One of Canada's first reggae bands, Messenjah formed in Ontario in 1980 when Jamaican-American Errol Blackwood (vocals, bass) and Rupert Harvey (vocals, guitar) began playing together. WEA signed the group in 1982 and released their earlier independent album, Rock You High. After adding percussionist Tony King, Jam Session appeared in 1984. Two years later, Blackwood left for a solo career. Messenjah recorded Cool Operator in 1987 and Rock & Sway in 1990 with a loose conglomeration of musicians, including Hal Duggan (keyboards, bass, vocals), Crash Morgan (drums), Raymond Ruddock (drums, keyboards, percussion, vocals), Charles Sinclair (bass), Eric Walsh (guitar, vocals) and Haile Yates (percussion). ~ John Bush