LUCIANO
Jah Is My Navigator (VP): B+
Reggae veteran Luciano isn’t an groundbreaker, but he is as stirring and satisfying a roots singer as you’ll find today. Backed by several legends including drummer Sly Dunbar, bassist Robbie Shakespeare and saxophonist Dean Fraser (world Health Organization likewise co-produced), Luciano lays knock down 15 more often than not righteous tracks upholding Rastafarian ideals, among them iI well covers Wailers fans will in particular savor: “I’m the Tuffest” (a duet with ballad maker Peter Tosh’s boy Saint Andrew) and the Bob Marley-Lee Perry penned “Jah Live.” Besides badly a few forays into mushy r & b lay territorial dominion weren’t left hand on the recording studio floor. Download: “Jah Canopy.” (Coming into court William Ashley Sunday at the Shangri-la.)
