Walking the streets of Kingston in 1972, one would likely hear the rebel sounds of The Wailers or other exponents of roots-reggae, the sound that erupted in that city’s ghettoes during the late 1960s. If you listened to the radio, there were more conventional songs like ‘Pitta Patta’ by Ernie Smith.

That easy-listening track about a man and his lover about to get busy as the rain poured, has been given new life by Jah Cutta, a Jamaican singer based in Montreal, Canada. It was released in February by Be Rich Productions, which also has offices there.

“I first heard dat song as a boy, an’ it’s a song I always wanted to do. So, when we came up with di idea for dis album, I know I had to do it,” said Jah Cutta.

That album is ‘Jah Cutta Sings Gold’, his 12th collection which is scheduled for release in August by Be Rich Productions. It contains reggae renditions of soul standards like Otis Redding’s ‘That’s How Strong My Love Is’ and Percy Sledge’s ‘My Special Prayer’.

Jah Cutta, who has lived in Montreal for many years, recorded the album at Tuff Gong studios in Kingston early this year with top musicians including bassist Lloyd Parks, guitarist Dwight Pinkney, keyboardist Robbie Lyn and saxophonist Dean Fraser.

‘Tears on My Pillow’, another Ernie Smith song from the 1970s, is also covered on ‘Sings Gold’. The prolific Lyn, who has recorded and toured with Sly and Robbie and Peter Tosh, worked on the original ‘Pitta Patta’ and ‘Tears on My Pillow’ which were recorded at Federal Records in Kingston.

That studio was home to ‘reggae lite’ acts like Smith, Pluto Shervington and Ken Lazarus who appealed to conservative, middle-class Jamaicans who were turned off by the emergence of Rastafari and socialism in their country.

Jah Cutta is from St. Thomas, a rural parish in eastern Jamaica. He remembers the days when Rasta and roots-reggae were bad words, and although he admired both, was still drawn to the mellow sounds of artistes like Smith who recently celebrated his 80th birthday.

“Is a great singer, yuh can’t tek dat away from him. A great songwriter too,” said Jah Cutta, who has met Smith twice.

‘That’s How Strong My Love Is’, the second single from ‘Jah Cutta Sings Gold’, is scheduled for release in July.

(Photo contributed)