Justice Boakye Danquah, a.k.a. Jay Bee, has joined the gospel music train with his maiden album titled Anuonyam Hyebre.
Ably backed by ?The Apostles?, a group made up of Olivia Danquah, Asumani Jr and Mary Acheampong, Jay-Bee?s album has ten songs.
The album opens with Ayeyie Nyom, a slow-paced worship song proclaiming the Lord?s praises and all His attributes. This song is recommendable when one wants to get into a meditative and prayerful mood.
Apart from the voices making the song worth listening to, one is sure to enjoy the beautifully arranged sounds and good instrumentation.
Anuonyam Hyebre is a fast-paced praise song which flows in the jama vein and done in both Ga and Twi. This track is a medley of three songs all using the same jama beat.
Jay-Bee?s voice is heard in the background inciting listeners to clap as he repeatedly shouts ?Wonbom?. Though this song is enjoyable and danceable, the ending is so abrupt.
A favourite song on the album is Mensan Makyi which uses a fusion of highlife and pop beats in a mid- tempo vein. Apart from the good instrumentation, the voices of the backing vocalists, which sound like an all- male squad, are perfect in melody and timing despite the computerised effects given them.
The message in the lyrics is also very striking and encouraging to any listener as it offers the need to gather self-confidence and progress in one?s walk with Jesus Christ knowing well that He has a better plan for our lives.
Jay-Bee and The Apostles show their ability to sing well with any type of local beat as they do Odomankoma Nyame in the ?abgadza? vein. The song talks about the attributes of God and the need to praise Him because of the things He does for mankind.
Despite the absence of bass effects in Ohene Kese, which is a reggae piece, it has the voices of the female singers coming out beautifully to make the song worth listening to.
Justice Boakye Danquah, born on July 13, 1973 in Accra, started his music career in 1994 by doing some rap music while featuring as a backing vocalist for the then ECRAG Award-winnng duo, Mikki Brothers.
His desire to go gospel started when he was one day invited to sing in the church of a pastor friend of his. He faced difficulty at the initial stages since he was more used to rap music than gospel but he got better as the crowd cheered him on.
Other songs on the album, which was produced by Jay-Bee Records, are Babrae Na Waye, Tie Me, Aseda Nyom Ben as well as the instrumental and remix versions of Mensan Makyi and Ayeyie Nyom respectively.