A Roots Reggae musician, songwriter and poet from St. Lucia‚ Taj Weekes and his band Adowa perform Thursday.
Weekes and Adowa bring a social consciousness with a reggae groove, blending in elements of acoustic roots rock and afro-folk.
Weekes and Adowa unite a vibrant diversity of sounds with thoughtful, lush arrangements and a finely honed penchant for telling poetic tales of hardship and hope.
“I don’t sit down and write socially conscious songs. I write songs about where I place my focus,” Weekes says. “I grew up listening to the power of the music, the lyrical content. That’s what matters to me.”
Though long hailed by reggae fans, Weekes defies simple genre formulas. His intuitive, intense songwriting ties together the many threads of his Caribbean heritage and honours his unflagging engagement with the world as a musician, philanthropist and lecturer.
The show is Thursday, Aug. 23, at Hermanns Jazz Club‚ 753 View St. Doors open at 6 and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $16.50 in advance or $18 at the door, they are available online at hightideconcerts.net, Lyle’s Place (770 Yates St.), or Ditch Records (784 Fort St.).