ROOTS MUSIC - Reggae & Dancehall - Amsterdam

Review by: Teacha Dan

Intelligent reggae with a jazzy pop streak is what would best describe Taj Weekes and Adowa's sophomore album Deidem. After their 2005 debut album Hope & Doubt made quite an impact with music lovers the world over, Deidem is the second album for Taj Weekes and his band Adowa. The title means 'all of us' and indeed the songs reverberate with meaning and messages for all.

Taj Weekes was born and raised on St. Lucia before he moved to the United States. He had already learned about Rasta from his elder brother and this provided him with a tight intellectual base. In New York, the singer formed Taj Weekes & Adowa and after their debut got some powerful reviews and plenty radio airplay; they built a strong fan base by extensively touring the U.S.

Weekes is a very gifted songwriter. The lyrics are intelligent and poignant and far removed from most of his Jamaican contemporaries. Deidem contains songs about issues such as the environment, Darfur and Hurricane Katrina but also tunes about more every day problems like violence, being Rasta, biased media and even love songs are not shunned. Weekes' vocabulary is extensive and he chooses his words carefully. The lyrics provided in the booklet read like well-crafted poetry.