15 years later, Baltimore artist’s music tackles current social issues

 

By Josephine Hill

Baltimore musician Jahiti of the rap group Brown FISH took to the stage of Busboys and Poets in Washington last December surrounded by images of social justice leaders.

At one point during the concert, Jahiti joined the audience and intensely strummed his guitar as he chanted his songs.

The audience roared when he stood on a chair at the climax of the song “Fish Bowl” in what appeared to be a message that was not only heard, but felt by everyone who was there.

“The lyrics had meaning, such beautiful meaning,” said Lydia Johnson, who attended the Dec. 30 concert. “It was something you could relate to. It wasn’t typical stuff about booty-bouncing. He was singing legitimate stuff that anyone from ages 5 to 100 can relate to. It is so relatable to everybody: men, women, boy, girl, no matter what your social class is, your age, your race – especially that Fish Bowl song.”

Jahiti’s music has become more relevant over the last few weeks in light of the protests and riots that rocked Baltimore in April and early May after the death of Freddie Gray. Although many of his songs were written 15 years ago, they touch on the current issues of police brutality, the murder of young black men and the cycle of drug use.

In addition, Jahiti released a new song two days ago called “The Protest Show,” which features the late Derrick “OOH” Jones, who performed with Jahiti as part of the influential Baltimore rap group Brown FISH. Jahiti will perform the song as part of a rally near the Gilmore homes, where Gray was arrested, at 1640 Balmor Court in Baltimore at 7 p.m. May 28.

Jahiti stands inside Red Emma's bookstore on West North Avenue in Baltimore. Photo by Josephine Hill

Jahiti stands inside Red Emma’s bookstore on West North Avenue in Baltimore.Photo by Josephine Hill

Jones, who died in June 2014, served as an inspiration for Jahiti’s album, Manifest, which was released in 2014.

“There was a murder in Baltimore” is the chorus in the song  “Murder,” and the album served as a musical healing and platform for love, growth and expression for Jahiti.

“His music got me through college,” said Monique Tyson, Jahiti’s sister. “I would pop in his CD and get into my homework. It was a helping tool to get through a stressful time.I really got to understand the issues that he was talking about in the community through his music.”

Jones founded #SaveADopeBoy in 2009 as a movement to deter youth from relying on the streets as a means of support. The group was also designed to promote individual success through learning, doing and discussing what it takes to be an employable, responsible young citizen.

Music was not always the main focus of Jones and Jahiti, whose real name is Ian Smith. Both were teachers in Baltimore city. They organized and provided positive male guidance for an all-male class for students at Gilmore Elementary from 2004 to 2008.

Music was just their expression. The impact Jones had on the lives of students, community members and Jahiti was clearly visible through his works.

Photo courtesy of Jahiti.

Photo courtesy of Jahiti.

“He really is my best friend,” Jahiti said. “We worked together. We had a home and studio together. I’m the godfather of his daughter. We performed on stage for so many years. Each one of those compartments had to heal on their own.”

Jahiti is a first-generation Jamaican-American singer and songwriter of World County Soul. Jahiti has been involved in Baltimore as a graduate from Coppin State University, an educator and musician.

Jahiti spent his childhood summers singing and praying in Jamaica. At 6 years old, he would dance as if he was performing.

“I made music as a desire to share something,” Jahiti said.

Jahiti’s father was a truck driver. Although he did not spend  much time with his father, Jahiti said his dad influenced him because his father sang  country music from Willie Nelson and Kenny Rogers.

“I think it had an effect on me having an interest in country music,” Jahiti said. “I listened to Soca growing up, barely any reggae.”

“The standard you live as a young man will follow you through life,” said Jahiti’s mother, Judith Charles.“He was one that always listened to his mom. I was brought up with love, tenderness and strict guidance, so I wanted to pass that on to my two kids.”

“He has a political taste in his mouth, one day he might go a little further with that,” Charles said.

