BIG SHOT - GERMANY

Review in German by: Melodies of War

Wahnsinn, das beste Roots Album seit Ewigkeiten. Wer beispielsweise von den letzten Alben von Damian und Stephen Marley aufgrund des hohen Rap-Faktors und der zahlreichen Plattitüden (>>Wer Zion mit Lion reimt, kriegt eins mit dem Paddel drüber!<<) enttäuscht war, der wird hier genau das finden, was er gesucht hat: melancholischen, verzweifelten und hoffnungsvollen conscious Roots Reggae der Güteklasse A mit blubbernder Orgel, superfetten Rhythms, traumhaften Vocals und einer Message, die über Herrn Selassies Allmächtigkeit hinausgeht. Dogmatische religiöse Botschaften sucht man vergebens, stattdessen gibt es Sufferah- und sozialkritische Lyrics mit Niveau. Taj kommt aus Santa Lucia und hat eine Karriere hingelegt, die für besten Roots Regga e steht; Kirchenchor, erste Calypso-Experimente mit 11 Jahren, später Kontakt zur Rastafari Szene. “Deidem” ist das zweite Album der Band und es klingt verdammt ernst und erwachsen – wie Roots halt so klingen muss. Kaum vorzustellen, was Taj und Adowa erst für Rock Steady spielen könnten. Ich kann das nächste Album kaum erwarten. Ganz egal, was die werten KollegInnen hier so anpreisen, und scheißegal, wie pleite du bist: kauf dieses Album! Wer das nicht mag, der hat weder Hirn, Herz noch Seele.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

Crazy man, this has to be the greatest Roots album since forever. Whoever was disappointed with Damian and Stephen Marley's last albums on account of the high rap-factor and the many platitudes (whoever rhymes Zion with lion should have his ass kicked), here you'll find what you were looking for: melancholic, despairing and hopeful, first class conscious Roots Reggae with wailing organ, heavy rhythms, dreamy vocals and a message that goes beyond Mr. Selassie's all-mightiness. You won't find any religious dogmas but elevated "sufferah" and social critic lyrics. Taj is from St. Lucia and has laid down a career that stands firmly for the best Roots Reggae; church choir then first Calypso experiments at age 11, later contact with the Rastifarian scene. "Deidem" is the band's second album and it sounds damn serious and grown-up - just the way roots is supposed to sound. Hard to imagine what Taj and Adowa could do for Rock Steady. I can hardly wait for the next album. Never mind what my esteemed colleagues are crazy about and to hell with how broke you are - buy this album! Whoever doesn't like it has neither brain, heart nor soul.

FOLK WORLD - GERMANY

Review in German by: Adolf 'gorhand' Goriup

Label: Jatta Records

Der in St. Lucia aufgewachsene Reggaesänger Taj Weekes verließ seine karibische Heimat um sein Leben als Musiker in New York zu fristen, wo er 2005 sein Debütalbum "Hope and Doubt" lancierte. Mit dem neuen Album "Deidem" (Wir alle) versucht er seine unterdessen solide Fan Gemeinde auszubauen. Gemeinsam mit Radss Desiree (Bass), Adoni Xavier (Gitarre), Shelton Garner (Gitarren, Gesang) und einigen Studiomusikern hat Weekes elf selbst komponierte Songs aufgenommen die stark an Bob Marley erinnern. Angefangen von dem für Marley typischen Frauenchor, den Wailers, über das Timbre in Weekes' Stimme bis hin zu den Wahwah Klängen der Gitarre könnte man meinen die Rasta Legende sei wieder auferstanden. Dennoch ist Weekes ein ernst zunehmender Musiker und Songwriter. Wie sein, so nehme ich es an, Vorbild hat er durchaus etwas zu sagen. Naturkatastrophen, Umweltschutz und Antikriegssongs ertönen neben persönlichen Songs, mit denen er den frühen Tod seiner Eltern verarbeitet. Seine hohe Stimme ist ebenso sein Markenzeichen wie die einfachen aber wirkungsvollen Arrangements. Ein Song hebt sich mit einfacher Klavierbegleitung und bluesigem Sound deutlich ab, "Louisiana." Seit Bob Marley habe ich nur wenige Reggaemusiker mit solcher Ausstrahlung und solchem Gefühl gehört. Spielt es da eine Rolle, ob Taj Weekes den Sound von Bob Marley kopiert? Für mich nicht. Das ist einfach großartiger Reggae ohne Kompromisse und Schnörkel.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

