Review of Junior P's JAH WORKS

While you may not have heard of Junior P, he's performed with some very well known names in the music industry (BBD, Coolio, Big Daddy Kane, to name a few). His greatest success came from his 1995 single "Good Body Gal," released on Capitol. Since then, things have been pretty quiet, but after his recent release Jah Works, it may not long before his next big hit.

Fans of the conscious Anthony B/Sizzle/Capleton school of DJing will most appreciate Junior P's positive singjay style. Jah Works has tracks that will appeal to the modern dancehall audience, but Junior P really stands out when he focuses on a spiritual, roots-heavy sound. The album kicks off in this way with "Keep On Loving Jah," which teams Junior P with up Trinidadian vocalist Dakeye. The duo also connect on the Beres Hammond-esque "Love You So Much," a sweet sounding modern lovers rock tune.

There are two other duets on the album, the first is "Release Me," a strong track with Priest Imani. The second pairs Junior with reggae legend Sugar Minott on "Give Thanks & Praise." While this sounds like a match made in heaven, there's something slightly off about the track -- perhaps it's the way it's engineered -- that makes the tune less than the sum of its parts.

Junior P's singjay style really shines on positive tracks like "Love and Overstanding" and "Babylon Lean Pon De Poor." The album's pinnacle, though, comes on "Love in My Heart," an awesome roots/lovers tune that perfectly balances Junior P's singjay style and his chatting talents. Canja Sounds' Kevin Brown serves up this fine riddim along with many others on the disc.

While there are a number of lesser-known producers involved with Jah Works, one well-known (legendary, really) producer stands out from the bunch: Scientist. His riddims here aren't mind blowing, but they are in a classic Scientist style and work well on "Forward to Ethiopia" and the album's title track.

There are a few downpoints on the album, namely "Burn Baggaware" (an apparent rewrite of "Hand Mi da Fiya"), "Can't Stop the Fire," and "Babywrong Burn Up." While they are weak compared to boomshots like "Love in My Heart," they still stand above the average dancehall tune. Junior's fiery delivery should help them appeal to dancehall audiences as well as fans of the more roots-centric.

Though I doubt Jah Works will be the album that catapults Junior P to success, I do think it's the one that will start him towards more recognition and respect. There are a number of excellent tracks here and there's no doubt in my mind that Junior P's best years have yet to come.

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