Qshan Deya

Like many other music genres, Reggae music has gone through many eras and has reflected the mood of each time period. With each succeeding generation producing a few spirited arists with the substance it takes to advance the art form to a higher level, while at the same time maintaining the authenticity of the music, Reggae continues to withstand the test of time.

Singer, songwriter, Qshan Dia follows in the line of the Caribbean's greatest musical messengers, continuing from where Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Dennis Brown left off, with a powerful penetrating voice which parrallels him to the modern reggae prophet, Luciano, his mentor. He infuses a new level of energy into roots reggae, adding a distinctive flair which crosses over from the vintage roots reggae style to a more hip modern presentation synonymous with the more animated dancehall reggae acts. This unique combination of attributes has made Qshan's music and performances stand out among the new generation of Reggae artists.

The lyrical content of his music range from the bitter to the sweet side of life, reflecting on the social, economic, political and spiritual issues facing society today. Qshan draws references from his life experiences as a child growing up in the Caribbean in a musical family and as a boy becoming a man
within the harsh realities of NYC where he has lived the past five years. As a persevering and spiritually grounded artist, Qshan has never allowed the desire for quick success and stardom to retard his progress as a messenger. From the tender age of twelve, he has been singing at events and to small gathering of people;whomever would isten to the words of his songs with the aid of his guitar, drums, saxophone, piano or steel pan all of which he mastered as a young musician. Qshan tells the African Sun Times that "as a wedding singer I had the opportunity to strengthen my vocal skills as I performed many ballads in my time." Today, his vocal skills are so powerful that any one can feel the power of his words as his songs pour out from his soul. As a poet he writes all his songs and each with such passion and conviction, personalizing each song with a depth of emotion so uncommon among even the most seasoned artists.

In his song "What Is Meant For Me Shall Be For Me," Qshan clearly understands the pain of following one's dream and upholds the virtue of patience and hard work. In his title song "Journey" one can identify with the struggles that this young mind must have endured to achieve the heights of understanding of life portrayed by the message in his music. The theme of this album underscores the need for love, peace and harmony which he strongly believes is integral to the realization of a better world. This he outlines in many of his songs, "Love is the ultimate answer." A true survivor and self motivator, Qshan cautions the youth to believe in themselves and to continue to try, firmly grounding their lives in the teachings of the Bible from which he has received his own blessings, and encourages everyone to "read a chapter a day."

He recorded his first single "Journey" which was later released on the "Reggae Sensation" compilation CD featuring some of the more established Reggae artists and later on the Reggae Platinum 2001 album. Since the release of "Journey" last year, Qshan's popularity has grown in leaps and bounds, beyond expectations of his New York based management team, J & D Productions. Today, he is a regular act on the reggae circuit, performing at all major Reggae shows and popular nightclubs throughout NYC and the rest of the Tri-State. This will shortly be followed by the release of his debut album under the same
title "Journey," later this month.

As a true team player. Qshan has been working with several artists and groups from different countries who all find him a pillar of strength and inspiration for such a young mind. His enthusiasm and drive to educate and entertain the public is obvious in his live performances and it is this enthusiasm that transcends the bounds of technology making him one of the most magnetic performers around.

His passion for music is evident from every breath taken, every thought conceived, every pen stroke, every word spoken, every recording is a message in art.
With an enormous repertoire of songs yet to be released, Qshan's potential as a recording artist is boundless.

- G. Imoya Monroque - African Sun Times Aug 2001

Album review
Journey
Qshan Dia
J & D Records-Walboomers Music
CD
24-06-2001

Tracking list

1-Love
2-Journey
3-A Time
4-What Is Meant For Me Shall Be
5-God's Identification
6-Together Forever
7-Too Late
8-Warfare featuring Yami Bolo
9-Jahovah
10-Where Do We Go (Innocent Lives)
11-Hallelujah
12-The Poor's Cry featuring Richie Spice

Rating : from 5 (excellent) to 1 (poor)

