Some of us were born
With money to spend
Some of us were born
For races to win
Some of us are aware
That it's good for us to care
Some of us feel the icy wind
Of poverty blowing in the air
For those of us who simply like to socialize
For those of us who tend the sick
Ah, and heed the people's cries
Let me say to you
Right on
Right on, feel it
Yea, oh, oh, Oh Lord, Lord, people
And I say, Right on
The part of the song which
stays in my mind is the line: “For those of us who tend the sick
and heed the people’s cries, let me say to you: Right on.” The
young American woman who inspired me to remember this song line
and to whom this page is dedicated for the month of March is
Deesha Dyer. I met up with Deesha in New York at the
Jamiroquai gig; here’s who she is: Right on Deesha!
“Besides fighting global AIDS
and writing about music, I teach dance to children and also hold
down a lovely corporate job as an accountant at a real estate
company, so that's that. The 9-5 job is to pay the bills. The
AIDS work, music and dancing is to pay my soul. Being born on
the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I think volunteering
flowed in me since I was a child. It's a healthy addiction. I
don't think it makes me spectacular, because it's something we
all should do. If you don't stand for something, you will
fall for anything; let's just hope someone is there to help
you up. |
 |
I look back at the 60's and think that if there hadn't been activists in
this country, I wouldn't be here. It's respect to my ancestors and
responsibility to children. I'm a bit strange - I feel at home with the
homeless and feel something with people who have nothing. I love
volunteering in anything, but for some reason I have a STRONG natural
calling to HIV/AIDS. It still makes NO SENSE how man can control this,
yet it has become a deadly epidemic. People have this misconception that
volunteering within AIDS is so depressing. The depressing part isn't
seeing those living with it - it's the ignorance and mis-education
surrounding it and the way people with ADIS are portrayed. I see AIDS as
a tool to celebrate and respect life!
Tying in my love of the hip-hop culture,
I run a program called 'Cover Your Lover'. We go to concerts and parties
to pass out condoms and literature that promote abstinence and safer sex
- the website is launching this spring. It was so funny when a condom
landed at Jay's feet in Atlantic City - he was so confused, but I
explained as soon as I had a chance! I teach kids at community centers
and schools about sexual health, and volunteer one on one with people
living with HIV/AIDS. I also teach sexual health/life skills at a
detention facility for teenagers that are locked up for various
crimes/charges - they made bad choices, but they are amazing and teach
me as much as I teach them. That is a highlight of my week! I hope to
start a dance group for HIV positive children soon. It took me LONG
awhile to accept that this is what I was meant to do. This is my soul
food and I love it.
People wonder if I actually work, of
course - bills still have to be paid! As I said, I work in accounting
and I am also a music journalist for a local paper/various websites. I
am also pushing for better promotion of quality music...people like The
Roots, Mos Def, Nikka Costa, Fiona Apple and of course, Jamiroquai. This
is my challenge for 2006.
Check out Deesha's review of Dynamite, which
she wrote for the music promoter and independent record label, Giant
Step
www.giantstep.net
Jamiroquai– ‘Dynamite’ (Epic)
Let’s get one thing straight – Jamiroquai has always been and is
currently a band, not one person. After a 4-year hiatus, the man of many
personalities, Jason Kay (Jay Kay), along with a collective ensemble of
musicians has returned with their sixth album, ‘Dynamite.’ Although the
constant change of band members has given them the challenge of starting
over again and again, this album gives a glimpse of hope.
Combining ingredients of funk, soul, rock and pop, this is the most
diverse (not best) Jamiroquai album to date. The adrenaline heavy lead
single, “Feels Just Like It Should” excels in its concept and Jay’s
vocal bass synthesizing is impressive, but it fails to capture the
essence of the album. But, that’s a good thing. As we groove through the
disco inspired title track, and cruise around “Starchild” and “Electric
Mistress” - two tunes that allow guitarist Rob Harris to shine, we hit a
chill spot hidden in one of the highlights, “Seven Days in Sunny June”.
This sexy summer anthem is glazed with the keyboards of Matt Johnson, as
Jay sings sensual lines like “Baby, let’s get it on. Drinking wine and
killing time, sitting in the summer sun.” Those craving the old
Jamiroquai should skip right to slightly jazzy love ballad, “Tallulah”,
in which the live instrumentation goes beyond the regular set up and
includes a flute and saxophone melody. Beautiful song, but it’s one of
those that has to grow on you.
Long time followers of Jay’s style know that he disguises political and
social messages in lyrics as heard in third single, “(Don’t) Give Hate a
Chance”, which opens with a wicked drum/percussion feature and speaks of
global peace. It’s a great lead in to the ballad, “World That He Wants,”
which has an unexpected crescendo and speaks candidly to a certain
(cough) president. The ending track “Time Won’t Wait” is indeed the best
‘Dynamite’ has to offer. It starts off fast and quiet, but explodes into
an inspirational anthem with Jay’s voice transcending octaves and
dipping into raw passion as he sings, “Every second screams, listen to
your dreams, ‘cause you just can’t stop the clock.” The energy moves
from the soul to the feet as an alluring cry to live life free and
uninhibited.
Dynamite showcases the travels Jay took around the world while writing
this album. Seeking out the brilliant Benjamin Wright to lead the string
arrangements and using digital production software, Pro-Tools, Jay
wanted to package the album as a new sound that reflects evolution and
experimentation. Old fans will have to accept that this isn’t a carbon
copy of 1993’s organically sound, ‘Emergency on Planet Earth’ or 1997’s
ground breaking, ‘Traveling Without Moving,’ but ‘Dynamite’ holds true
to the Jamiroquai roots of creating an independent vibe that commands
you to dance. It’s easy to give in to the theory that Jamiroquai is a
has-been band or believe the tabloid gossip surrounding the lead singer,
but true fans of the 13-year old band are smarter than that. They choose
to listen to the music; and what a beautiful choice that is.
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