Sugar Cane (musical group)
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | Late 1970s |
Key people | Reggie Tsiboe, Linda Taylor, Carroll Thompson (backing vocals) |
| Products | Eurodisco and Caribbean-influenced disco music |
Sugar Cane was a Eurodisco ensemble that combined elements of Latin disco with Caribbean influences, active during the late 1970s. Their most notable achievement was a popular rendition of the Bobby Bloom track "Montego Bay."
Background
The group’s roster included Reggie Tsiboe and Linda Taylor. Tsiboe, who had already gained recognition as a solo artist, wrote both tracks on his 1974 single "Please Don't Bring Your Sister," which was issued by Cube Records. This release garnered favorable critiques, including commendations from Record World. Taylor, formerly a homemaker, had experience performing with a funk ensemble named Sox.
Carroll Thompson auditioned for Sugar Cane and contributed backing vocals. In an interview with Record Collector, she revealed that producer frank Farian was responsible for assembling the group. During the audition, Thompson encountered a vocalist connected to Jamaican producer Leonard Chin.
Visually, the group presented themselves as three men and two women in both live performances and on their album covers.
Sugar Cane attained commercial recognition with their version of "Montego Bay" and subsequently released a Caribbean-disco adaptation of the Loggins and Messina tune "Valhevala." This release marked Linda Taylor’s initial significant breakthrough in her music career.
Career
In October 1977, the group issued a single titled "Coconut-Party" backed with "Chilly Chilly Boo Boo" on EMI 006-32 426. Both compositions were penned by Ben Juris and Benny Lux, with Juris responsible for the arrangements.
"Montego Bay"
Sugar Cane’s take on Bobby Bloom’s hit "Montego Bay" was produced by P. Bellotte and released under Ariola 7716. John Wishart, writing for Record Mirror, praised this version for surpassing Bloom’s original and highlighted the effective use of mixed-gender vocals. Record World also offered positive feedback, noting the strong Latin disco influence and harmonious vocal blend.
The track received airplay across UK radio stations such as Radio Orwell and Radio Blackburn and became a breakout hit by early September 1978, gaining additional support from Beacon Radio in Wolverhampton. In the United States, KDKO Denver added it to their rotation.
Sugar Cane performed on Top of the Pops on September 28, 1978, sharing the stage with acts like Third World and Lindisfarne. By late September, the single advanced from number 43 to number 32 on the UK Disco Top 90 chart and entered the Radio & Record News National Top Singles chart at position 75 in October. It featured prominently on playlists including Swansea Sound, Capital Radio, Piccadilly, Radio Clyde, among others.
The following week saw a slight decline to number 77 on both National Top Singles charts. The track reached its highest position at number 13 on the Music Week Disco Top 40 chart in late October and remained on the primary UK chart for five weeks, peaking at number 54. By mid-November, it held steady at number 36 on the Disco Top 40 chart.
Internationally, "Montego Bay" was distributed in Italy via Dig It DG 1182 and achieved dance chart success there, climbing to number 19 by February 1979.
Further activities
Sugar Cane recorded a rendition of Loggins & Messina’s "Vahevala," though it was mistakenly labeled as "Valhevala" on the single. The B-side featured "Too Bad It Ain't Good," composed by Geoff Bastow, Keith Forsey, and Pete Bellotte. This release appeared on Ariola AHA 533 on February 2, 1979. According to a review in the March 9 issue of Radio & Record News, although many artists had covered this tune previously without notable success, there was cautious optimism that Sugar Cane might replicate their earlier achievements. Tony Jasper from Music Week commented that this Caribbean disco track’s bright and lighthearted vibe could perform well during afternoon radio slots and potentially secure brief chart placement.
According to Music Week, "Valhevala" was added to Radio Victory's playlist in Portsmouth and was gaining traction in airplay. It became a favored selection on stations such as Radio Forth in Edinburgh, Swansea Sound, and BBC Scotland. The single also saw release in Australia in February 1979 through RCA Victor 103247.
As of September 1979, Sugar Cane continued to be listed among artists signed to Ariola/Hansa.
Later career
Linda Taylor became a member of the disco ensemble Gonzales and embarked on a solo journey, achieving success with tracks such as You and Me Just Started and Every Waking Hour. In 1982, Reggie Tsiboe joined the group Boney M before moving into an acting career.
Discography
| Artist | Title | Label & Catalogue | Release Year | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sugar Cane | "Coconut Party" / "Chilly Chilly Boo Boo" | EMI 006-32 426 | 1977 | |
| Sugar Cane | "Montego Bay" / "Topsy Turvy" | Hansa 15764 AT | 1978 | |
| Sugar Cane | "Valhevala" / "Too Bad It Ain't Good" | Hansa International 100 445 | 1979 |
| Compilation Title | Track Included | Label & Catalogue | Year Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Disco Party 2 | "Montego Bay" | Hansa 200 210–320 | 1978 | NL Album Chart Peak: #18, Duration: 7 weeks |
| Disco Night Fever | "Montego Bay" | Hallo RTL 38 141 8 | 1978 | |
| 20 Giganten Vol. 2 | "Montego Bay" | Hansa 200 257–351 | 1978 | |
| Disco Disco | "Montego Bay" | K-Tel BLP 7901 | 1979 | |
| It's My Discothek Vol. 3 | "Montego Bay" | Hansa 200 445–351 | 1979 |