Reggae singer, Taj Weekes, who grew up in St. Lucia, left his Caribbean home to pursue his career in New York. In 2005, his debut album, "Hope and Doubt" came out. With the new album, "Deidem" (All of Us), he is building upon his now solid fan base. Together with Radss Desiree (bass), Adoni Xavier (guitar), Shelton Garner (guitar, backing vocals) and several studio musicians, Weekes has recorded eleven songs that he wrote which remind one very much of Bob Marley. Beginning with the typical female backing vocals of the Wailers, to the timbre of Weekes’ voice, to the "wah wah" sound of the guitars, one could imagine that the Rasta legend had been reborn. However, Weekes is truly an talented musician and songwriter in his own right. Just like his, I assume, role model, he absolutely has something to say.

Songs about natural catastrophes, environmental protection, and war protests - as well as more personal songs, including coming to grips with the early death of his parents, are included. His high voice is his trademark as well as the simple but effective arrangements. One song in particular stands out, "Louisiana," with its simple piano accompaniment and bluesy sound. Since Bob Marley, I have heard few reggae musicians with such radiance and such feeling. Does it play any role whether Taj Weekes is emulating Bob Marley? Not as far as I'm concerned. This is simply great reggae without compromise or superfluousness.

WELTMUSIK MAGAZIN - GERMANY

Review in German by: Sonja Stranziner

Label: Jatta Records

Taj Weekes & Adowa servieren uns auf "Deidem" traditionellen Roots-Reggae. Eine Musik, die wir Europäer gerne mit Sommer, Sonne, gute Laune und Urlaubsfeeling in Verbindung bringen. Und in der Tat hören wir hier Reggae, wie gemacht für warme Sommertage. Doch wirkt Taj Weekes’ Musik bei aller Leichtigkeit immer auch etwas melancholisch. Logisch eigentlich, denn in seinen Texten setzt sich der Sänger intensiv mit gesellschaftlichen Themen und Problemen auseinander.

Die Geschichte von Taj Weekes klingt wie die Geschichte vieler anderer Reggae-Künstler. Als jüngstes von 10 Kindern wurde er auf der Karibikinsel St. Lucia geboren, wo er auch aufwuchs. Als jungen Mann verschlug es ihn nach Kanada. Während eines Abstechers nach New York traf er mit der Band Adowa zusammen. Daraus entwickelte sich eine feste Zusammenarbeit, die 2005 zur Veröffentlichung des ersten Albums "Home and Passed" führte.

"Deidem" ist das zweite Album und stellt das Ergebnis einer Auseinandersetzung Taj Weekes’ mit den Widrigkeiten des Lebens und der modernen Welt dar. In poppigen Mainstream-Reggae gekleidet verarbeitet er so manches heiße Thema, wie etwa die mangelhafte Aufarbeitung der Flutfolgen in New Orleans. Die Musik gleitet bei aller Leichtigkeit zu keiner Zeit ins Banale ab. Taj Weekes’ außergewöhnlich hohe melodische Stimme verleiht dem ganzen eine besondere Note. Eindeutig sind hier Könner am Werk, die astreinen Reggae abliefern. Eine Empfehlung.

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

With "Deidem," Taj Weekes and Adowa serve up traditional roots reggae, a type of music that we Europeans associate with summer, sun, good moods and vacation time. Indeed, here is reggae that seems just made for summer days. And yet, despite the lightness of Taj Weekes' music, it is also somewhat melancholy. Logical really, for with his words, the singer concerns himself intensely with social issues and problems.

Taj Weekes' story sounds like the story of many other reggae artists. As the youngest of ten children, he was born and raised on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia. As a young man, he went to Canada. After moving to New York, he formed the band Adowa. From there a solid collaboration developed which led, in 2005, to the release of their first album, "Hope and Doubt."

