Time Unlimited

Time Unlimited came together as a Jamaican vocal group in the early 1970s under the guidance of Orville Smith. Joining Smith in the original quartet were Junior Delgado, Glasford Manning and Hugh Marshall. During 1973 the ensemble laid down tracks at Lee Perry’s Black Ark studio, yet only ‘Reaction’ and ‘The Twenty Third Psalm’ saw release. After those sessions the singers worked with Tommy Cowan and Warrick Lyn’s Talent Corporation as well as Total Sounds, where ‘Give Me Love’ appeared. Frustrated by industry dealings, the four members parted ways in 1975. Each went on to notable individual work: Junior Delgado launched a busy solo path, Smith cut the assertive hit ‘Won’t Give Up’ with Dennis Brown, and Manning entered the underrated vocal group the Jewels for their classic ‘Love And Livity’. Years later Smith revived the name as a trio, bringing in Hugh Blackwood and Donovan Joseph. Both newcomers arrived with strong credentials; Blackwood’s first recording, ‘Pick Your Choice’, had been produced by veteran DJ Sir Lord Comic and scored a sizeable 1973 hit, while Joseph had already collaborated with Gregory Isaacs and the Congos. By 1980 the refreshed lineup issued ‘Living Inna Jamdown’ under Sly And Robbie’s production. Sparse further releases kept the act in relative obscurity until 1982, when they partnered with Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith and the High Times Band. Touring Jamaica with Smith, the group promoted the hits ‘Nature In Love’, ‘One Road’ and ‘Backfire’. They also launched their own brief label, Africa Productions, which folded after just two issues. In 1983 the memorable ‘2000 Years’ emerged, and the singers supplied backing vocals for dub poet Mutabaruka’s ‘Johnny Drughead’. Their debut album, Devils Angel, finally arrived in 1985, spotlighting the conscientious ‘Live Upright’ alongside the analytical ‘African Woman’. Although the collective’s releases proved uneven, their lasting influence on the wider scene remains widely recognized.