Jahiti participated in the 300 Men March in Baltimore city this April with community leaders. The march was an anti-violence movement that supported the peaceful protesters seeking justice for Gray, the 25-year-old man whose death while in police custody in April sparked protests in Baltimore.

On Instagram Smith had a #ThisIsBaltimoreToo movement, which he used to educate his followers that there is more to Baltimore than what is reported in the news media.

“I’ve been involved with the 300 Men organization for two and a half years,” Smith said.

Every Friday evening, 20 to 50 men walk through the most violent communities in Baltimore city as a caring presence that the community trusts. Jahiti said residents trust the 300 Men as authority figures because of the respect they have for them.

“Being seen and letting the neighborhood know that they haven’t been forgotten has been the most rewarding and effective way to give back to my community,” Jahiti said. “I’m really passionate about being a support and an assistance to my community. The people who need that the most are going to always be the children, and after them women and lastly men.”

Jahiti said that as an independent artist, he believes the Baltimore poetry scene is supportive of local musicians. He performs at restaurants, lounges and festivals throughout Baltimore. He also sings in weddings, prisons and venues along the East Coast.

Jahiti said he enjoys live performances where he can connect with the audience.

“I make music that is socially inclined,” Smith said. “People ask me to support because I’ve already been involved.”

“It is not until 2014, really, that now I can say that I’m really taking this thing serious in terms of it being a career,” Jahiti said. “I had a beautiful 14-year career of just being an artist and not caring whether you bought my CD or not. I think if I just spend as much time working for somebody else, working on myself, I think I can make it.”

“Most of my songs are not written in an intellectual process,” he added. “It just happens. I don’t like to predict the song I’m going to perform ahead of time. I look at the audience first. It is powerful for someone to doubt you, then remove all doubt.”

Johnson, the audience member who was so touched by Jahiti’s music last December, may be one of those people.

“It lets you know that we’re all brought together under one common thing,” Johnson said of Jahiti’s music. “We’re all not different, we’re all experiencing the same thing, no matter who we are, what we are, where we’re from, we’re all experiencing the same stuff in our lives. We’re all in a fishbowl.”

JAHITI’S MESSAGES OF LOVE AND HOPE FOR BALTIMORE

FullSizeRender-11

May 5, 2015

Profile of Jahiti of Brown FISH by Maddie Scharff
j
Dubscience Photography

While this is the third time we have met it is the first time outside of an event Jahiti is headlining. As we are talking I notice his speaking and singing voice are the same. It is strong; he projects and clearly annunciates every word. It is convivial; he looks into your eyes while speaking to you with a toothy smile. And it is spiritual in the way he opens and closes his eyes, taking time to connect with himself and his audience.

He attended Coppin State University starting in 1991; after graduating he decided to remain in Baltimore and has lived here since. He says he rarely misses his previous home in Brooklyn but may one day move to Jamaica where his grandparents are from. That said, he has no plans to leave Baltimore anytime soon. “This city made me a man,” he says reopening his eyes. He had closed them upon saying the word “city”, perhaps in introspection due to the profound effect the city has had on him. “The people here are loving people but they can be cautious and at times they can be real rough to people they don’t know.” He knows this because of his dedicated involvement to helping bring positive thoughts to the Baltimore community.

I first met Jahiti two months ago at a community pop-up event called Love on the Line: Stories of a Baltimore Worth Living presented at the Spin Cycle Laundromat. As I sat listening to him end the evening with three original songs, the room felt intimate and grew quiet. People who were previously washing clothes, walking around looking at student artwork, and chasing their children, gathered close to hear the words of his most well known song, “Fish Bowl” which includes the lines “freedom, freedom, is the only life worth living for, so come on with me, jump and just be free.”

FullSizeRender-8

He is a passionate man, with an intimate connection to the people of Baltimore. “Jump out, out, out, out, out of this fish bowl” he sings. His guitar moves closer to his body and his body moves closer to the audience as he sings each “out,” which sound more like “ah-uh,” giving the melody a reggae vibe.

