Foundation

A roots reggae vocal trio, styled after classic acts like Culture and Burning Spear, Foundation formed in 1977 around lead singer Errol "Keith" Douglas in the St Ann's area of Jamaica's north coast. Douglas's chief claim to fame prior to Foundation was as the writer of Dennis Brown's "Jah Can Do It" - Douglas had recorded it himself for producer Joe Gibbs on a fame-hunting exucursion to Kingston, but Gibbs had, instead, got Brown to re-voice the track. Douglas returned to the north coast for a rethink, and founded Foundation with Emilio "Father" Smiley (ex-Revealers) and Euston "Ipal" Thomas. The trio wrote and practised for months, but by the time they had arrived at the yard of producer Jack Ruby, who had overseen Burning Spear's classic Marcus Garvey, he was winding down his recording activities. He did however, promise that "when the time was right" he would take them into the studio, and Ruby kept that promise almost a decade later when he signed them to Island Records for their debut set, Flames, co-produced and somewhat overwhelmed by the guitar of Steven "Cat' Coore of Third World. The group appeared on Sly And Robbie's 1988 Rhythm Killers tour, before releasing a much-improved second set, 1989"s Heart Feel It. However, just after its completion producer Jack Ruby died of a heart attack, and Foundation fell silent once more.