Nadine Sutherland

"To God, I continue to unfold. I continue to grow, I continue to learn, how near you are. I seek you now inside of myself. No one can connect me to you. We are already connected. Thank you for this journey. Although painful at times, each step led me closer to you.".

THAT'S how Nadine Sutherland began the liner notes of her latest album, Call My Name, which she stylishly presented to the public at the Grog Shoppe, Devon House on Tuesday evening.

"Nadine has the ability to attract the legends in the business, many of whom are here tonight" said master of ceremonies, Clyde McKenzie, in his introduction of the first speaker, keyboardist extraordinare, Robbie Lyn.

As the audience witnessed one of the more thoughtful, well-conceived album launches in recent memory, Sutherland displayed her vocal talent, haunting beauty, fashionable wardrobe, class and intelligence, hearkening back to 28 years ago, and the Tastee Talent Contest of 1979, in which a then emerging Sutherland blew away the competitors, among whom were her cousin Horace Martin, Yellowman (now the king of dancehall) and Paul Blake who later went on to be the founder/leader of the Blood Fire Posse Band before his Christian conversion.

Having won their respective semi-finals, they clashed in the first ever grand final in an awesome showdown it was. When the dust was settled, it was the smallest and youngest contestant who, at the age of nine, had the crowd in frenzy performing Peter Tosh's big hit at the time, Buckingham Palace, earned the distinction as the first Tastee Talent Contest winner.

Sutherland went from being dubbed the "Teen Queen" with hits like Starvation and Until to garnering international attention as the co-lead on reggae anthems such as Action and Anything For You, while evolving into one of the premier Jamaican female vocalists with solo hits like Baby Face, Wicked And Wild, Pair of Wings, a validation of that process through which her immense musical talent was spotted almost 30 years ago.

And while the Tastee Talent Contest is currently being revamped, and entering a transitional phase, this reggae diva is an important aspect of its legacy. Still in her 30s, Sutherland is now signed to Eight76 Records, for which she recorded Call My Name. The set debuted at number 14 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart and currently sits at number 12, and two on the South Florida Reggae Albums chart. As one of the judges on leading TV talent show, Digicel Rising Stars, Nadine Sutherland has truly come full circle.

Jamaican Folk Singers concert season September 6-14

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