Sugar Cane (musical group)

Sugar Cane
Origin	Germany
Genres	Disco, pop
Years active	(c) 1977 - 1979
Labels	Ariola, Hansa, EMI, Sonopresse
Past members	Reggie Tsiboe Linda Taylor

Sugar Cane was a Eurodisco group with Latin disco and Caribbean musical style. They had several singles released in the late 1970s. They found greater success with their version of the Bobby Bloom hit "Montego Bay" which is what the group is more likely to be remembered for.

Background

The lineup included Reggie Tsiboe and Linda Taylor.^[1][2] Tsiboe was already a recording artist and had composed both sides of his 1974 single, "Please Don't Bring Your Sister" which was credited to Reggie Seeboe and released on Cube Records.^[3][4] The single was actually reviewed by Ron McCreight for the April 27, 1974 issue of Record World. Calling it a most interesting single for many weeks, he also said that it deserved to be a world-wide smash.^[5] Taylor, a former housewife had been in a funk band called Sox for a period of time.^[6]

Carroll Thompson auditioned for the group at one stage and was a backing singer.^[7] In an interview for the Record Collector magazine, Thompson said that frank Farian had put the group together. At the audtion she met a girl who turned out to be the niece of the legendary Jamaican producer, Leonard Chin.^[8]

Visually in performance and on record covers, the group was composed of three males and two females.^[9][10]

The group had good success with "Montego Bay" and followed up with their Caribbean-disco version of the Loggins and Messina song "Valhevala".^[11] This was also the first success that Linda Taylor encountered in her career.^[12]

Career

A single "Coconut-Party" bw "Chilly Chilly Boo Boo" credited to the group was released on EMI 006-32 426 in October 1977.^[13] Both sides were composed by Ben Juris and Benny Lux. Juris handled the arrangements of both sides.^[14][15]

"Montego Bay"

The group recorded their version of the Bobby Bloom hit, "Montego Bay". It was produced by P. Bellotte and released on Ariola 7716.^[16] John Wishart gave the song a very good review in the August 12 issue of Record Mirror with Wishart saying that "Montego Bay" was such a good song that it could withstand any treatment. He said that in some ways it was an improvement on Bobby Bloom's 1970 hit and it was nice to hear men and women sharing vocals for a change.^[17] Their single was also reviewed in the August 19 issue of Record World. A Single Pick, the Latin disco element was called a perfect fit and the fitting together of the harmony vocals with the smooth instrumentation were noted.^[18] The August 19 issue of Music Week showed that the single was an ad on at Radio Orwell in Ipswich and Pat Gibson of Radio Blackburn had it as a hit pick.^[19]

According to the September 2 issue of Music Week, the single was now a breaker.^[20] It was also an add on at Beacon Radio in Wolverhampton.^[21] It was getting played in the US. It was shown by Cash Box in the September 9 issue that it was an add on at KDKO in Denver.^[22]

Sugar Cane appeared on Top of the Pops which was aired on 28 September. Other acts to appear on that same episode included Third World with "Now That We've Found Love", Lindisfarne with "Juke Box Gypsy" and Frankie Miller with "Darlin’".^[23]

Now in the charts and a hit, it had moved from no. 43 to no. 32 on the UK Disco Top 90 for the week of September 30, 1978.^[24] On the week of October 13 it debuted at no. 75 in the Radio & Record News National Top Singles chart.^[25] It also did the same in the Independent Record National Top 100 Singles chart.^[26] It was also on the Swansea Sound 257 playlist,^[27] the 208 Top 40 playlist, the Big L Disco Dozen playlist, the Radio Tees playlist,^[28] the Capital Radio 194 playlist, the Piccadilly 261 playlist, the Radio Clyde playlist, the Radio Trent playlist, and the 194 Radio Forth playlst.^[29] The following week it had dropped down to no 77 on both the Radio & Record News National Top Singles and Independent Record National Top 100 Singles charts.^[30][31]

It peaked at no. 13 on the Music Week Disco Top 40 chart on the week of October 21.^[32][33] It would spend five weeks on the main UK chart, peaking at no. 54.^[34] It was still in the Music Week Disco Top 40 chart at no. 36 on the week of November 18.^[35] The single had also been released in Italy on Dig It DG 1182.^[36] It became a dance hit for them there and for the week of February 17, 1979, it was at no. 19.^[37]

