Album Notes

Brand new album from DC Metro Area- Based SOJA. Innerloop Records proudly presents these 14 tracks of original, conscious music with a message.
Co-produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered by veteran sound engineer Jim Fox at LION and FOX Studios. Guest musicians include Junior Marvin (additional guitars) of the original Bob Marley and The Wailers; Carmelo Romero (vocals), Jahaziel Garcia (trumpet), and Misael Clemente (sax and flute) of Puerto Rico’s Gomba Jahbari; Go-go Mickey (percussion) of DC’s own Rare Essence, and a string quartet led by DC native Eddie Drennon who was a member of Bo Diddley’s band.


A Review by C. Lizaire (Celebritycafe.com)

"Conscious. Melodious. Soulful. As with the profound spiritual, and elevating musical experience of Bob Marley, “the mellow mood has got me.” On “Get Wiser,” the DC-based Soldiers of Jah Army (SOJA) effortlessly induces a state of relaxation and cultural immersion. The roots quintet, functioning much like the five fingers of an outstretched hand, branches out, taping into influences from Latin to rock, and as a whole delivers a potent fistful of original, stimulating roots reggae.

Endowed with the passionate, sincere vocals of lead singers Jacob Hemphill (guitar) and Bob Jefferson (bass); blessed with an inclination for infectious, engaging arrangements; and grounded by a deep-seated reverence for roots as a music form and vital bough of Jamaican culture, SOJA will win your heart and a place in the annals of reggae music.

The warmth and contemplation of “Open My Eyes” stir the mind and body. The love jam “By My Side” makes tangible the bittersweet longing and uncertainty of romance, while playful springs and staccato percussions frame the sweet melody of “Faith Works” on a journey towards enlightenment. All, in keeping with the theme of “Get Wiser,” as explained by Hemphill: “…that’s the idea. We as a society tend to have blinders on. We are trying to uplift peoples’ consciousness by breaking down what makes us blind. To do this, we got to bring back truth. People get wiser.”

If after hearing “Get Wiser,” your craving for more SOJA becomes insatiable, visit sojamusic.com for upcoming dates and locations of band’s “Get Wiser” Tour 2006."

Reviewer: C. Lizaire (Celebritycafe.com)