I have some really cool news to break this next week about my collaborations with Kingston, Jamaica artist, Italee. She was there in some magic moments. She was watching as I was recording ‘Bush Doctor’ with Chinna Inna Di Yard and I couldn’t help but notice.
The first time we really had a chance to talk about music and our music, was up at Nine Mile on Bob Marley’s birthday. I was sleep deprived, we all were. We left before dawn and traveled up the same winding switch back mountain roads Robert Nesta did, when he finally made his way to Kingston as a boy, and later came home to find solace away from all the confusion.
So many characters he sang about came alive here, because this is where they still live and breath,
“…all the good people we meet.”
As we hung out leaning against an old house eating the poet Hugh Bromfield ‘s Ital cooking, chatting about experience with the brilliant Irish writer, Carl Finlay, an idea for a song came to me. Not the melody, not a single cowboy chord. But an idea.
Italee smiled and said she’s sing that song with me. I went back to one of Lenni I-Music ‘s many secret enclaves a few nights later on the eve of my first interview on National TV, and I wrote that song.
Of course she dug it. Even her daughter loved it. But I purposefully never finished the words. Italee has something to say on this song.
When I go back to Kingston we’re gonna cut that song.
That’s not one of the announcements about our collaborations, that’s just a primer.
Like Italee World. You’ll love our song. And I am going to see another side of Jamaica few will really get to see. You might though…if you follow me.
Back to work. My 10 minute break is over.
Jelly Water, used metaphorically in Italee’s song, is one part of the sweetness of Jamaican culture which Davin has enjoyed and filmed and discussed on past trips to the island:
Jamaica Day 4: Ras Isachar, USA vs Donald Trump, Jelly a Day, by Davin Michael Stedman
– Musician and writer Davin Michael Stedman has many ventures, such as the AMAZING blog, 100milesofmusic.com. Davin’s new song has become a global earworm and Caribbean dancehall hit. Listen here on Reggaeville: DAVIN MICHAEL STEDMAN & ANTHONY RED ROSE – FREE YOUR MIND FEAT. SLY & ROBBIE WITH LENKY MARSDEN. The video is now available on Youtube: Tuff Gong Television. His single with British band Sherlock Soul is available here.
