WHEN YA HOLD ME BY JONQUAN AND SCREECHY DAN
Though JonQuan is relatively new to the reggae scene, you’d never know it by listening to the music on the upcoming EASY STAR PRESENTS JONQUAN & ASSOCIATES. Working closely with two-time GRAMMY winner Victor Rice (Easy Star All-Stars, Bixiga 70, Ticklah), JonQuan has fashioned an album’s worth of brand-new tunes that evoke the majesty of the golden age of reggae. These tracks will be released as singles over the course of the late summer and fall, culminating in an album release in early December.
The latest single is “When Ya Hold Me” and features Screechy Dan. Screechy, originally born and raised in Jamaica, moved to Brooklyn at a young age and eventually became part of a community of artists – including Shaggy, Redd Foxx, Bajja Jedd, and others – that put Brooklyn and NYC on the map for dancehall in the early to mid ’90s. He was one of the first reggae artists to incorporate hip hop style and flow into his work and had some key tracks with the legendary producer Bobby Konders, including a song on the soundtrack for the Wesley Snipes film “Sugar Hill.” JonQuan says, “Screechy Dan is such a G. Lyrics for ages and style to match. His voice still echoes his early style. You’ll be hearing more from Screechy in this camp.”
