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
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