"Deidem" is the second album and is the result of Taj Weekes dealing with life's adversities and the modern world. Wrapped in pop mainstream reggae, he deals with hot topics such as the deficient response to the flooding in New Orleans. Despite the lightness of the music, it never drifts into banality. Taj Weekes' unusual high melodic voice gives everything a particular quality. Clearly these are people who deliver timeless reggae. Recommended.

REGGAE.FR - FRANCE

Review in French by: Souljah

Second album après "Hope & Doubt," ce Deidem est signé Taj Weekes & Adowa! L’artiste et le groupe nous proposent ainsi leur dernière production roots reggae, une bel objet indépendant en provenance de St-Lucie!

L’album est composé de 11 morceaux nous faisant voyager dans l'univers musical de l'artiste, un reggae tranquille, loin de la génération "one drop" ou "new-roots." Ici tout est question de mélodies et de chants. Les textes en anglais reprennent les thèmes classiques au reggae, par exemple dans "Propaganda War," "Angry Language" ou encore "We Stand." La voix particulière de Taj, entre aigus et grave sur certaines phrases, se marie très bien aux instrus du groupe Adowa. Je vous conseille le "Since Cain," entre ska et trip-hop, ce morceau aurait l'étoffe d'être diffusé en radio, tant par son message que par sa musicalité qui le dissocie des autres titres. Ou bien le titre "Hollow Display" un très beau morceau de reggae lover. "Dark Clouds" risque aussi d'attirer votre attention avec ses mélodies mélancoliques. Dans la même veine on pourra le comparer au titre suivant "Orphans Cry" émouvant lui aussi par la manière dont il aborde le sujet des orphelins. Deidem se clôture d'une jolie manière avec "Louisiana" un titre beaucoup plus intime que les précédents morceaux.

En somme, un album bien maîtrisé et poignant qui s'affirme comme preuve que la production indépendante peut permettre de très belles choses. Encourageons ce genre d'effort en prenant le temps de découvrir de nouveaux artistes!

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

The second album from Taj Weekes and Adowa, after Hope & Doubt, is Deidem. The artist and group introduce their latest roots reggae production, an outstanding independent project coming from St. Lucia!

The album, composed of 11 songs, allows us to travel within the musical universe of the artist, a relaxed reggae, far from the generation of "one drop" or "new-roots." Here it is a question of melodies and songs. The texts in English represent traditional reggae themes, as in Propaganda War, Angry Language or We Stand. The voice, unique to Taj, hovers between insightful and serious on certain phrases and blends well with the sound of his group Adowa. I propose, Since Cain, between ska and trip-hop, is a song that should overtake the radio airwaves with its message and musical quality, which distinguishes it from the other tracks. Additionally, the track Hollow Display is a gorgeous piece for reggae lovers. Dark Clouds also risks drawing your attention with its melancholic melodies. In the same vein, one can also compare it to Orphans Cry, so moving in the way he tackles the subject of orphans. Deidem closes with the lovely Louisiana, a track that is much more intimate than the preceding pieces.

All in all, this album is well balanced and poignant, which serves as proof that independent productions can create very beautiful things. Let us encourage this kind of effort by taking time to discover new artists!

ROOTS AND CULTURE - FRANCE

Review in French by: Yogi

Du lourd, ce que l'on aime appeller du Heavy roots, Taj Weekes en provenance de St. Lucie, avec une voix hight, des thêmes rastas habituels, nous livre un excellent 2° album Deidem, qui veut dire: "nous tous," une production sur son propre label Jatta Records. Loin du nu-roots et des singjays à la mode, Taj nous plonge dans les racines du reggae, avec des chants de sufferers et d'élévations: "Angry Language." Plus d'un bon titre sur l'album "Propaganda War," "Darks Clouds," "Little Fire." Dans "Since Cain," "Depuis Cain," Taj fait le constat:

"Is there anyone with sense to put an end to this violence/I kill you, you kill me we got an empty country/and so the cycle goes around/it goes up and comes down/and soon your smile becomes a frown/when karma visits your town"

