Zap Pow

Formed in 1970, the Jamaican reggae jazz outfit Zap Pow began with trumpeter David Madden, bassist Mike Williams, and guitarist Dwight Pinkney as its core. The lineup later grew to encompass tenor saxophonist Glen DaCosta, organist Danny McFarlane, trombonist Joe McCormack, and drummer Max Edwards; when Edwards exited in 1977, Cornell Marshall took over on drums. Although vocalists Winston “King” Cole, Prilly Hamilton, and Beres Hammond each fronted the group at various points, Zap Pow remained an instrumental ensemble at heart. Its concerts earned legendary status, yet the musicians also functioned as a premier studio session unit. During Hammond’s tenure they scored a modest 1978 hit with “The System,” followed by the major success “This Is Reggae Music,” produced by Harry J. Madden and DaCosta, frequently joined by trombonist Vin Gordon, performed and recorded under the Zap Pow Horns name and backed Bob Marley in that role. The Rhino anthology Reggae Rules gathers the band’s singles issued from 1973 through 1980 and offers an ideal introduction to a unit that fused reggae, jazz, funk, and soul well before such combinations gained widespread acceptance.