Morgan Heritage Are Set to release new album next month
Reggae band Morgan Heritage announced that they will be releasing their first world music album called The Homeland on April 21. The announcement was made on the artists’ respective Instagram pages. The album’s description as “world music” means it could be a contender in the Grammy’s Global Music category for next year.
Established in 1994, Morgan Heritage was initially a recording octet, then a quintet. However, it has morphed into a trio comprising the three brothers Peter “Peetah” Morgan, Roy “Gramps” Morgan, and Memmalatel “Mr. Mojo” Morgan since then. Morgan Heritage released their debut album Miracle for MCA in 1994, just months after making their first appearance on the main stage at the Reggae Sunsplash music festival. Their follow-up album, More Teachings, peaked at #6 on the reggae charts, while Mission in Progress, which was released in 2008, spent 24 weeks on the charts after peaking at number one.
In 2015, their album Strictly Roots ascended to number one and spent 44 weeks on the charts. That album has the distinction of taking home the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album, over other successful albums such as Jah Cure’s The Cure, Luciano’s Zion Awake, and Barrington Levy’s Acousticalevy in 2016.
The term World Music was initially used in the UK in 1987 to help differentiate music from non-western artists. However, over the years, the term has been shunned, with The Recording Academy (GRAMMYS) changing the name of their “best world music” album category to “best global music” album in 2020. The Academy said that the change was done in a bid to avoid “connotations of colonialism” and “Non-American, and to make the category more “relevant, modern, and inclusive”.
Morgan Heritage’s The Homeland album is a fusion of African and Jamaican sounds. The album features legends and future legends from both places, making it a unique experience for listeners. The album has been described as “world music,” which means it is not limited to any particular genre or style. This album is a departure from their previous albums, which were strictly reggae music. Morgan Heritage’s ability to blend different genres of music is a testament to their versatility and creativity.
The release of The Homeland is a significant milestone for Morgan Heritage, as it marks their first foray into the world music genre. The album is expected to receive critical acclaim and commercial success, given the popularity of the band and their previous successes. Morgan Heritage’s ability to adapt and evolve with the changing times is what has kept them relevant in the music industry for almost three decades.
Morgan Heritage’s The Homeland album is a fusion of African and Jamaican sounds, marking their first foray into the world music genre. The album features legends and future legends from both places, making it a unique experience for listeners. Morgan Heritage’s versatility and creativity are evident in their ability to blend different genres of music. The album is expected to receive critical acclaim and commercial success, given the popularity of the band and their previous successes.
