Musically, a Solid Alibi: Kathy Brown & Friends

Even if the Barron's courtyard in Kingston was filled to overflowing Sunday night, there was certainly and appreciative spirit among the faithful who gathered for the most recent renewal of the Alibi 4th Sunday Jazz Jam.

And there was lots of good music to appreciate. Keyboardist-composer Dr Kathy Brown liberally sprinkled her own fine tunes (Spirit, By Sunday) amongst some equally tasteful covers. "Satta A Massa Gana" segued neatly but robustly into "I Shot The Sheriff" There is of course a trend for Jamaican instrumentalists to put their spin on Bob Marley Tunes (indeed, he remains a global musical preoccupation) and several Bob Marley gems went down, this time in the (appreciative) presence of long time Bob Marley engineer Dennis De Menace Thompson.

And Brown had plenty of help in her quest. Drummer Desi Jones and the always improving Paul Smiley Madden rounded out a robust rhythm section that was further strengthened by the addition of Stephan on percussion and - all too briefly - trombonist Pesso - who did a nifty vocal turn on Fly Me To The Moon.

In between sets there was the always impeccable selections of Merritone's Monte Blake, who remains a fount of knowledge and a supreme encourager of quality.

vocal fans were also in for a further treat later in the night. The CyberSka man, David Madden, normally heard on both trumpet and vocals, was time out content to add lyrics to a sprightly arrangement of eastern Standard Time. He then made way for the evening's highlight. Ellan Edwards-Neil, very much with child, who delivered a silky Besame Mucho in tribute to former colleague and well-known bon vivant Walter Campbell. Her pinnacle however, came with an exquisite delivery (musical and vocal) of Jimmy Cliff's I Can See Clearly - with the bridge especially setting a new standard for intelligent and inventive interpretation.

The music went on for a wee bit after that, but this writer was already sated (and with a young one of my own to help raise) departed a very happy camper, hoping the series my have the longevity and the popularity it deserves.

YahMan! DJ Naaman Goes Deep

Much has been made - rightly so - about the exploits of Chronixx, Kabaka, Protoje and the other young Jamaican reggae revivialists.

But at the risk of hyperbole, its very probable that reggae's next "saviour" just might come from a point further east. From the[ coast of Dieppe, France, singjay Naaman (given name: Martin Mussard) has emerged from the fully equipped with the lyrical flow, mental dedication and emotional resonance to confidently add his name to the upper echelons of  reggae's brightest stars.

French singjay Naaman (right) greets the writer

It was the heavy rhythms and engaging messages of reggae's legends (Marley included) that first hooked the young singer, the raggamuffin styles of the likes of Capleton, Sizzla and Lutan Fyah coming shortly thereafter as he devoured all the Jamaican music product available. It wasn't long before he had formed a sound system with some other enterprising locals.

In 2012, following the equally inevitable mixtape, (featured track: Skanking Shoes")the sing jay made a big French tour with more than 70 dates making and meeting numerous new fans. He also created a buzz on the web, scoring over 600 000 views in the space of a year!

Those milestones were enough to earn him the title of Revelation of 2013 by the Reggae Victories (Reggae.fr / France), but still a trip to the source of the music beckoned. he fulfilled that marker on the musical totem pole last year, describing the feeling of touching down on Jamaican soil as "awesome and incredible". But now Naaman is armed with a full-length  follow-up to the previous compilation, this time titled Deep Rockers Back A Yard!

Naaman and his team successfully enlisted the contributions of drumming maestro Sly Dunbar and guitar ace Dalton Browne on this recording, with the process also being overseen on the production side by Sam Clayton and Stephen Stewart, the latte also doubling on keyboards. The recording took place at the famed Harry J Studios in Kingston - under the shadow of the Long Mountain range. The geographical reference is important, Stewart says, as the album is part of a long-term collaboration between French outfit Soul Beats, and Warieka Music (named for the eastern part of the Long Mountain range. The label, he adds is all about returning to a holistic approach of developing artistes of international quality wherever they hail form and working intently with them to  put out and promote top-notch recordings of substance.
Standout tracks on the immediately engaging disc include The House Of Love" and "Rebel For Life" featuring Cutty Ranks, and the lilting acoustic closer, "One Day" which in fact recorded in the DJ's home district of Normandie with his original band.

Naâman says positivity and life are his priority and his boyish ease in conversation lends credence to that statement. He is typically effusive about the vibe that greets him here in Jamaica, and having checked the "recording box" he would next like to add a Jamaican live performance to his musical bucket list. 'Though I haven't been to every country, Jamaica so far is the perfect place for music. I really feel special when I come here and it helped me in putting my truth and my authentic vibes out to the public through this record. If I don't live it, I don't sing it."
A line well worth remembering as Naaman stakes his claim to reggae pre-eminence