This month’s listening picks from the Caribbean — featuring reviews by Nigel Campbell of new music by Lila Iké; Jean Caze; Freetown Collective & BLAKGOLD; Ron Blake; Will Gittens; and 9Ni9ht feat. Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry
Lila Iké
Treasure Self Love (Ineffable Records)
The splendid voice of Lila Iké bathes this debut full-length album with an aura of assured excellence. Critical collaborations with H.E.R., Joey Bada$$, and Maverick Sabre allow for crossover to a broader global urban market, while significant song partnerships with her fellow Jamaican stars, Masicka and Protoje, signifiy a transition of reggae and dancehall from gritty reality to world music capturing emotions and issues beyond the bedlam of the barrack yard. She says, “my music is just about life, to be honest.” That is reflected in the forthright lyrics of her songs: Everybody says, ‘You’ll be fine, you so strong’ / Anyways, put it all in your songs / But when do I get a chance to be me / To cry, to feel weak, to breathe, to be free? This is serious and a refreshing revelation that makes this album a winner.
Jean Caze
Dezòd (self-released)
On his third album, Miami-based Haitian Jean Caze is a horn specialist — trumpet, trombone, flugelhorn, conch shell — who continues his successful blend of Haitian heritage with modern American jazz influences. The interplay between trumpet and saxophone showcases engaged improvisation while the rhythmic bed (djembe and other percussion) allows for feet to chip and hips to move. Thirteen tracks — including a sublime solo version of the Haitian national anthem, “La Dessalinienne” — define new pathways for Caribbean jazz in the world.
Freetown Collective & BLAKGOLD
Beyond the Machine (Cheah Meng Sound)
Consciously lyrical island music heroes — Freetown Collective from Trinidad and multi-island DJ/production team BLAKGOLD — present an album, four years in the making, that defies genre boundaries created to narrowly silo Caribbean music to a dance floor or a fete. Lyrics that reflect poetic mastery and music production that comfortably assumes a metropolitan posture posit that this album advances island songs of love and life — beyond parochial ditties with a short shelf life. And: its “neo-kaiso” vibe and cadence do not preclude dancing.
Ron Blake
Scratch Band (7tēn33 Productions)
The minimalist instrumentation of his native quelbe music bands of St Croix, USVI was a starting point for saxophonist and SNL band regular, Ron Blake, to retrace and reform legacy island music production towards new compositions and improvisations. With just double bass and drums in tow, calypsonian Shadow’s “Bassman” is recast as melody and rhythm alone — harmony implied — to great effect. Begun during COVID lockdowns, this LP allows listeners to hear sparse yet soulful one-on-one jazz conversations.
Will Gittens
Superstar (JB Entertainment)
Sex appeal sells. Great music sells even more. Access to the music allows for the most sales. This hidden gem from US-based Trinidadian singer-songwriter Will Gittens showcases his development from indie soul darling and acoustic cover artist to burgeoning star in his own right. Dripping with libido-enhancing swagger, this EP showcases a supple voice and compact melodies that walk the fine line between laidback R&B and in-demand pop music with mass appeal. Sounds and looks good; this is a new beginning.
9Ni9ht feat. Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry
Black Ark (THolyGhost Records) • Single
In this debut single, Jamaican artist Racquel Jones and producer Chuck Doom — 9Ni9ht (nine night) — evoke the spirit of resistance and protest in a powerful anthem that fuses dub with electronica. The ethereal voice of the late Scratch Perry echoes above Jones’ as she summons “all the ancestors that have caused change and a shift in history”. This confrontation of oppression and celebration of heroes like Huey Newton, Nat Turner, and Toussaint Louverture deserves a keen ear.