5 Questions with AJ Brown

A 16-year gap between the release of two albums may sound like a long time, and for most artistes, it would surely beg the question: what took you so long?

However, if you are AJ Brown, veteran singer, songwriter, performer extraordinaire and lead singer for multi-Grammy-nominated band, Third World, then that question becomes redundant. AJ, simply put, has been busy.

Although, as his bio states, he is most famous for his amazing vocals, he is also a prolific songwriter whose talent and creativity have been featured on movie soundtracks, such as Love People in the movie Club Paradise starring Robin Williams, Peter O’Toole and Jimmy Cliff; and All Fall Down in the movie The Howling Part 3 and The Fourth Protocol starring Pierce Brosnan.

Third World’s 2014 album Under The Magic Sun features AJ’s vocals on six of the 14 tracks. AJ, Third World, Damian ‘Jr Gong’ Marley and Stephen Marley (Ghetto Youths Production) subsequently fused their creative forces on a project that had Grammy written all over it. In 2020, the album, More Work to be Done, earned for Third World their ninth Grammy nomination.

SEVENTH SOLO ALBUM

AJ Brown has now taken time to put together his seventh solo offering, Shots of Love, for which he has partnered with an eclectic list song producers, including Steve Tobin, Anthony Malvo, Stephen Coore, Richard Daley, Maurice Gregory, AJ Brown, Paul ‘Patchy’ Wright, Don Hines, Kofi Bannerman & Sidney Mills, Paul Kastick, Carl James, Aston Barrett Jr, Cleveland Browne and Frank Burt to complete the 16 tracks.

Among the song titles are Feelings For Her, Chance Encounter, Living in The Now, Believe in Yourself, Survivor, and My Best For You.

Born in Montego Bay, AJ Brown ranks among Jamaica’s greatest vocal talents. He began singing ballads and reggae at his alma mater Cornwall College in the late 1960s-early 1970s, earning him the respect and admiration of the city of his birth. From reggae to jazz, world beat to R&B, pop to classical, his vocal style transcends genres, musical eras, and generations. The influence of musical icons, such as Bob Marley, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Andrea Bocelli and Dennis Brown, is reflected in his work.

His talent drew international attention in 1980 when he won a competition sponsored by Kurting Electronics to tour Germany and mesmerised audiences in Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Dusseldorf and Frankfurt. At the invitation of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) in the 1980s, AJ toured Europe, Canada, and the United States promoting Jamaica. In 2006, JTB again invited AJ to promote Jamaica at the 35th Houston International Festival.

Five Questions With recently caught up with AJ Brown, who is excited to host the Kingston launch of Shots of Love on August 7 at Mature Mondays on Dumbarton Ave in St Andrew.

1. When was your last solo album?

Voice of Love in 2007 ... a compilation of 10 of the world’s greatest classical love songs, including You Raise Me Up and Con Te Partiro (Time to Say Goodbye).

2. Why a new AJ Brown album now?

I contributed lyrically to nine of the 11 songs on Third World’s 2019 album More Work To Be Done … however, not all the songs I submitted were used. The COVID years afforded me time to songwrite and record in my home studio, and after a gruelling 2022 Third World Summer tour schedule, I got some well-deserved downtime [so during] the last quarter and into the first quarter of 2023 I got a chance to pay attention to my own solo recordings. With the 50th anniversary of Third World’s existence as a reggae band I thought it was fitting to release a solo album in addition to all the other events slated for Third World’s year-long celebration.

3. Are there plans to tour ‘Shots of Love’ and do you have a favourite song on the album?

Yes, there are touring plans in the pipeline. My favourite song is All Night by a thin margin.

4. Is there a subliminal message on the album that shots of love are the vaccine needed in this lingering pandemic era?

This question has expanded on the theme I originally visioned so I would accept that notion. Yes.

5. How did you make the link with DJ Snow of Mature Mondays?

I met DJ Snow through Horseman promoting his Mother’s Day show To Mom With Love. We hit it off on a positive vibes and been doing business since with dubplate services and now my album launch at his Mature Mondays’ 16th season renewal.

yasmine.peru@gleanerjm.com