The second time I met Jahiti was at the Play Hookah Room in Baltimore, where he performed with Sean Martial, Chuck Maddox, David Buckholtz, and guests from the audience. The same intimacy was present that night; almost everyone there knew each other and stayed long after the show, puffing shisha, a molasses-based concoction, from hookahs and sharing stories of their past week. Jahiti understands how to bring people together. He can bridge gaps between individuals who might not otherwise have anything in common.

FullSizeRender-9

Not only does he bring people together through music, he is involved with the 300 Men March, which has an annual 10-mile public walk across North Avenue in Baltimore City. The march brings awareness to the violence present in that area, in hopes that at least for the day there will be no crime or hate. He also participates in Save a Dope Boy, a grassroots organization that promotes community involvement and employment readiness for Baltimore City youth, as well as Boy Scouts of America. “If you’re going to support something it needs be the children. Children, women, and men last. It’s harder to work with broken men,” he says.

He encourages everyone to join organizations such as churches “not because you believe its righteous or the right thing but because now you have a group of people that can decide where you’re going to focus your energy.” You can find Jahiti playing for free at many children’s associated programs and community pop-up events.

Before he was a performer, he wrote poetry although he claims with much laughter, “It was nothing intelligent” and that it “just kind of happened.” He came to be a singer and songwriter in the same way—naturally. When he was young he spent every summer with his grandparents and aunts in Jamaica. They were strict about church and prayer. “I was always singing,” he remembers. He is grinning widely, signifying it was not an annoyance. He initially started song writing to Jamaican dub, a beat heavy music with no lyrics. He would buy the music and then write his own lyrics to the beats. He progressed from there to play in a group, Brown FISH, years later in Baltimore. During his time in Brown FISH he also evolved from chanting to singing solo while playing guitar.

FullSizeRender-7

“I almost never write a song off the top of my head. I need the music there and then I can get started. Once there’s an energy behind the song I use everything I know to figure out what needs to be said in the most direct way.” Yet, deciding what message to send out to his audience has not always been easy. His personal musical style has come a long way.

“In the boot leg mixes, which focus on chanting, I was very young, lacking male energy. There’s some aggression when you listen to it. I’m way calmer now and it’s just not very serious. My albums Fishbowl (2003) to Manifest (2014) have big differences in the musicality and some of the language is different too. I’d rather tell you what I like and love rather than what I hate and dislike. That’s the major different now.” He says, “telling people what you hate and dislike is a lot of unnecessary information. Reinforce the appropriate thing and not the negative thing.”

One of Jahiti’s songs, I Pledge Ft. OOH, a mixture of chanting and singing, is one that all citizens should take the time to listen but especially Baltimoreans in light of recent Freddie Grey protests. The song begins with a little boy’s voice: “All the kids want to go outside and play but they cant, because they’re shooting, we gotta stay in the house because they always trying to kill another black men. I wish black men stop acting like children, children are acting like grown men,” which is an emotionally charged message all Baltimoreans need to reflect on. Jahiti takes over the chorus with, “when I look up in the sky, cross my heart and hope to die, I pledge to be the man that I’m supposed to be” and each word is chanted tersely, in a deep voice, as if he is begging his listeners to do the same.

http://www.jahitiworld.com/

Page 2 of 2
 

Page 1

JAHITI’S MESSAGES OF LOVE AND HOPE FOR BALTIMORE

FullSizeRender-11

May 5, 2015

Profile of Jahiti of Brown FISH by Maddie Scharff
j
Dubscience Photography

While this is the third time we have met it is the first time outside of an event Jahiti is headlining. As we are talking I notice his speaking and singing voice are the same. It is strong; he projects and clearly annunciates every word. It is convivial; he looks into your eyes while speaking to you with a toothy smile. And it is spiritual in the way he opens and closes his eyes, taking time to connect with himself and his audience.

