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January 22, 2008
Luciano gives another Jah Driven album
By: Joseph Cunningham
He is known as Jah Messenger, a name which symbolizes the kind of musician Luciano is. His edifying lyrical content and harmonies bring peace to the spirit.
Ever since the release of his breakthrough CD "Where There Is Life" in 1995, Luciano has been at the forefront of roots Reggae. His music has been consistently praised for imparting sentiments of spiritual salvation, Rastafarian edification and African repatriation.
And his latest album, "Jah Is My Navigator" has not contradicted this musical pattern. It has 15 tracks featuring songs that appeal to both the natural and spiritual, beginning with the title track, "Jah IS My Navigator," written by the turbo charged Tarrus Riley.
"This is a complete album," Luciano said,"I believe this one will take me to a new frontier." This could very well become the effect of this album that was executively produced by Dean Frazer with contributions from legendary rhythm twins, Sly and Robbie.
Luciano will hit the road in February for further promotions prior to the official release in the same month. Tours in America and Europe will follow, which is likely to add to the famous tails of Luciano's travels across the world.
Music has run deeply throughout Luciano's life who was born Jepther Washington McClymont on October 20, 1964 in Davey Town, a small community located atop a hilly region on the road to Mandeville in the central Jamaican parish of Manchester. Raised in the Adventist church, Luciano sang in the church choir. His father Arthur, passed away when Luciano was just 11 years old. He left behind a guitar he had built and as Luciano recalls, "Through those early years, I fell in love with the guitar and started to learn to play, which I realized - was showing love and respect to my father." His beloved mother Sophie, who struggled to raise Luciano and his eight siblings, is also a gifted singer.
As he grew older Luciano sang in local youth clubs and took the microphone at local sound system dances. In the late 80s, he arrived in Jamaica's bustling capital, Kingston, hoping to transform his musical talent into a flourishing career. He sold oranges in the marketplace as a means of initially supporting himself but when a drought restricted that year's orange crop, he returned to Mandeville. However, the music beckoned so it wasn't long before Luciano went back to Kingston, this time with even greater determination to succeed. He worked as an upholsterer by day and at night he sought recording opportunities in various studios.
It was suggested by one of his mentors, Homer Harris, that the name Jepther McClymont did not have the requisite charisma to propel the career of an aspiring entertainer; he was renamed Luciano, a name that parallels his extraordinary vocal skills alongside those of the world-renowned operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti. The name was also somewhat prophetic: "Luci" means bearer of light and within a few years Luciano would shine as one of the brightest lights in the Jamaican music constellation.
Luciano recognizes his own immense talent and as such it is his great wish to collaborate with one of the highest notes in world music - Stevie Wonder.