Vocals : 5 Backing : 5 Production : 5 Sound quality : 5 Sleeve : 5

Impressive newcomer Qshan Dia (real name Kellis Quashie) first came to notice to a wider audience when the title track of this debut set - "Journey" - appeared on the earlier this year released compilation set "Reggae Platynum 2001". With a vocal delivery strongly reminiscent of Luciano and a striking lyrical content he immediately attracted attention, then already indicating that it could only be a matter of time before the reggae massive would be treated to the singer/songwriter's debut album. And here it is... "The Journey".. featuring 12 tracks of well executed modern roots reggae, all high quality efforts ranging from solid to excellent. Although it is obvious that Luciano has been Qshan Dia's strong influence, he can't be accused of cloning the Messenger as he has developed a style of his own. Mixed by such renown mixing engineers as Colin "Bulby" York, Philip Smart and Sidney Mills the musical standard of this album is first class. Well balanced and full sounding "live" laid fresh riddims fit Qshan Dia's powerful voice very well and are the perfect vehicle for the mature singer's appealing vocal and lyrical delivery. With every tune having its own merit it's hard to point out the standouts, so let's just mention our favourite tracks: "A Time", "God's Identification", "Too Late" and "Where Do We Go (Innocent Lives)".
Qshan Dia has delivered an extraordinary debut set, indicating that this impressive new singer/songwriter is definitely a name to watch for in the near future. Contender for best newcomer of the year 2001!!

Teacher & Mr. T.


- Reggae Vibes Production NL

http://www.reggae-reviews.com/qshandia.html

Journey (J&D, 2001)

Qshan Dia (born Kellis Quashie) is a singer who's quietly making a name for himself . . . although you may not know how to pronounce it. Still mostly an underground figure, his debut Journey nonetheless has received consistent praise from critics -- those who've been able to locate the elusive album, that is. Looking at the cover, I was expecting to hear a lot of acoustic guitar -- perhaps something like Screwdriver's Prophecy -- but aside from "What Is Meant For Me Shall Be," "Jahovah," and "Hallelujah," the latter 2 of which do sound rather Screwdriver-like, there is little eclecticism in the sound; it's pretty much straightforward modern roots. Thus, I was a bit under-whelmed when I first listened to Journey. To top it off, Qshan Dia definitely comes from the same school of vocal style as Luciano and Bushman, so it's hard to feel like he's really established his own sound. Granted, you could've said the same thing about Bushman (in comparison to Luciano) when he debuted, but the strength of his body of work since then has spoken for itself. (It remains to be seen how Dia's career turns out.) That said, Journey is certainly a promising first step in establishing Qshan Dia as an identifiable force in reggae; indeed, his inclusion as the "4th wiseman" on the Three Wise Men Volume 2 album alongside Luciano, Sizzla, and Junior Kelly implies high expectations. Overcoming my initial misgivings, I came to appreciate the passion, the melodic flow, and the rich roots and light dancehall sound. Tracks like "A Time," "Together Forever," "Hallelujah," "Journey," and particularly the righteous "God's Identification" are powerful statements . . . even if they do sound like Luciano.

Track Listing
1. Love
2. Journey
3. A Time
4. What Is Meant For Me Shall Be
5. God's Identification
6. Together Forever
7. Too Late
8. Warfare featuring Yami Bolo
9. Jahovah
10. Where Do We Go (Innocent Lives)
11. Hallelujah
12. The Poor's Cry featuring Richie Spice Journey Rate this album

1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
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Vibesonline.net review

Artist: Qshan Dia
Title: Journey
Label: J&D
Recensito da: Per Tosi

A true surprise comes from U.S: reggae scene: Kellis Quashie is an
excellent reggae singer really similar to Bushman and Luciano, and has chosen Qshan Dia as artistic name. We don't know so much about him (even CD's booklet is poor in terms of news) but it seems that he moves around
New York reggae scene. 'Journey', his first CD; is really one of the best productions of 2001 from esordient artists, and it's really a pity that in Italy it is so difficult to find.

Qshan Dia is on the cover black dressed, with an acoustic guitar in his hands, to enlight the semplicity and the direct approach of his music: indeed, this artist is really an author of roots songs direct and
vibrating, and the production, simple but effective, puts in evidence his beautiful voice and the 'matter' of the tracks.

'Journey' is opened by a wonderful acoustic 'ballad' called 'Love' but in
the second track, the one which gives the name to the album, 'Journey', we already find many assonances with Bushman, underlined also by a similarity
in the writing style.

Anyway in the remaining tracks Kellis shows a strong inpiration and
reaches the best effects in semi-acoustic songs like 'What is meant for me shall be', 'God's identification' and 'Jahovia', even if 'Journey' presents a large variety of musical hints, still in a modern roots reggae idea although widely personal.

