After clocking countless hours and miles as a session and touring musician, guitarist Ivan Christie longed to record a solo project that showed his virtuosity.

Five years ago saw the release of Cool Reggae, his first album.

Produced by London-based Stingray Records, the 12-song set came out in May 2020 when the novel coronavirus pandemic triggered a global lockdown. That uncertainty prevented proper marketing of Cool Reggae, something Christie is determined to correct.

“Due to COVID, I was unable to do a public album launch… and proper marketing was not done for the album to get heard properly, although it did get some very positive reviews,” said Christie, who lives in London.

The St Ann-born musician co-produced Cool Reggae with Carlton McLeod, one of the principals at Stingray Records. Christie has played on many of the label’s productions, so it was only natural that he worked with them on his debut album.

All but two of the songs on the album are covers — Calm Waters and Jamaica Sunset.

Christie puts his spin on The Wailers’ Concrete Jungle (as Concrete Vibration), Shirley Bassey’s It’s Impossible and Rainy Night In Georgia, originally done by Brook Benton.

“Most of the tracks I had played on before where we stripped off the vocals and then the engineer/producer would run the rhythm track and I would adapt it live,” Christie recalled. “ Concrete Jungle was an all-time favourite of mine from Bob Marley and The Wailers’ Catch A Fire album, and also the live version on Babylon by Bus with Al Anderson playing the lead solo. I always wanted to do a version.”

Largely self-taught, Christie is strongly influenced by the blues. He points to Anderson, B B King, Nile Rodgers, Earl “Chinna” Smith, and Bingy Bunny of the Roots Radics Band among his favourite guitarists.

Christie has toured or recorded with a diverse group of artistes, among them Max Romeo, Ken Boothe, Freddie McGregor, Mykal Rose, Junior Delgado, Half Pint, The Ethiopians, Little Roy, and Jimmy Cliff.

— Howard Campbell