He attended Coppin State University starting in 1991; after graduating he decided to remain in Baltimore and has lived here since. He says he rarely misses his previous home in Brooklyn but may one day move to Jamaica where his grandparents are from. That said, he has no plans to leave Baltimore anytime soon. “This city made me a man,” he says reopening his eyes. He had closed them upon saying the word “city”, perhaps in introspection due to the profound effect the city has had on him. “The people here are loving people but they can be cautious and at times they can be real rough to people they don’t know.” He knows this because of his dedicated involvement to helping bring positive thoughts to the Baltimore community.

I first met Jahiti two months ago at a community pop-up event called Love on the Line: Stories of a Baltimore Worth Living presented at the Spin Cycle Laundromat. As I sat listening to him end the evening with three original songs, the room felt intimate and grew quiet. People who were previously washing clothes, walking around looking at student artwork, and chasing their children, gathered close to hear the words of his most well known song, “Fish Bowl” which includes the lines “freedom, freedom, is the only life worth living for, so come on with me, jump and just be free.”

FullSizeRender-8

He is a passionate man, with an intimate connection to the people of Baltimore. “Jump out, out, out, out, out of this fish bowl” he sings. His guitar moves closer to his body and his body moves closer to the audience as he sings each “out,” which sound more like “ah-uh,” giving the melody a reggae vibe.

The second time I met Jahiti was at the Play Hookah Room in Baltimore, where he performed with Sean Martial, Chuck Maddox, David Buckholtz, and guests from the audience. The same intimacy was present that night; almost everyone there knew each other and stayed long after the show, puffing shisha, a molasses-based concoction, from hookahs and sharing stories of their past week. Jahiti understands how to bring people together. He can bridge gaps between individuals who might not otherwise have anything in common.

FullSizeRender-9

Not only does he bring people together through music, he is involved with the 300 Men March, which has an annual 10-mile public walk across North Avenue in Baltimore City. The march brings awareness to the violence present in that area, in hopes that at least for the day there will be no crime or hate. He also participates in Save a Dope Boy, a grassroots organization that promotes community involvement and employment readiness for Baltimore City youth, as well as Boy Scouts of America. “If you’re going to support something it needs be the children. Children, women, and men last. It’s harder to work with broken men,” he says.

He encourages everyone to join organizations such as churches “not because you believe its righteous or the right thing but because now you have a group of people that can decide where you’re going to focus your energy.” You can find Jahiti playing for free at many children’s associated programs and community pop-up events.

Before he was a performer, he wrote poetry although he claims with much laughter, “It was nothing intelligent” and that it “just kind of happened.” He came to be a singer and songwriter in the same way—naturally. When he was young he spent every summer with his grandparents and aunts in Jamaica. They were strict about church and prayer. “I was always singing,” he remembers. He is grinning widely, signifying it was not an annoyance. He initially started song writing to Jamaican dub, a beat heavy music with no lyrics. He would buy the music and then write his own lyrics to the beats. He progressed from there to play in a group, Brown FISH, years later in Baltimore. During his time in Brown FISH he also evolved from chanting to singing solo while playing guitar.

FullSizeRender-7

“I almost never write a song off the top of my head. I need the music there and then I can get started. Once there’s an energy behind the song I use everything I know to figure out what needs to be said in the most direct way.” Yet, deciding what message to send out to his audience has not always been easy. His personal musical style has come a long way.

“In the boot leg mixes, which focus on chanting, I was very young, lacking male energy. There’s some aggression when you listen to it. I’m way calmer now and it’s just not very serious. My albums Fishbowl (2003) to Manifest (2014) have big differences in the musicality and some of the language is different too. I’d rather tell you what I like and love rather than what I hate and dislike. That’s the major different now.” He says, “telling people what you hate and dislike is a lot of unnecessary information. Reinforce the appropriate thing and not the negative thing.”