Né sur lîle de Sainte Lucie, Taj s'en est échappé pour Toronto puis New York ou il a formé Taj Weekes and Adowa. 2005 - date de sortie de leur premier album intiltulé Hope and Doubt. Malheureusement s'en suit une épisode tragique, le décès de son père et sa mère, ce qui a pour conséquence de lui faire prendre un virage dans l'écriture des textes:

"I wrote about the world instead of myself." Taj Weekes

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

"Du lourd," this is what I like to call "Heavy" roots. Taj Weekes, from St. Lucia, with a high voice and the usual Rasta themes, delivers an excellent second album Deidem, meaning “all of us,” a production on his own label, Jatta Records. Far from "nu-roots" and the "singjays" of the moment, Taj plunges us into the roots of reggae, with the songs of sufferers and uprising such as Angry Language. There is more than one good track on the album: Propaganda War, Dark Clouds and Little Fire. In Since Cain, Taj sings:

"Is there anyone with sense to put an end to this violence/I kill you, you kill me we got an empty country/and so the cycle goes around/it goes up and comes down/and soon your smile becomes a frown/when karma visits your town"

Born on the island of Saint Lucia, Taj left home for Toronto and then New York where he formed Taj Weekes and Adowa. Their first album, entitled Hope and Doubt, was released in 2005. Following a tragic period during which he lost both his father and mother, he took a sharp turn in the focus of his writing:

"I wrote about the world instead of myself." Taj Weekes

JAMAFRA.COM - FRANCE

Vibes Across A Reggae World

Review in French by: Stephane - "C Dans Les Bacs"

C'est le coup de coeur de cette rubrique, il est l'oeuvre de Taj Weekes, un artiste originaire de l’ile de Sainte Lucie. Inconnu du grand public, il mérite très largement ce coup de projecteur avec son nouvel album "Deidem," un opus très roots and conscious! Les mélodies sont très bien jouées et la voix de Taj Weekes nous transporte littéralement. Un artiste à suivre de très prêt!

ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

It is a blow to the heart, this rubric, the work of Taj Weekes, an artist native to the island of St. Lucia. Unknown to the general public, he deserves the spotlight with his new album "Deidem", an opus that is very roots and conscious! The melodies are well played and the voice of Taj Weekes literally transports us. This is an artist to follow very closely.

THE ST. LUCIA MIRROR

Interview by: Reginald Andrew

St. Lucia Reggae Star is International

Taj Weekes’ early sibling rivalry for top local status with his brothers’ singing group and his persistent desire and love for music propelled him to excel at his musical craft. Weekes, a product of the Marchand community, sparked off his talent singing with the brothers’ makeshift group, as they entertained family members in their spare time. Before long, he was jamming along with his school band formed at the St. Mary’s College (SMC), and his early trek to stardom began with “Rise”, a Radio St. Lucia on-air show at the time.

Weekes moved to New York by the mid-eighties and there continued his voyage into the musical realm, mingling with top regional and international artistes, with music at the thrust of his artistic development. His first album recorded was called Hope and Doubt and then he paid tribute to his late brother Desmond a.k.a. MPLA, an astute craftsmen who passed away in the early 80’s, with another album dubbed MPLA. His band, Adowa, consists of a cross-section of musicians, including drummer Cornell Marshall, originally from Third World; percussionist Delroy Golding played with Burning Spear and Adoni Xavier originally played guitar with Dennis Brown.

The loss of his parents within two years transformed his music and lyrical content to such an extent that he devoted his art to reaching out to others - in need of solace and comfort. His children’s charity foundation, They Often Cry Outreach (TOCO) was born and thus helped Weekes chart a new course with his music.

The conscious vibes and lyrics that flow from his rich musical selection is spell binding; it awakens the social consciousness and is sure to touch the heart and soul of fans and music lovers. Weekes, also a versatile musician, plays guitar and piano while he maintains an eloquent message in songs of protest and hope.

Here in St. Lucia for a brief visit to negotiate business contracts and take in some tropical relaxation, he spoke with the Mirror concerning the road traveled, and his optimism on becoming the first St. Lucian artist considered for a Grammy nomination this year.

