GROUNDBREAKING British reggae group, Aswad are set to shine at the Dudsbury Country Club tomorrow afternoon from 3pm. The band are probably best known for the 1988 number one, Don't Turn Around and top ten hot Shine from 1994.

The long-running band consists of original members Tony Robinson and Angus Gaye, who will be performing a one hour set with support from DJ's Jay Rachet and Bob Baker. After 21 albums and nearly four decades on the music scene, Aswad remain one of Britain's best loved reggae bands.

Originally led by the trio of Brinsley Forde (on vocals and rhythm guitar), Angus Gaye (on vocals and drums), and Tony Robinson (on bass), Aswad is renowned among reggae fans for their rich melodies and compelling harmonies, woven over hard rhythm tracks and inspired horn riffs.

Aswad (a name derived from the Arabic word for black) was formed in the Ladbroke Grove area of West London in 1974. Along with contemporaries Matumbi, The Cimmarons, and Black Slate, the band was among the first home grown acts to prove that Caribbean music could successfully take root in Europe.

In its early years, Aswad was the only British group to record and perform in concert with several top Jamaican artists, including Burning Spear, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer.

The trio first gained national attention in 1976 when their debut release, Back To Africa, hit the top slot on the UK Reggae Charts. Later in the decade, the band became known for their adventurous fusion of such different musical styles as dancehall, funk, hip-hop and dub.

After a series of successful singles and albums, Aswad earned international acclaim with their reggae version of Don't Turn Around, a song previously covered by both Luther Ingram and Tina Turner.

Released on Island Records in 1988, the Aswad cover version sailed to the top of the UK National charts and was the most-played record on French radio.

Over the years, Aswad's recordings have found them joining forces with a variety of artists, including Dennis Brown, Maxi Priest, Hugh Masakela, Steely & Cleevie, Shabba Ranks, and Sly & Robbie's Taxi Gang.

In 1994, Aswad captured a host of new fans with the release of Rise & Shine, a recording which garnered the band's first Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album of the Year. Rise & Shine spent four weeks at the top slot on the CMJ New World chart and garnered a Top 10 slot on the Billboard reggae chart.

The album was also a major hit in the UK and Japan, where it produced a number one single, Shine, boosting worldwide sales to more than 600,000.

Aswad, after nearly 40 years, are still the purveyors of the UK reggae scene and continue to be a major influence on musical culture.

: For more information please contact dudsburycountryclub.com