One of Jahiti’s songs, I Pledge Ft. OOH, a mixture of chanting and singing, is one that all citizens should take the time to listen but especially Baltimoreans in light of recent Freddie Grey protests. The song begins with a little boy’s voice: “All the kids want to go outside and play but they cant, because they’re shooting, we gotta stay in the house because they always trying to kill another black men. I wish black men stop acting like children, children are acting like grown men,” which is an emotionally charged message all Baltimoreans need to reflect on. Jahiti takes over the chorus with, “when I look up in the sky, cross my heart and hope to die, I pledge to be the man that I’m supposed to be” and each word is chanted tersely, in a deep voice, as if he is begging his listeners to do the same.

http://www.jahitiworld.com/

From Behind the Microphone: Jahiti Brownfish
 | January 6, 2015 Reply

As long as I have been a part of the Baltimore poetry community, Jahiti Brownfish has been there with his easy going personality, warm spirit, and beautiful smile, strumming his guitar and singing with a voice blessed by angels. He has been a fixture on the scene for over 15 years. He started by writing poetry; he recently shared a photo of all his poetry journals before transitioning to singing and songwriting. His musical style is called “Reggae Soul,” a style described as a mix between Johnny Cash, Bob Marley, Richie Havens and Bob Dylan (borrowed from his bio).

 

 

 

A staple in the Baltimore music scene, my earliest memories of Jahiti are of him performing with his best friend, the late Derrick Jones, aka “OOH Brownfish,” as the duo “Brownfish.” The bond these two artists had with each other was more than that of just friends; they were brothers. They blended writing and voices effortlessly and made magic. There is no way I could write this article without including a shout out to OOH this video:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jahiti as a solo artist is powerful; I’m used to hearing him in a room full of people so I never realized how clear and strong his voice is until I recorded him for a Grapevine promotional video. I was completely blown away! There is no better experience in a venue then hearing the beginning chords of “Daughter of the Most High” and hearing the entire audience sing right along with him. I have witnessed audience members brought to tears upon hearing this song for the first time.

Kelilah “Butterfly Free” Washington:

Have you ever heard the greatest love song ever written? No, truly! I’m talking about a song that makes you feel as good as Al Green’s “Love and Happiness” or Lenny Williams’ “Cause I Love You,” or Michael Bolton’s “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You.” Well, I don’t think you have until you have heard Jahiti’s “Daughter of the Most High.” This brother and his guitar are…I can’t even express it into words but I’m going to try. It seems like he is just one with music, like it was his destiny. Watching him perform, I feel like he’s Michael Jackson and his guitar is the signature sparkling glove. Jahiti ain’t new to this; he is true to this in every which way, shape and form. He is one of the reasons Baltimore artists are some of my favorites to this day. He is the reason that I bought a guitar and have started to learn how to play; I want to make someone feel the way he made me feel the first time that I ever saw him perform. But it’s not just him as an artist; it’s the man behind the guitar. The first time I saw his “Daughter of the Most High” video, watching him interact with his wife and his daughter, it was just so beautiful. And so is his soul! I’m sure OOH watches over him every day and is just amazed at the fact that he is someone he called one of his best friends. Because of Jahiti I know now that I am a star, a daughter of the Most High. And I will not be wished upon by anyone less then who I deserve. Thank you, Jahiti!!!!!

 

I’ve often said that I know some extremely talented people and it’s a crying shame they don’t have recording deals, or the marketing machine that some with lessor talents have; Jahiti is one of those artists that needs to be world known!

 

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Stepping from Behind the Microphone: Jahiti Brownfish

Sherri:   Tell us more about what brought you to music and song writing.
Jahiti: Somewhere around 14-15 years old I started writing poems. Eventually writing to music took over that creative space.

Sherri: Tell the story of your first experience performing. (Include where, when, how you felt afterwards.)

Jahiti: I don’t remember.
This question would require a response better said than written.

Sherri: Your stage name is “Jahiti.” Why did you choose that name? What do you want the audience to know about you when they hear it?
Jahiti: Jahiti is my spiritual name. My name is embedded with a code that identifies me to my people.

Sherri: Who is your favorite writer?
Jahiti:  Bell Hooks

Sherri: You have one hour to have a conversation with anyone living or deceased. Who would you choose? What would you want to ask them?
Jahiti: My great-grandfather, George Smith. Who are you? How much family history can you tell me?

