I Wayne Book Of Life CD

At a time when dancehall dominates the reggae charts and singers and deejays alike tend to favor a harsh and gruff vocal delivery, I Wayne harks back to the days of sweet-voiced tenors like Johnny Clarke and Cornel Campbell. His lyrical subject matter is similarly old-school, and he focuses on roots-and-culture concerns in a mostly upbeat and hopeful style. His second album features rhythms in a variety of styles, and finds him paired with a nice assortment of deejays -- most of them impressive (note in particular Icoflamez's excellent performance on the one-drop anthem "Annihilation") and a few of them less so (in particular the awful Iniball on "Could a Never"). Unlike some modern reggae artists, I Wayne is actually at his best when he focuses on the reggae verities and steers clear of experimentation; the lovely "Free the People" makes excellent use of a vintage reggae rhythm, and the album's highlight is a bouncy combination track with Deva Brat on which both singer and deejay dance lightly over a tense high-tempo rocker's beat. When he explores funky non- reggae sounds, as on the album-closing "Natural Ites," the results are less compelling. Recommended overall. ~ Rick Anderson

Recording information: Anchor Recording Studios, Jamaica.

Photographer: Martei Korley.

Personnel: Brian Fontenelle, Mitchum Chin (guitar); Howard Mannings (keyboards); Donald Dennis, Robbie Shakespeare (bass guitar); Aubry Mannings (drums); Chinna Smith (guitar); Ansel Collins (keyboards); Sly Dunbar (drums); Bongo Herman (percussion); Stephen Lashley, Howie Harrison, David Simmons.

Additional personnel: Icoflamez, Iniball, Deva Brat, Iyah V., Lady G..

Uncut (p.90) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[W]ith rich and sultry productions providing the backdrop for his fragile alto to soar over....It's also carefully considered, rooted and grounded."
The Beat (p.11) - "I Wayne places his vocal sound in a light range diametrically opposed to the gravel-voice dj...[and] keeps it real on cuts like 'Politics and Religion' and 'Smart Attack.'"