Gothic Theatre

Brother J

The first full artist album released by Auckland independent label Sugarlicks Recordings is by Auckland-based singer / songwriter Brother J, a regular at the Khuja Lounge’s Sugarlicks night from whence the label originated. Produced in Wellington by Mu (Fat Freddy’s Drop/Roots Foundation), Be Bop A Nui is a fabulous fusion of J’s smoothly crafted songs with street level beats and lush, laid back production. Hailing from the Hokianga Harbour, Brother J pays homage to his Maori roots on the opening track ‘Awhi I’, and there’s an unmistakably Pacific feel throughout the album with traditional instruments and island imagery married to dance music sensibilities and inner city soul. Fat Freddy’s Drop members Warren Maxwell (also front man for TrinityRoots), Toby Laing (trumpeter for The Black Seeds) and Tehimana Kerr all appear, as do a selection of Auckland-based singers and players, but the star of this show is undoubtedly Brother J himself. He’s a unique story teller with a unique voice and original outlook, and Be Bop A Nui is perhaps the most refreshing record you’ll hear out of Aotearoa all year.