah Love