Mirror: How did you get involved in music and what motivated you to pursue the art?

Weekes: As far as I can remember, it goes back to my growing up as a child and providing nighttime entertainment for my family. We used to line up in the living room and sing to our parents. That was nighttime entertainment for us and we blossomed from there by doing shows at local venues like the Methodist school and practicing with some of the local bands. A humorous episode to this development was that we favoured singing Jackson Five tunes. My brother Veroy was the chosen lead singer and I had a problem with that, because I felt that being the youngest member of the group, I should be allowed to do the lead vocals like Michael Jackson. We sported the big Afro hairdos at the time and did all the choreography stuff, singing songs like Ben and others. We also liked singing Sly and the Family Stone songs and performed at schools, town hall and other venues. I got more into it when I began attending SMC, and we got an opportunity to host our own radio show on RSL. I was about 13 years old at the time, and we had a programme called Rise. I got my early brush of fame and my brother, Desmond, printed T-shirts, so he did some Rise T-shirts for us. We got the name from an old Herb Alpert song and we used to play all kinds of music at that time. Later on at SMC, we started a school band and we would go over to the L’arc-un-ciel band room, where they allowed us to practice. They never charged us for rehearsals and were very encouraging. In retrospect, it seems to me that I was always a songwriter. I was always writing down stuff and I sang for the SMC school band.

I later traveled to Toronto, Canada, for a while but things did not really work out for me, so I moved to New York.

Mirror: Where did you begin your first sessions and what about your first recordings?

Weekes: New York was like a heaven to me since all the bands that I had listened to in St. Lucia, were coming through to me. I got the opportunity to listen to all these bands and then I truly realized that this is what I wanted to do. So I went to a studio and had a recording done, and then sang at live shows in the nightclubs. At one of these gigs, someone approached me and requested that I perform at a show dubbed The Future of Reggae. To perform at that show required that you have a full backup band. That night, I found myself in a place where we had to hire a backup band to perform. After the show, the funniest thing happened. The guys who were backing me up left the original band and told me that they would join me whenever I was prepared to form a band. My band was formed right there, and we got together and started rehearsing till we got a residency in New York, at a place called the Lion’s Den. We played there every Sunday till we were able to better the craft, and then the fans started coming and the e-mail list started growing. We began to move about a little further playing gigs, till we felt that we had it down well enough and we got into a studio, where we recorded our first album called Hope and Doubt, between 2005 and 2006. I was overwhelmed with the reviews that followed the release of the album. Joe Blaine was the man who mixed the album and he had worked with big-time artists like Lauryn Hill and Prince. Following the release of that album we toured 25 cities and played at some festivals.

Mirror: Tell us about the transformation of your music and the transition period following your parents’ death.

Weekes: I had written 12 songs after my mother died, which reflected my feelings during that time. The songs were reflective of the sorrow at the time, and I wrote a song called Clay Dust to Dust. But just as I was about recovering, my father died, and I remember going through all the emotions during that period. I remember coming home and surfing the net. I got to see all that was happening in Darfur at the time. I realized that it was true; that I had my tragedy, but there were people dying because of nothing at all and I realized it really was not about me. I pictured those children dying through no fault of theirs and I started writing a song called Orphans Cry.

The song basically says: Devils who ride on horseback null our sleepy eyes. Hypnotized in the cradle of a comfortable recliner. Your hands on controls you simply shift by. Less suffering is not your reality. But you turn a blind eye, is pure brutality.

After writing that song, all the other songs for that album started flowing.

Mirror: What inspires you to write and sing?

Weekes: The funny thing is that when I sit down to write, I do not decide that I am going to write about a social issue. I think that conscious artists produce conscious art, so I think it already has to be in you as a conscious person to produce something that’s conscious. I may write the occasional love songs, but for the most part what I produce tends to be stuff that is socially conscious.

Mirror: Ok then? Now we know the biggest issue at present with your artistic development, let’s focus on your considered nomination for a Grammy Award. How do you feel concerning this latest recognition?