Apart of the acoustic spreads there are also many marks with more rhythm like the jumping and almost dancehall 'Together forever' or the excellent 'Too late'. There are also some guests, like Yami Bolo in 'Warfare', while in the conclusion, with 'The poor's cry', it's up to the young Richie Spice to share the microphone with the equally young CD holder.

As already said, the greatest value of the production job is its
simplicity and immediateness: 'Journey''s producer is Derrick Moo-Young
while on tracks mixing there are excellent characters like Philip Smart, Sidney Mills and Colin 'Bulby' York.

This 'Journey' is an excellent debut and places Qshan Dia in evidence as voice of modern "sufferers"; in the U.S. the scene of jamaican reggae is strictly linked with the jamaican one and we won't be surprised to see this young artist demanded by jamaican producers, if the truth, as it seems, is that Richard Bell, on behalf of Startrail Productions, is already dealing with his concerts.

Vibesonline.net - 2002
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Catalog No: JDCD0029
Item Name: 3 WISE MEN VOL.2 - SIZZLA, LUCIANO, JUNIOR KELLY
Weight: 0.5
BAR Code: 552184002924

Qty:
Track Song Title
1 Live In Concert - Luciano
2 Visions - Luciano
3 Enough Is Enough - Luciano
4 Come Away - Luciano
5 Saturday Night - Luciano
6 Life - Sizzla
7 Mind Over Matter - Sizzla
8 Keep It Real - Sizzla
9 Show Off - Sizzla
10 Gideon Red - Junior Kelly
11 A Place For Rasta - Junior Kelly
12 Identify - Junior Kelly & Anthony Malvo
13 Yu Can Make It - Junior Kelly
14 I Rejoice - Qshan Dia
15 Face Reality - Qshan Dia

Follow-up to the 1999 released "3 Wise Men" album which featured fifteen tracks from Luciano, Sizzla and Anthony B. Once again fifteen tracks on the second installment from big names Luciano and Sizzla, rising star Junior Kelly and - probably as a kind of bonus - impressive newcomer Qshan Dia. Most of the material featured on this compilation set only appeared on 7" singles and, until now, wasn't available on any other format. After a short, non-essential sequence of Luciano's "Live In Venezuela" album, the first real tune entitled "Visions" drops in. Produced by C. & R. McLeod of UK's "Stingray" team - undoubtedly representing the best of modern British reggae production - Luciano delivers a great piece in which the Messenger sounds back to his old, incomparable self. This standout tune is followed by the solid "Enough Is Enough" and the awesome "Come Away", before the rub-a-dub tune "Saturday Night" completes Luciano's set in fine style. For "Life" Sizzla rides the very same backdrop as Luciano utilized for "Saturday Night". It's a nice effort but it not until his next piece "Mind Over Matter" that his flame starts burning fiercely. With "Keep It Real" and "Show Off" Sizzla delivers matching cuts. Junior Kelly comes in strong with the outrageous "Gideon Red", which fully showcases the cultural singjay's talent for forging memorable melody lines. His next three pieces - including the combination with Anthony Malvo - maintain the high quality standard, thus making every Junior Kelly track a winner and very enjoyable to listen to. The compilation set rounds off with two cuts from Qshan Dia, the killer tune "Rejoice" - underpinned by Stingray's "People's Choice" riddim -and the excellent Face Reality".

Production work on "3 Wise Men Vol. 2" is carried out by C. & R. McLeod ("Stingray"), Chris "Goldfinger" Clarke, Gary Tomlinson & Michael Nugent (Spragga Roots), Dane Moo-Young & Fabian Francis (Weeded Records), George Miller (Firehouse Crew Productions), Mikey Johnson (Lion Paw Productions), Anthony Lilly & Conrod Green (Harmodio Records) and Derrick Moo-Young


- Nuff Entertainment

Reggae Carifest 2001

Guinness Reggae Gold Carifest 2001

Crooner Qshan Dia who had performed earlier, kept the up-tempo vibe, reinforcing his stature as one of New York’s premier cultural singers. Performing songs from his debut disc, he delivered a strong set that should do well to enhance his career.

Video: (Stan Smith) Sanchez Backstage Black Scorpio
Photos: Ajamu
Text: Anthony Turner Addendum: Kimberly Burgess



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