Jatta Records Presents the Worldwide Release of St. Lucian Artist Taj Weekes and Adowa’s Breakthrough Third Album, A Waterlogged Soul Kitchen
Award winning St. Lucian reggae artist Taj Weekes and his band Adowa push the boundaries of reggae once again with their third release, A Waterlogged Soul Kitchen, on Jatta Records. Already urging the genre to new heights, music reviewer Ted Boothroyd adds, “Musically vibrant, emotionally challenging and intellectually stimulating, A Waterlogged Soul Kitchen is the kind of reggae, or rather the kind of music, or rather the kind of art, that this world needs.”
A Waterlogged Soul Kitchen, whose title pays homage to the survivors Hurricane Katrina, delivers sturdy roots rhythms laced with acoustic strings, bluesy harmonica accents and a deep sax groove. The fresh, hard-edged lyrics possess an innate sophistication that yields to the intimacy of poetry, producing songs that don’t just reflect a conscience, but resonate with passion and vigor.
The debut single, “Rain Rain,” laments the delayed and often ineffectual action following the devastation experienced by residents of Louisiana and the neighboring states. Weekes explains, “Though ‘Rain Rain‘ references Katrina, the message goes above and beyond the isolated story of a flood and brings to mind the continuous downpour of human suffering and natural disasters the world over and how quickly we forget.”
Other songs recall images of many of the world’s recent and ongoing tragic events – from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in “Drill” to a decade’s worth of news headlines in “Anthems of Hope.” Jarring overlays of sound introduce a song about Sudan’s “Janjaweed” and a deeply humanized tale of war reminds us in “B4 The War” how long and often it’s been true that, “someone like me/became my enemy.” Still, despite the somber reflections, a sense of hope is conveyed through the easy flowing rhythms and Weekes’ trademark soothing raspy edged voice harmonizing with the smooth female backing vocals. In sum, A Waterlogged Soul Kitchenis what Weekes himself is: “relentlessly likeable.”
Blending in elements of acoustic roots rock and afro-folk simplicity, Taj Weekes and Adowa weave a true social consciousness with an unforgettable reggae groove. The band’s vibrant sound has garnered critical acclaim across the globe while Weekes has been consistently noted for inspiring conscious thought and provoking discussion through his poignant poetry and lyrics. He offers, “I write from the heart and I speak about issues that move me. I believe that’s what really matters.”
A Waterlogged Soul Kitchen, the group’s third album, follows the release of Hope and Doubt (2005) and Deidem (2008), which won “Best Reggae Album” at the Just Plain Folks Music Awards and was shortlisted for consideration of a Grammy Award nomination.
Always striving to bring awareness to the issues he is passionate about, Weekes founded his charity, They Often Cry Outreach (TOCO), in 2007 to improve the lives of underprivileged children in the Caribbean through sport, enrichment, educational and wellness programs. As a Goodwill Ambassador, Weekes addresses issues such as global warming, casualties of war, domestic and youth violence, diabetes and health, poverty and the welfare of children through both his music and his charity. Visit theyoftencryoutreach.org for more information.