Further activities

They recorded the Loggins & Messina song "Vahevala" but the single was mis-spelt as "Valhevala".^[38][39][40] Backed with the Geoff Bastow, Keith Forsey, Pete Bellotte composition "Too Bad It Ain't Good",^[41] it was released on Ariola AHA 533 on February 2, 1979.^[42] It was reviewed in the March 9 issue of Radio & Record News. The song had been covered by many artists but had never been a hit and it kept popping up from time to time. The reviewer said it could do the same as the previous record, but was guarded in predicting success.^[43] There was to be expected interest following their previous hit. Tony Jasper commented in the February 24 issue of Music Week that the Caribbean disco number with its light and bright feel with the vocals and instrumentation, it should do well on afternoon programs and there could be a brief chart outing.^[44]

It was reported by Music Week that "Valhevala" was added to the playlist of Radio Victory in Portsmouth.^[45] Their single was now doing well on air. It was reported in the February 24, 1979 issue of Music Week that it was a hit pick on Radio Forth in Edinburgh,^[46] Swansea Sound in Swansea, BBC Scotland^[47] The record had been released in Australia that month on RCA Victor 103247.^[48]

As of September, 1979, the group was still on the Ariola / Hansa artist roster.^[49]

Later years

Linda Taylor would become a member of the disco group Gonzales, ^[50] and record as a solo artist having hits with "You and Me Just Started"^[51] and "Every Waking Hour".^[52] Reggie Tsiboe would later join Boney M in 1982.^[53][54] Later he would find work as an actor.^[55]

Discography

Singles

Act	Release	Catalogue	Year	Notes
Sugar Cane	"Coconut Party" / " Chilly Chilly Boo Boo"	EMI 006-32 426	1977	[56]
Sugar Cane	"Montego Bay" / "Topsy Turvy"	Hansa 15764 AT	1978	[57]
Sugar Cane	"Valhevala" / "Too Bad It Ain't Good"	Hansa International 100 445	1979	[58]

Various artists compilation appearances

Title	Track	Catalogue	Year	Notes
Super Disco Party 2	"Montego Bay"	Hansa 200 210–320	1978	album chart nl Peak: 18 / weeks: 7
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	[59]

