Caymanian reggae artist Jean Eric ‘Mr. Notch’ Smith has released a new album, ‘Reggaeman’, paying tribute to late guitarist Mitchell ‘Jah Mitch’ Ebanks.
The passing of Ebanks at age 72, on 28 Oct. 2024 after a long battle with cancer, sent shockwaves through the local music community. In the memory of his “bonafide brethren”, mentor, and former bandmate, who was his musical partner and close friend for 35 years, Smith has produced a seven-track, collaborative album, blending timeless reggae rhythms with his own innovative sound.
“This compilation of conscious reggae was a fitting tribute to my brother and friend, a professional local musician whose entire career of 50-plus years embodied that of a ‘Reggaeman’,” Smith told the Cayman Compass.
Reflecting on the album’s inspiration, Smith said, “It’s a testament to reggae’s enduring spirit of love and unity. Jah Mitch had a true love for the art form. He had a simple but diverse approach to songwriting and was always versatile in his application of sound to the music.”
As a self-taught musician from West Bay, Jah Mitch was best known for his reggae and jazz style of guitar playing, with a music career spanning more than five decades as a composer, songwriter and performer, as well as teacher for the next generation of local musicians.
Over the years, he collaborated with local bands including Local Motion, Club Dread, Thanks and Praises, Memory of Justice, and Strong Hands Of Tomorrow (S.H.O.T.). He performed on stage with international artists including Dennis Brown, Beenie Man, Gregory Isaacs, Mikey Spice, Damian Marley, Third World, Ernie Smith and Morgan Heritage.
The album’s seven tracks reflect Smith’s signature sound and deep reggae roots, with the artist noting that he, Paul Kastik and Jah Mitch co-produced the entire album, and the reggae guitarist was the primary songwriter of three tracks.
“Mitch was around for the creation of this album and much more original music. His guitar playing is featured on many of my unreleased tracks and his presence will continue to be felt in many of my soon-to-be-published compilations,” Smith added.
In addition to the previously released favourites, ‘Reggae Man,’ and ‘Black My Story’, the song ‘Easy’ – Smith’s original adaptation of Bob Marley’s ‘Easy Skankin’ – features DJ Natural Black from Guyana. Previously unreleased versions of classic Cayman reggae songs such as ‘Jungle’, point to Smith’s musical journey as an artist.
“’Reggaeman’ is a symbolic celebration of unity, perseverance and love,” Smith added.
The album by Mr. Notch is available on all major digital streaming platforms.