KEYBOARDIST/PRODUCER Jaime Hinckson is hoping his latest work, Fresh Produce, will bring calm to listeners.

“I just hope this new album brings some serenity in a world full of chaos. After being locked up for years, I want my Fresh Produce album to serve as a fresh start for everyone looking for a lifeline. Instrumental reggae jazz is the perfect remedy for any mood, universal music. My melodies are meant to uplift people and keep them on a high; my greatest desire for this project,” he told the Jamaica Observer‘s Splash.

The 10-track album, his third, was self-produced on his Miss Mac Music imprint. Three songs from the set — Don’t You Love This Song, Junction Road, and Golden — were previously released.

Hinckson, who has been playing the piano for more than 25 years, says his main inspiration was his music teacher who encouraged him to pursue jazz.

“I was introduced to jazz by my piano teacher, Joan ‘Miss Mac’ McMorris after getting into an argument with her about how boring I thought classical music was. At the time, my parents made me quit karate class [something I loved] and forced me to stay in piano lessons [something I loathed as a child]. While my arms were folded and face screw, she calmly walked over to her CD player and popped in a Monty Alexander album titled Echoes of Jilly’s. Outside of her best friend, Leslie Butler, that would also be my future jazz teacher, I had never heard of another Jamaican jazz pianist. The music resonated with me instantly and I decided if I was going to continue taking piano lessons, we had to start learning that ‘cool stuff’. The rest is history,” he recalled.

The musician further added that his creative process isn’t linear, and sometimes require many visits to the drawing board.

“The creative process is very sporadic and unexpected. Unfortunately, you can not plan a time to be creative which is why it is such a divine moment when I’m able to find new melodies. I’m usually most productive in the wee hours of the night when all is calm and everything is still. My daily experiences, good and bad, all combine to evoke musical emotions that you get to hear in each of my releases,” Hinckson said.

Hinckson was born and raised in Miami, Florida. However, his family hails from Green Island in Hanover and Harbour View in Kingston.

The Coral Reef Senior High School past student has had a longstanding professional relationship with reggae singer Julian Marley.

“I am currently musical director for Julian’s Uprising band, but I have worked with other reggae artistes, including Wailing Souls, Hollie Cook, The Wailers, Hempress Sativa, and Jesse Royal, to name a few,” he shared.

His other albums are Take Flight (2013) and Take Time (2020).