One

It's a question I get asked time and time again: “Why is an Irishman singing Reggae?” It's a question that's not so easy to answer. I've never made a conscious decision to be a recording reggae artist, it just kinda happened, and when it did happen it was like the choice had already been made.

I had been working on an album with a long time friend and music producer Tom Baetzel and while we continued to build on a collection of songs. Tom continued to express his concern that it was very difficult to categorize the music. There was a table spoon of singer-songwriter, a tea spoon of rock, a pinch of country and a sprinkle of folk thrown into the mix

One day as we were jamming in a rehearsal room, for whatever reason we started to play a song in a one drop Reggae fashion. It was like the penny had dropped. It was impossible not to notice that we were having fun and moving with joyful abandon as we played. “That's it!” said Tom. “That's the way to go: Reggae!” “Yeah, right!” said I, thinking to myself, “what business does an Irishman have singing Jamaican music?”

I went home that night and I wrote “Eternal” and a string of new songs quickly followed. I discovered that I like to write songs in this particular style, too. Whatever doubts I harboured, as I considered this new endeavour, was met with a new found joy for playing, writing, recording and producing Reggae music.

I had the great fortune to meet Studio owner Jurik Maretzki in November of 2011. As luck would have it, Jurik had just opened Rooted Music Studio. Jurik is a hard working and talented youth from Hamburg, who being a great lover of Roots Reggae got stuck into the project with great enthusiasm. Rooted Music Studio has since become a landmark of creativity in Hamburg City.

Further fortune followed as we were joined by studio veteran and critically acclaimed guitarist and producer Rudy Valentino.

Rudy brought a treasure chest of magic and experience to the project. He produced and played with a whole host of acclaimed artists including Kymani Marley, Tessanne Chin, Tarrus Riley, Toots and the Maytals and Samy Deluxe to mention a few. Having cut his teeth in the Jamaican recording scene Rudy lent his time and talents as a producer bringing a super positive polish to the album.

Reggae became the perfect vehicle to embody the attributes that I wished to express in my music.
It laid the foundation for songs of a revolutionary and uplifting spirit.
"The Dawning" can surely be called a reflection of today’s society, a social commentary and a documentation of the shift in consciousness in humanity.