Foundation

Foundation is a roots reggae trio formed on Jamaica's north coast in 1977 by lead singer Errol "Keith" Douglas and harmony singers Euston "Ipal" Thomas and Emilio "Father" Smiley. Douglas wrote "Jah Can Do It," which was a hit for Dennis Brown, but the group itself didn't record until 1988, when it entered the studio with Burning Spear producer Jack Ruby to record Flames, which was released that same year, followed by a second album, Heart Feel It. Patterned as a hard cultural roots trio along the lines of Culture, Foundation seemed to be well on its way to a long career when Ruby died of a heart attack in 1989. The group fell off the musical map until six years later, when a third album, One Shirt, was released in 1995. Steady and professional, if somewhat derivative, Foundation still deserves a wider audience. ~ Steve Leggett, All Music Guide