Monyaka

Brooklyn, New York, became home to the six-piece reggae ensemble Monyaka, whose Jamaican-born members operated under guitarist and vocalist Errol Moore. When the group scored its 1983 success, the lineup also featured Beres Barnet on guitar and vocals, Paul Henton on bass and vocals, Richard Bertram handling drums and percussion, plus keyboardists William Brown and John Allen. The musicians had first assembled in 1974 under the name Soul Supersonics, providing support for touring reggae artists and issuing their debut single “Rocking Time” three years later. Both that track and the subsequent album Classical Roots appeared on the band’s own Hevyaka imprint in the United States. After adopting the Swahili term Monyaka, meaning “good luck,” the act cut “Stand Up Strong” in 1982. By the following year only three founding members remained, yet the remaining lineup delivered the UK Top 20 single “Go Deh Yaka,” patois for “go to the top,” which blended reggae rhythms with contemporary R&B. Its successor, “Reggae-matic Funk,” attracted little further attention, placing the distinctive outfit among reggae’s many one-hit wonders.