Weekes: Well, we are short-listed and up for consideration. It is a great achievement, for one, being recognized by the greatest organization that deals with the art form in which I work. But I think it is of a greater thrill for the people who work with me, than it is for me, because I don’t do it for that purpose. It is just one of those things along the way. If I am climbing a ladder, there are certain steps that I have to take, and I expect to get there. I am not surprised. I have hung my hat so high that anything along the way is of minimal consequence to me. I expect these things; it is not about bragging or anything. I expect to win a Grammy Award, and anything short of that would be failing myself. I think the only reason that we do art is because we have a unique voice that no one else has. I think I have a unique way of articulating the way in which I see the world, and that’s why I do the things I do.

Mirror: Tell us a bit about the involvement with your children’s charity group TOCO.

Weekes: A lot of us talk the talk, but we do not walk the walk. I think that reggae is probably the most socially conscious music that I am aware of. We had been doing this in obscurity for a long time, giving away soccer gear and other stuff in Africa. But after releasing Orphans Cry, someone from the United Nations (UN) gave the song a listening ear and later requested an audience with us. We met with Dr. Hope, an incredible Jamaican woman who manages the World Association of Former UN Interns and Fellows (WAFUNIF), and the head member of the International Consortium of Caribbean Professionals (ICCP). They have an organization that attempts to bring Caribbean issues to the fore and they asked whether with my “celebrity” status, I would be inclined to shine the spotlight away from Africa to the Caribbean. This was in an effort to make people aware that these issues also affect us in the region and I took it on. So I was made Goodwill Ambassador to the Caribbean. TOCO was formed in New York, but we have an offshoot in St. Lucia, which was opened up two years ago. The idea of TOCO is to try to help children of the Caribbean in whatever way we can, whether through education, equipping them with sports gear and providing medical services in the communities and at the schools.

MONDOMIX MUSIC.COM

Taj Weekes was born and raised on the island of St. Lucia where he listened to a broad range of eclectic music. It was not until his arrival in New York that he formed the group Taj Weekes & Adowa and released their 2005 debut album "Hope & Doubt". After losing his parents within the span of one year, Taj Weekes began writing about his sorrows, but later decided to focus on more universal sorrows. Weekes' concentration on universal experience, rather than personal, is further seen by the album title, "Deidem", meaning “All of Us”. "Deidem" brings true Reggae roots back with this collection of some of the best tracks Taj Weekes has ever written.

CD UNIVERSE

Taj Weekes' new album Deidem is one of the most influential Reggae albums since Marley. Taj Weekes is the ambassador of the Carribean and tours frequently all over the world. His new album 'Deidem' is currently being played on more than 182 radio stations worldwide including XM Radio and Sirrus. This album is a must have for any reggae music fan.

ZONA REGGAE - PORTUGAL

Review by: I Rick

Weekly highlight presents a 2008 release, really worth of checking out! Taj Weekes & Adowa's latest album, Deidem!

Born and raised on St. Lucia, Taj Weekes grew up breathing music and by age 12, he regularly performed wid his own Calypso band, organized musical venues and was a live & radio DJ! His desire to grow stronger in the music business brought him to Toronto and finally to New York, where he formed the group Taj Weekes & Adowa. His 2005 debut album, Hope & Doubt, was at the time reviewed as one of the best debut releases from a US based artist. Release in May 2008, by his own Jatta Records, Deidem, meaning “All of Us”, confirms that we are watching an artist wid refreshing new perspectives. All over eleven original tunes of classic reggae music, Taj Weekes brings a lot of information through his soft, somehow melancholic, but yet inspiring melodies. Social Justice and intellectual debate are the main aims of Taj Weekes’ music and lyrics. Plenty of present day issues and problems are the themes chosen from dis GodWill Ambassador to the Caribbean to bring awareness to crucial matters affecting our world. Voice to all and to all problems in our world is Deidem’s musical purpose as Taj Weekes states in his own words: “Whether it’s Darfur, the Middle East, global warming… there’s something going on in every part of the world and we’re trying to bring it all together on one album. No one is talking to each other; the album is designed to create conversation where people can come together.”