Although it has been 10

years since his last album,

Gary “Nesta” Pine said his

meticulous approach to

music prevented a rushed

follow-up.

Back to Roots, the singer-songwriter’s third collection of songs, was released

on September 30.

Released by his Jahdax

Music, the album is produced

by Paul Kastick Revelations,

Pine’s previous album, was

released in 2016.

He told the Jamaica

Observer that, despite the

break, he is in a good place

musically.

“Gary ‘Nesta’ Pine is

exactly where he’s supposed

to be at this time in his

musical journey, because

I do music because I want

to do music, not because of

monetary or anything like

that,” he said. “If money fi

come out ah music, den ah

suh it guh. Reason is, I am

musical, I hear and feel and

know music; I am one with

music.”

Back to Roots contains a

cover of She’s Gone, originally done by Hall & Oates.

While Pine eventually discovered the original, he was

familiar with a soul version

made popular by Tavares in

1974.

“I didn’t know the Hall

& Oates version. I grew up

listening and rocking out on

these tracks and that one

song came very quickly to

me to cover because of the

way Tavares did it,” said

Pine. “I tried to ask someone

else to help me do it, but

was promptly ghosted, but I

never gave up the idea, but

this time with Kastick and

Alex it was.”

Alex refers to arranger and

keyboardist Alex Blanken,

who played a major role

in Back To Roots. Kastick

on drums, bassist Michael

Fletcher, and guitarist Rudy

Valentino also played on the

album.

The Portland-born Pine was

lead vocalist for The Wailers

from 1998 to 2006. While

with that band, he collaborated with French singer/

producer Bob Sinclair on Love

Generation, which was a big

hit in 2005 throughout Europe.

Another track from Back

to Roots, This Song, is dedicated to Burning Spear, who

Gary Nesta Pine befriended

in the late 1970s when the

roots singer visited Portland

for jam sessions with sibling

musicians Anthony and Devon

Bradshaw.

He believes it is important to

salute reggae’s legends.

“These young reggae acts

must completely show a

gigantic respect to the elders

because the elders were under

nuff pressure and go through

hell and powderhouse to make

the roots strong enough for

them to ride on,” Pine stated.

“We can’t neglect the roots

and the creators of it. With the

roots they wouldn’t exist, so

maximum raspek to the elders

always.”

— Howard Campbell