References

1. Futureworld Boney M - REGGIE TSIBOE
2. Record Mirror, April 21, 1979 - Page 12 Gonzalez and the big freeze
3. Future World Boney M - REGGIE TSIBOE
4. Orchard Percussion Studio - Paul Francis's Discography, Singles
5. Record World, April 27, 1974 - Page 40 RECORD WORLD ENGLAND By RON McCREIGHT
6. Record Mirror, April 21, 1979 - Page 12 Gonzalez and the big freeze
7. Apple Music - Carroll Thompson
8. Record Collector, Christmas 2021 - Page 68 CHILLER QUEEN[
9. 45Cat - Record Details, Sugar Cane (Disco), Montego Bay
10. simon taylor channel, Nov 19, 2013 - Sugar Cane Montego Bay TOTP 28 9 78
11. Billboard, March 3, 1979 - Page 120 International, From The Music Capitals Of The World, LONDON
12. Record Mirror, April 21, 1979 - Page 12 Gonzalez and the big freeze
13. Ultratop - Sugar Cane – Coconut-Party
14. hitparade.ch - Sugar Cane – Coconut-Party
15. 45Cat - Sugar Cane – Coconut-Party
16. Record World, August 19, 1978 - Page 22 RECORD WORLD SINGLE PICKS, SUGAR CANE-Ariola 7716
17. Record Mirror, August 12, 1978 - Page 8 SINGLES Reviewed by JOHN WISHART SUGAR CANE: 'Montego Bay'
18. Record World, August 19, 1978 - Page 22 RECORD WORLD SINGLE PICKS, SUGAR CANE-Ariola 7716
19. Music Week, August 19, 1978 - Page 26 AIRPLAY ACTION, Radio Orwell ADD ONS & BBC Blackburn, HIT PICKS
20. Music Week, September 2, 1978 - Page 6 BREAKERS
21. Music Week, September 2, 1978 - Page 27 DEALER GUIDE TO AIRPLAY ACTION, Beacon Radio
22. Cash Box, September 9, 1978 - Page 48 BLACK RADIO HIGHLIGHTS, KDKO - DENVER, ADDS: Sugar Cane, Gino Vannelli, Little River Band, David Gates.
23. tvdb - Top of the Pops / Aired Order / Season 15 / Episode 38, 28th September 1978
24. James Hamilton's Disco Page, September 30, 1978 - UK Disco Top 90 – September 30, 1978, 2 43 Sugar Cane – Montego Bay – Ariola Hansa 7″/12″
25. Radio & Record News, Friday October 13, 1978 - Page 41 W/E OCTOBER 13 1978 NATIONAL TOP 100 SINGLES, This Week 75, Last Week _
26. Radio & Record News, Friday October 13, 1978 - Page 23 THE INDEPENDENT RECORD CHART NATIONAL TOP 100 SINGLES, This Week 75, Last Week _
27. Radio & Record News, Friday October 13, 1978 - PLAYLIST, Swansea sound 257 Week commencing 8 October Swansea Sound Playlist
28. Radio & Record News, Friday October 13, 1978 - Page 42 PLAYLISTS
29. Radio & Record News, Friday October 13, 1978 - Page 46 PLAYLISTS
30. Radio & Record News, Friday October 20, 1978 - Page 73 W/E OCTOBER 20 1978 NATIONAL TOP 100 SINGLES, This Week 77, Last Week 75
31. Radio & Record News, Friday October 20, 1978 - THE INDEPENDENT RECORD CHART NATIONAL TOP 100 SINGLES, This Week 77, Last Week 75
32. Music Week, October 21, 1978 - Page 51 CHARTS, DISCO TOP 40, 13, (19)
33. Music Week, October 28, 1978 - Page 49 CHARTS, DISCO TOP 40, 22, (13)
34. Official Charts - MONTEGO BAY SUGAR CANE
35. Music Week, November 18, 1978 - Page 46 CHARTS PERFORMANCE, DISCO TOP 40, 36, (28)
36. 45Cat - Sugar Cane (Disco) - Discography, Italy
37. Hit Parade Italia - Dance Chart, Settimana del 17 Febbraio 1979, ( da Discoteche dell'Associazione Italiana Disck Jockey ), 19
38. Music Week, February 24, 1979 - Page 31 MUSIC WEEK FACT SHEETS COMPILED BY TONY JASPER, SINGLES
39. Song Facts - Vahevala by Loggins and Messina
40. Dutch Charts - SUGAR CANE - VALHEVALA
41. Celebri - Sugar Cane, Valhevala / Too Bad It Ain't Good
42. Music Week, February 24, 1979 - Page 31 MUSIC WEEK FACT SHEETS COMPILED BY TONY JASPER, SINGLES
43. Radio & Record News, Friday March 9, 1979 - Page 32 SINGLE REVIEWS, SUGAR CANE Valhevala
44. Music Week, February 24, 1979 - Page 31 MUSIC WEEK FACT SHEETS COMPILED BY TONY JASPER, SINGLES
45. Music Week, February 17, 1979 - Page 26 AIRPLAY ACTION, Radio Victory PORTSMOUTH, ADD ONS
46. Music Week, February 24, 1979 - Page 25 DEALER GUIDE TO AIRPLASY ACTION, Radio Forth EDINBURGH, HIT PICKS
47. Music Week, February 24, 1979 - Page 28 Swansea Sound, SWANSEA, HIT PICKS, BBC Scotland, HIT PICKS
48. 45Cat - Sugar Cane (Disco) - Discography
49. Music Week, September 15, 1979 - Page 12 ARIOLA ADVERTORIAL, ARTIST ROSTER, Ariola/Hansa
50. Record World, September 6, 1980 - Page 12 Record World Single Picks, B.O.S./Pop, GONZALEZ-Capitol 4921 FELL IN LOVE (prod. by G. & R. Jones)
51. Billboard, September 4, 1982 - Page 48 Billboard Dance/ Disco Top 80, This Week 20, Last Week 13, Weeks on Chart 12
52. Music Week, 31 January, 1987 - Page 11 TOP Dance SINGLES, This Week 71, NEW
53. Who Sampled - Reggie Tsiboe
54. Dr Who Guide - Reginald Tsiboe
55. ShowBizz Site.be - Bio Reggie Tsiboe
56. Ultratop - Sugar Cane – Coconut-Party
57. Amazon.de - Montego bay / Topsy Turvy / 15764 AT
58. Amazon.de - Sugar Cane - Valhevala / Too Bad It Ain't Good - Hansa International - 100 445, Hansa International - 100 445-100
59. Italian Charts - SUGAR CANE - MONTEGO BAY (SONG), AVAILABLE ON FOLLOWING MEDIA