Amazulu

A ska outfit dominated by women notched multiple UK chart entries during the mid-1980s. Its personnel included lead singer Annie Ruddock (born Ann-Marie Teresa Antoinette Ruddock on 2 July 1961), bassist Claire Kenny, saxophonist Lesley Beach (born 30 September 1954), percussionist Sharon Bailey (born 22 November 1957), guitarist Margo Sagov, and the sole male member, drummer Nardo Bailey. The group first registered on the lower reaches of the British singles listings with “Cairo,” then climbed higher when “Excitable” entered the Top 20 in July 1985. Additional successes followed, among them “Don’t You Just Know It,” the number-5 hit “Too Good To Be Forgotten,” and “Montego Bay.” Island Records issued their album in 1986. Following a bitter split, Ruddock, Sharon Bailey, and Beach briefly continued under the name Amazulu II. Claire Kenny subsequently joined the original formation of Coming Up Roses and later worked as a session musician with Shakespear’s Sister and Sinéad O’Connor.