New heights for Everton Blender

Not much has been heard of Everton Blender in Jamaica recently. In fact, it's been six years since the 55-year-old roots singer released an album.

On September 23, Blender launched his latest album, Higher Heights Revolution, in Kingston. The 15-track set is a joint collaboration between his Blend Dem Productions and Island Splash Entertainment out of Fort Lauderdale.

His last studio album, It's My Time, was released in 2005 by Canadian independent company Explorer Records.

While his recording is not as prolific as in the 1990s, Blender told The Gleaner that he continues to tour, especially the United States (US) west coast. He said the time is right to get back in the groove.

"Wi neva hav' the right management so wi neva want rush anything. After a time, wi jus' decide fi do things wiself," he said.

Bubbaru and When Yuh Wrong, two songs from Higher Heights Revolution, have been released locally. Blender is scheduled to perform this month in San Diego, California, Jacksonville, Florida and Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, to help promote the album.

A tour of the US west coast is expected to start in December.

Blender (real name, Everton Williams) was part of the cultural revolution that transformed the dancehall in the 1990s. Garnet Silk, Tony Rebel, Yasus Afari, Kulcha Knox and Utan Green were also major players in that Rastafarian movement, which came out of central Jamaica.

Blender recorded mainly for the Startrail label of producer Richard Bell.

His debut album, Lift Up Your Head, was an impressive collection that included the title track Create A Sound and Family Man.

Follow-up songs like Blend Dem and the anthem, Ghetto People Song, established Blender as a force during the 1990s. He released a handful of well-received albums for the independent American company, Heartbeat Records, including Lift Up Your Head and A Piece Of The Blender: The Singles, a compilation of songs from his Startrail years.