Biography
The Itals rank among Jamaica's foremost harmony ensembles for sustaining the core sound and ethos of roots reggae well into the dancehall years. Recognition trailed behind that of peer vocal trios from the roots period such as Culture, the Mighty Diamonds, and the Wailing Souls, in part because their output remained limited to 45-rpm singles through the 1970s. Entry into LP territory during the 1980s drew strong praise from reggae specialists, notwithstanding the swift decline of roots styles in Jamaica as dancehall gained dominance. Consistent studio work throughout the 1980s supported continued road activity and intermittent album releases into the 1990s.
Roots for the Itals extend to the 1960s in the rural community of Savanna la Mar within Jamaica's Westmoreland Parish. Vocalists and classmates Alvin "Keith" Porter and Ronnie Davis established the Westmorelites in the early 1960s and rehearsed together into their teenage years. Davis exited by 1967 to join the Tennors, after which Roy Smith aligned with Porter. The Westmorelites cut the single "Miss Hitie Titie" for Clement "Coxsone" Dodd's Studio One label in early 1967. Meanwhile the Tennors emerged as one of Jamaica's notable overlooked rocksteady acts, achieving multiple hits across 1967-1968 frequently with Davis on lead vocals or co-writing duties. Local vocalist Lloyd Ricketts, initially active in the Terrors, participated at times with both the Tennors and the Westmorelites before formally entering the latter in 1969. The lineup dissolved soon afterward when Porter accepted a position with Soul Hermit, a unit that performed across Jamaica's tourist venues.
Porter, Davis, and Ricketts each pursued solo recordings in the early 1970s, with Davis attaining the greatest success. Porter shifted in 1971 to the Future Generation, another tourist-oriented band, and performed widely across Jamaica for several years. He returned to Kingston in 1975 and reconnected with Davis, who had recently secured a substantial hit via "Won't You Come Home," issued on producer Lloyd Campbell's SpiderMan label. Davis supplied Porter with the instrumental rhythm track, prompting Porter to compose "In a Dis Ya Time." He recorded the track for Campbell in 1976, incorporating harmony vocals from Davis. Initial pressings credited Keith & Ronnie, yet the record's strong performance necessitated a stronger group identity; the name Itals was adopted, drawn from a Rastafarian expression denoting natural and pure. Subsequent editions bearing the Itals name propelled "In a Dis Ya Time" to the top of the Jamaican charts.
With a major hit secured, Porter and Davis elected to continue as the Itals and recruited longtime associate Lloyd Ricketts to restore the standard three-part harmony format favored by Jamaican vocal groups. Over the ensuing years the Itals issued numerous high-caliber singles steeped in Rastafarian themes, many penned by Porter, including "Don't Wake the Lion," "Brutal," "Temptation," "Time Will Tell," and "You Don't Care." The trio signed with Nighthawk Records in 1981 and completed its debut LP, Brutal Out Deh. Blending fresh tracks with re-recordings of earlier singles, the album earned favorable notices in the United States and United Kingdom. The 1983 follow-up Give Me Power! emphasized social commentary over purely spiritual concerns and coincided with the group's inaugural American tour, backed by the Roots Radics.
Completion of the third album, Rasta Philosophy, occurred in 1987; the release garnered solid reception and secured a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album. Ricketts received a prison sentence shortly afterward, leading to a temporary substitution by former solo artist David Isaacs. When Ricketts proved unable to reenter the United States legally, Isaacs assumed a permanent role. His first appearance on record came with 1989's Cool and Dread, the final Nighthawk release of new Itals material. The group shifted to Rhythm Safari for 1991's Easy to Catch, after which activity paused for a period even as extensive touring persisted. Davis departed in 1994 to establish the backing ensemble Idren alongside former Westmorelite Roy Smith and Ricketts; the unit released Come Straight in 1997. Porter's daughter Kada assumed Davis's position and debuted on 1998's Modern Age, which also included guest vocals from Ricketts.
Roots for the Itals extend to the 1960s in the rural community of Savanna la Mar within Jamaica's Westmoreland Parish. Vocalists and classmates Alvin "Keith" Porter and Ronnie Davis established the Westmorelites in the early 1960s and rehearsed together into their teenage years. Davis exited by 1967 to join the Tennors, after which Roy Smith aligned with Porter. The Westmorelites cut the single "Miss Hitie Titie" for Clement "Coxsone" Dodd's Studio One label in early 1967. Meanwhile the Tennors emerged as one of Jamaica's notable overlooked rocksteady acts, achieving multiple hits across 1967-1968 frequently with Davis on lead vocals or co-writing duties. Local vocalist Lloyd Ricketts, initially active in the Terrors, participated at times with both the Tennors and the Westmorelites before formally entering the latter in 1969. The lineup dissolved soon afterward when Porter accepted a position with Soul Hermit, a unit that performed across Jamaica's tourist venues.
Porter, Davis, and Ricketts each pursued solo recordings in the early 1970s, with Davis attaining the greatest success. Porter shifted in 1971 to the Future Generation, another tourist-oriented band, and performed widely across Jamaica for several years. He returned to Kingston in 1975 and reconnected with Davis, who had recently secured a substantial hit via "Won't You Come Home," issued on producer Lloyd Campbell's SpiderMan label. Davis supplied Porter with the instrumental rhythm track, prompting Porter to compose "In a Dis Ya Time." He recorded the track for Campbell in 1976, incorporating harmony vocals from Davis. Initial pressings credited Keith & Ronnie, yet the record's strong performance necessitated a stronger group identity; the name Itals was adopted, drawn from a Rastafarian expression denoting natural and pure. Subsequent editions bearing the Itals name propelled "In a Dis Ya Time" to the top of the Jamaican charts.
With a major hit secured, Porter and Davis elected to continue as the Itals and recruited longtime associate Lloyd Ricketts to restore the standard three-part harmony format favored by Jamaican vocal groups. Over the ensuing years the Itals issued numerous high-caliber singles steeped in Rastafarian themes, many penned by Porter, including "Don't Wake the Lion," "Brutal," "Temptation," "Time Will Tell," and "You Don't Care." The trio signed with Nighthawk Records in 1981 and completed its debut LP, Brutal Out Deh. Blending fresh tracks with re-recordings of earlier singles, the album earned favorable notices in the United States and United Kingdom. The 1983 follow-up Give Me Power! emphasized social commentary over purely spiritual concerns and coincided with the group's inaugural American tour, backed by the Roots Radics.
Completion of the third album, Rasta Philosophy, occurred in 1987; the release garnered solid reception and secured a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album. Ricketts received a prison sentence shortly afterward, leading to a temporary substitution by former solo artist David Isaacs. When Ricketts proved unable to reenter the United States legally, Isaacs assumed a permanent role. His first appearance on record came with 1989's Cool and Dread, the final Nighthawk release of new Itals material. The group shifted to Rhythm Safari for 1991's Easy to Catch, after which activity paused for a period even as extensive touring persisted. Davis departed in 1994 to establish the backing ensemble Idren alongside former Westmorelite Roy Smith and Ricketts; the unit released Come Straight in 1997. Porter's daughter Kada assumed Davis's position and debuted on 1998's Modern Age, which also included guest vocals from Ricketts.
Albums
