Page 79 - Reggae Festival Guide Magazine 2017

In the Morning Yah

By Sheldon Shepherd

(Pelican Publishers Limited, 2015)

Sheldon Shepherd is the lead singer for No-

Even those well-versed in reggae’s complexities Maddz, one of the most interesting self-
often have trouble sorting out the artists, contained reggae bands in many years. Dub

producers, styles and intricacies of DJs, sing-jays, poetry has always been an element in their

dub and rub-a-dub, and charting the changes as music and In the Morning Yah, Shepherd’s

each new approach or innovation works its way first book of poetry, shows why. He won the
into the music. This is a really excellent work; the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s

result of the author’s continuous monitoring of National Award in Dub Poetry four years in a

the music in the pages of the Small Axe zine over row, and the same sense of rhythm and unique

the years in question. Taken as an entire body perspective that made songs like “Shotta”

of work, the series contributes one of the best and “Rise Against Profanity” engaging and
overviews of Jamaican music available. captivating runs like a river through this book.

Just this year, the author has begun a new venture, Shepherd acknowledges the inspiration of his

a series of “Book Zines” gathering and grouping father Keith, who collaborated on a few of the

interviews and articles from the original Small poems and is one of the artists who contributed

Axe publications. Anyone who remembers graphics to the book. A multi-talented young

his long out-of-print Reggae Files series will man (he also won the Best Actor Award at the
comprehend the value of the re-publication American Black Film Festival in 2012), Shepherd

(and in some cases, new interviews and articles joins the likes of Linton Kwesi Johnson,

of similar depth), and will be delighted to check Mutabaruka and the late Michael Smith in a
them out. style rooted in Jamaican patois that brings the

REGGAE FESTIVAL GUIDE 2017 79