SHE may have strong musical roots in Jamaica, but until she began performing on shows at venues like Redbones Blues Café, little was known here about singer-songwriter-musician Nadia Harris McAnuff.

For over 10 years, she has been a member of Agapa Featuring Nadia Harris, a South Florida fusion band that gigs regularly throughout the Sunshine State. With them, she gets to express her love for soul and funk.

The last three years have seen the Florida-born McAnuff travelling regularly to Jamaica for live shows and recording sessions. Her most recent trip was an extended one, resulting in songs like Home Away From Home.

“This song is about my life and journey, for the last 2.5 years in short, as well as world/love issues that are simple but hard to grasp by some,” she reasoned. “We are all displaced in some way, in our bodies, minds and souls but in our hearts lies that essence called love, which wills us to unite in full, so I am excited to hear and feel the change and healing effect Home Away From Home has on us all.”

Home Away From Home is produced by Franklin Irving for Shamala Productions. It was recorded on a Channel One ‘riddim’ from the 1970s.

Irving had a sleeper hit two years ago with Jah9’s

Steamers, a ganja rockers that was also done to a revived Channel One beat.

Another song by McAnuff, Marcus Said, is produced by session guitarist Earl ‘China’ Smith.

The songs have a roots-reggae/world beat flavour that has made her father, veteran singer Winston McAnuff, a favourite in countries like France. Her younger brother, Matthew, made a mark there too with the song

Be Careful; he was murdered in Montego Bay four years ago.

While she is currently working on an album with Agapa, McAnuff yearns to do well in Jamaica.

“I am making an impact, give thanks to Jah and the Jamaican people and their love for different genres. My goal is to continue making everyone aware of Nadia Harris Mcanuff,” she said.

— Howard Campbell