Project Won (Amerijah, 2005)

Amerijah Productions is the brainchild of singer/songwriter/musician Sandra Morton (AKA Miss Sanj), who gathered some expert studio musicians (including Dean Fraser, Squidly Cole, Beezy Coleman, and Sticky Thompson) and some up-and-coming vocalists (primarily singer Loxy Odessy and DJ I-Priest) in the legendary Tuff Gong Studios for the debut album Project Won. As their name implies, the Amerijah collective sports a mixture of Jamaican and American sounds -- primarily reggae with pop, rock, and soul embellishments -- along with some Latin overtones. Written, arranged, and produced by Morton, the music on Project Won is divided into 6 rhythms spread out over 16 tracks, providing a hint of the feel of a one-rhythm album, but with enough variety to keep you from wandering off. The first 5 tracks ride the Dove Wing Rhythm, a bouncy, horn-driven one-drop groove augmented by a bluesy guitar. Loxy Odessy's dreamy "Leads to Treasure Beach" takes best advantage of this lush backing, while Miss Sanj's herself lends her peaceful, whispered vocals to "Wings of a Dove." The Learn to Love Rhythm has a dramatic reggae rock opera feel that reaches a screaming electric guitar crescendo that might not fully appeal to reggae purists, but is still effective nonetheless. "Pray for Peace" is an evocative one-off featuring a lush, New Age-y synth sound. The Brotherman Rhythm is a sultry, saxy lovers riddim that brings out strong performances from Odessy on "Come On My Brotherman" and "Holding On." "Ska Bada" is perhaps the most unique of the riddims, as it features Morton on lead accordion (!). Can we say "polka reggae"? The reggae/soca fusion JA Rhythm buoys the fun final tunes "Crocodile" and "In the Land of Jamaica," bringing the inventive and promising debut from Amerijah Productions to a close. Check it out at amerijah.com.

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Track Listing
1. Dove Wing Rhythm
2. Leads to Treasure Beach featuring Loxy Odessy
3. Love Fada God featuring I-Priest
4. Don't Try to Hurt Her Love featuring Loxy Odessy
5. Wings of a Dove featuring Miss Sanj
6. Disease featuring I-Priest with Loxy Odessy
7. Learn to Love Rhythm
8. Learn to Love Again featuring Loxy Odessy with I-Priest
9. Pray for Peace featuring Loxy Odessy with I-Priest
10. Come On My Brotherman featuring Loxy Odessy
11. Brotherman Rhythm
12. Holding On featuring Loxy Odessy
13. Ska Bada featuring Lasco
14. Crocodile featuring I-Priest
15. In the Land of Jamaica featuring Miss Sanj with I-Priest
16. JA Rhythm
Project Won
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