by Howard Campbell
SOUTH FLORIDA – Rad Dixon has released a number of songs and an EP in his 20-year career, but on January 31, the South Florida-based singer’s biggest project will hit the market.
Hard Times is the name of his first album, produced by Tasjay Productions, the Toronto-based company that has steadfastly guided his career.
According to a statement from Tasjay Productions, “The songs on the album see the artist exercising his experimental creativity while maintaining recognizability as an authentic reggae artist.”
Dixon and producer James Smith went for variety as much as quality on Hard Times. That can be heard on the soulful Times are Hard, the lovers rock jam Right Portion, and Mama’s Love, a special tribute to mothers.
There is also a reggae version of Times Are Hard, done with Luciano, the self-proclaimed Messenger of contemporary roots-reggae.
Dixon and Luciano are from Manchester parish in central Jamaica which was pivotal to the roots-reggae revival of the 1990s.
In January, Tasjay Productions released the EP, DJ Treasure Music Presents Best Reggae Lovers Rock Covers.
That mini-set has four songs — Write Your Name, a Kenny Rogers original, If I Follow my Heart, a Dennis Brown classic, Suddenly, originally done by Billy Ocean and Everything I do I do it For You, by Bryan Adams.