Sherri: Your perfect concert: who are three acts, living or dead, you would like to see perform?
Jahiti:  Bob Marley, James Brown & Jimmy Hendrix

Sherri: Tells us something about yourself that most people don’t know.
Jahiti: I have two Penn Relay medals.

Sherri: Do you have another creative outlet? If not, what is something you have always wanted to learn how to do?
Jahiti:      I do these weird drawings every few years or so.

Sherri:  [Borrowed from Inside the Actor’s Studio] If heaven exists, what do you want to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
Jahiti: “I thought so.”

To learn more about Jahiti, purchase his music and see his performance calendar please visit Jahiti World.

 

Jahiti will be the first feature of 2015’s Heard Through the Grapevine. The “Reggae Soul” edition will be held on Friday January 9th at the new home of the Grapevine: Old Line Fine Wines, Spirits and Bistro, 11011 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705.

Jahiti

On Friday January 16, Jahiti features at The Bolton Hill Open Mic Series in Baltimore, MD.

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Yonte Richardson Speaks With Jahiti

baltimoretimes-online.com


http://baltimoretimes-online.com/news/2014/aug/13/indie-soul-review-manifest-jahiti/

Indie Soul Review: MANIFEST by Jahiti

 

Phinesse Demps | 8/13/2014, 6:10 a.m.
There are hundreds of artists releasing music everyday— some with talent, others are just products of the corporate music machine. ...
Jahiti and Gabriel Pickus performing in Reservoir Hill (COURTESY PHOTO)
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There are hundreds of artists releasing music everyday— some with talent, others are just products of the corporate music machine. There are those who are copycats and others who are just fake— and then there is Jahiti.

“I want to make music to make people feel good but at the same time the type of music that makes you think. I am coming from a spiritual and conscious world, so when I write and perform, I want people to feel what I am saying and I hope that it moves them to want to do something positive with their lives, in their community and even with their loved ones,” said Jahiti.

Jahiti’s latest CD has accomplished just that, with the sound of world music, soul, island, and even country. Jahiti wrote, produced and played guitar while also singing on the album. When I listen to the tracks “Murder,” “Woke Up/Pray For Me,” and “Humanity,” I think Bob Marley and Peter Tosh but also Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. 

Jahiti’s style is very distinctive. He delivers his words powerfully and you understand his passion for music, for his community, and his love of love. “Love of Mine”, “Daughter of the Most High”(which is the BEST track and should be getting radio airplay right now), and She’s Telling Me, are the best examples of his love songs.

You feel the energy and vibe on Manifest from track one all the way through track 13. It is an impressive and solid release. You have to take a listen for yourself. For more information: www.http://jahitiworld.com

Indie Soul welcomes your questions and comments. To contact Phinesse Demps, call 410-366-3900 ext. 3016 or 410-501-0193 or email: pdemps@btimes.com. Follow him on Twitter@lfpmedia.

Speakerboxmagazine.com

http://speakerboxmagazine.com/2014/02/19/cd-review-manifest-by-jahiti/


by Petula Caesar

 

I picked up “Manifest”, the latest musical offering from Jahiti, who is also part of the legendary duo BrownFISH. Jahiti has been promising us this particular project for a little while, so I was excited to finally get my hot little fingers on my keyboard to download it. And as I prepared to play it, I became nervous.

I’ve seen Jahiti perform live. He is an awesome live performer. He is energetic and passionate onstage both vocally and musically with a rugged edge that is absolutely hypnotic. The fact that he is pretty easy on the eyes is not a horrible thing either. In addition to being talented, he also is very good at working his talents, whether doing an acoustic set or performing with a full band. But I worried that the soulful rawness that is a key element of his musicality wouldn’t translate onto a recording. Granted, this isn’t his first recording, but he has definitely evolved as a singer, songwriter and musician since his last release, and I really wanted this project to capture that. I wanted a lot of things for this project, maybe too much. Maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe they were too low. Could such a talented artist make a CD that sucked? I watched the songs download one by one and these thoughts danced through my head. I wanted it to be perfect, I really did — kind of like that first date you go on with that guy you really like that you really want to go well.  Once the downloading was complete, with a bit of trepidation I started playing “Manifest”.

