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The best kept secret in music
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HERE’S TO LOVE
The title track is a toss that will get just about any lovers to say cheers as it simply celebrates the idea of being in love. Cha’Maine kicks off the musical journey to ultimate love as she reiterates insistently "Here’s to Love wherever it may take us, Here’s to Love wherever we may go" over the rocksteady, ska, reggae influenced riddim.
PROMISE
When Whitney Houston sang Dolly Parton’s classic ‘I Will Always Love You’, it not only garnered the #1 spot on many charts but enhanced her ranks as one of the greatest balladeers of all time. The song soon became a wedding favorite and Cha’Maine’s self written ‘PROMISE’ is soaring for similar heights and destined to make an everlasting impression. ‘Together we stand with my hand in your hand in his presence our family, well wishers who came to see that I love you for who you are. I promise to love you and I promise to be there when all others forsaken you.’ These words eloquently emanates with flawless chord progression, complimentary musical backdrop and great harmony that can only intensify your desire for wedding matrimony.
CALL ME
She skillfully reveals her sensuous side with the song ‘CALL ME’ on a smooth jazz arrangement indicative of her soul influences like Gladys Knight , Jill Scott, India Arie & Erykah Badu. She rants adamantly about her partner’s lack of communication and playfully beckons him to call her much more. Her voice majestically glazes the sharp strings of the violin and shifts her closer to the jazz category often foreign to most Jamaican born singers.
NO GUARANTEES
Cha’Maine goes back to her traditional reggae roots with ‘NO GUARANTEES’ as she laments on a failed relationship and concerns about severing the ties. ‘Maybe if I give you 1 more try you won’t hurt me like you did because with Love there are no guarantees.’ This chorus flows nicely on the 1-drop riddim flavored with a spanish guitar to create an enchanting concoction suitable for any dance floor.
HOT MAN
Cha’Maine’s versatility undoubtedly shines on this project especially with her dancehall driven song ‘Hot Man.’ The beat is symbolic of a carnival atmosphere and the message ironically has a similar overtone of the smash hit "It's Raining Men" by The Weather Girls. She salutes the male gender profusely and the riddim is so tantalizing the dance floor will not be vacant.
- Patrice Barnes - Deeboz Muzik
Discography
Reggae Soul - Released 2005
Here's to Love - Maxi Single - October 2007
Here's to Love - The album - December 2007
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Cha’Maine takes you on a musical journey knocking gently on the doors of reggae, r&b, jazz and dancehall to create the intrinsic sounds of "Reggae Soul" which is ironically the title of her 2005 debut album. Although the ratio of male to female singers is still unbalanced, this multi-talented singer/songwriter/producer is mere hope for improvement. She vows to break through the barriers that have relegated some of the most powerful voices to background singers with her sophomore album “Here’s To Love.”
The Jamaican native honed her skills while performing in Hall Jackson's talented teens, the Clarendon Cultural development festival and many other local competitions in Jamaica. She also worked on numerous Dub Plates for Bodyguard Sound System before migrating to the US to pursue her academic studies. In her senior year of high school as a member of the NY All City Chorus, she performed at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Carnegie Hall and on Broadway for the New York Salute HIV/AIDS benefit. This experience created a myriad of opportunities including becoming a finalist for the Lena Horne scholarship, and offers to Julliard School of Music and Berklee College of Music. After a few false starts, Cha'Maine moved to Raleigh, NC, where she could dedicate herself to writing. However, the local Reggae scene would romance her back into performing and recording.
Cha'Maine's versatility has given her the opportunity to work with some of the most talented producers, artists and musicians in Reggae: Sidney Mills, J.D. Smooth, Marcia Griffiths, Pam Hall, Glen Washington, Clifton "Specialist" Dillon, Courtney Panton, Benjy Myaz, Derrick Barnett, Barrington Levi, Ky-mani Marley, Barrington Bailey, George “Ovationz” Hunter and the late Dennis Brown.
Cha’Maine’s sophomore album ‘Here’s To Love’ is a thematically enriching 14 track album fusing elements of dancehall, reggae, jazz and R&B while subsequently exploring love, relationship and social issues. Sidney Mills of Living Rooms Records and long standing member of world renowned group ‘Steel Pulse’ is the mastermind responsible for most of the albums production. Both producer and artists have developed a nice musical chemistry and its evident with the smooth transitions as the album unfolds.
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