Soul Syndicate

Soul Syndicate, originally called the Rhythm Raiders, was one of Jamaica’s top reggae session bands from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s. Hailing from the Greenwich Farm area of Kingston, the band featured core members such as bassist and founder George “Fully” Fullwood, guitarist Earl “Chinna” Smith, drummer Carlton “Santa” Davis, rhythm guitarist Tony Chin, and keyboardists Bernard “Touter” Harvey and later Keith Sterling. Over the years, they worked with numerous producers including Keith Hudson, Winston Holness, and Duke Reid, and occasionally recorded under the name The Aggrovators for Bunny Lee. They were instrumental in shaping the sound of reggae and dub, contributing both as a backing band for vocalists and as recording artists in their own right. Soul Syndicate played on recordings for many of Jamaica’s top artists, including Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Bob Marley, Freddie McGregor, and Augustus Pablo. They are credited with recording the original versions of iconic Wailers’ songs such as “Sun is Shining,” “Small Axe,” and “Mr. Brown.” The band also created legendary basslines like “Stalag 17” and “Taxi,” which became the foundation for countless hits over the decades. Their music helped define the reggae rhythm and dub culture of the era, and their influence can still be heard in modern reggae productions. After decades apart, Soul Syndicate reunited several times in the 2010s and 2020s to perform internationally. In 2015, they played in Huntington Beach, California, followed by a 2016 performance at Reggae on the River in Northern California, backing artists such as Big Youth and U-Roy. Most recently, in 2024, the band performed at Rototom Reggae Sunsplash in Spain, supporting Andrew Tosh, son of Peter Tosh. These reunions featured original members like Fullwood, Chin, Smith, Davis, and Sterling, highlighting the enduring legacy of Soul Syndicate as one of reggae’s most influential session bands.