After his album Time of my Life came out in 2018, Glen Washington decided to take some time off before recording another full-length effort.

Late last year, he linked with producer Willie Lindo of Heavy Beat Records in Fort Lauderdale, for a series of sessions that resulted in I’m Living Well, his latest album which was released in June.

Washington spoke to Jamaica Observer’s Splash this week about the 12-song set which, when compared to his previous work, he described as “night and day”.

“It’s classically mixed an’ yuh can hear di difference. It’s awesome, I’m very pleased,” he said.

It is not the first time he is collaborating with Lindo, a session guitarist at Federal Records during the 1970s who emerged as a producer late that decade with ballads like One Step Ahead by Beres Hammond.

Lindo’s resume also includes Hammond’s What One Dance Can Do, I Love You Too Much by Wayne Wade, Inseparable by Dennis Brown and Boris Gardiner’s monster hit, I Wanna Wake up With You.

“It was easy to work with Willie which is why di songs click. And I’m not one of those artistes who give trouble,” said Washington.

I’m Living Well contains songs like Pressing On, a cover of Donny Hathaway’s You Were Meant For Me and Play Mr Music Play on the revered Chiang Kai Shek beat.

Born in May Pen, Clarendon, Washington began recording in 1973 and did the north coast hotel circuit as a singer/drummer in various bands including Happiness Unlimited.

His breakthrough came in 1996 with Brother to Brother, an album he did for legendary producer Clement “Coxson” Dodd. Recorded on classic Studio One beats, songs like Prisoner of Love and Love Knows no Shame made Brother to Brother the sleeper hit of that year and transformed Washington’s career.

“Dat was di album dat put mi out there an’ mek people tek notice. A lotta people start compare mi to Beres which is cool ’cause Beres is a great singer,” he said.

Washington did one more album for Dodd, then worked with Lloyd Campbell, who like Lindo helped put the South Florida lovers rock scene on the map. Campbell produced Kindness For Weakness, arguably Washington’s biggest song to date.

He admits there has been pressure for him to duplicate Brother to Brother but insists he has never attempted that. I’m Living Well is just as good, Washington believes.

“Wi not even pushing a single ’cause every song is strong. Dat’s how good di album is,” he said.