And as I tend to do, I worried for no reason.

jahiti button

“Manifest” is a crowning achievement for Mr. Smith — a collection of 13 tracks that perfectly blends everything Jahiti is — a strong songwriter with simple, pointed, powerful lyrics — a soulful crooner who successfully brings his island infused folk-funk music to everything he touches — and a musician who can construct a song well and knows how to add just enough polish without taking away the edgy quality that is a crucial part of his appeal as a singer/songwriter.

I enjoyed “Manifest” immensely. The opening track, “Come Like Love” drew me in immediately with its bouncy quality and melodic flow. The recorded rendition of his signature song “Daughter Of The Most High” is particularly well done — just enough lushness and fullness was added in the production to create a soaring epic love song that is spiritual and sensual at the same time. Another signature song, “Movie Star”, also translated well into the studio, keeping all of the tension that makes it such a great song when done live,  but adding enough additional elements to give it shine and polish. Overall the production on “Manifest” was extremely well-executed; it was never overdone or overproduced. When it needed to be more stripped down and bare, it was. Jahiti’s production team, which included MoRece from Stinkiface Music and Kariz Marcel, definitely hit all the right notes on this one and did excellent work, and I commend Jahiti for overseeing the project so well. There was also lots of well-done live music throughout, and I definitely want to recognize the musicians who lent their talents to this, because they also did stellar work on “Manifest”. They include Jahiti, MoRece, Rufus Roundtree, Steve “Supaman” Herring, Chris Peacock, Tony Johnson, Judah, Ralph Rogers, Kendal Davis, Marcel Martin and Kentrell Harris. Other standout tracks for me were “Murder”, “She’s Telling Me”, and “Woke Up.” “Manifest” is a major musical accomplishment for Jahiti of which he should be tremendously proud. It is everything it should be and more, and has been one of the most enjoyable musical experiences I’ve had recently. It is a masterpiece from start to finish.

So clearly you need to pick up this CD. At ONLY $10 its a steal, trust me. Make sure you purchase one from this man when you see him at performances, OR you can purchase a download in MP3 format directly from him at www.jahitiworld.com. Yes its available on iTunes, but I always ask folks to buy directly from the artist whenever possible. And if you go to the website, you can also pick up the classic project “FISH Bowl” that includes Jahiti’s partner in BrownFISH music OOH on the popular title track.

He’s a clip from “Come Like Love”, and the music video from “Daughter Of The Most High”.

http://dubsciencephotography.blogspot.com/2014/03/jahiti-of-brown-fish-performs-at.html


I decided to go through some old footage and stumbled upon the video below. Jahiti of Brown Fish is one of my favorite Baltimore talents. He's an artist, true to his craft with a signature writing style to match. The photos and video posted are from J Soul's album release party for "Blue Midnight". Although, J's story got reported by Mic Life Magazine in November of 2013, I wanted to release this on my own and in support of the "Manifest" movement. For those that don't know much about Jahiti, check out his bio and enjoy! 
 

Jahiti is a singer/songwriter who plays the guitar based out of Baltimore MD. As part of one of Baltimore's legendary groups Brown FISH, he has performed for the past 12 years along side OOH. He has also performed as a solo artist at the same time. "FISH Bowl" (the peoples' album) was originally In August 2003. It was re-released in August 2010 as a 7 year anniversary edition. That new edition would see the addition of 4 new songs. Jahiti of Brown FISHs style of music which he refers to as “World Country Soul, emphasizes stories of love and social commentary told simply through powerful lyrics and acoustic accompaniment. An artist of many musical souls, his sound is often likened to icons such as Bob Marley, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, and Ritchie Havens.

His new project "Manifest" is now available on iTunes.

(Bio taken from www.jahitiworld.com) 

 
 
 
 
 
 
You can find more of Jahiti's music at the links provided below.