Pariah In Transit
Biography
Taj Weekes is an enigma… on the one hand deeply serious and intensely passionate about his worldviews and on the other hand a gentle and humble man with a quick and easy smile. Driven to inspire conscious thought and provoke discussion through his poignant poetry and lyrics, Weekes says, “I write from the heart and I speak about issues that move me. I believe that’s what really matters.” Born and raised on the island of St. Lucia, Weekes grew up the youngest of ten children in a musical family....
Taj Weekes is an enigma… on the one hand deeply serious and intensely passionate about his worldviews and on the other hand a gentle and humble man with a quick and easy smile. Driven to inspire conscious thought and provoke discussion through his poignant poetry and lyrics, Weekes says, “I write from the heart and I speak about issues that move me. I believe that’s what really matters.”
Born and raised on the island of St. Lucia, Weekes grew up the youngest of ten children in a musical family. "My musical influences were quite varied, 'cause the radio stations played all kinds of music. There were no formats, so we grew up listening to everything from reggae to calypso to classic rock and classical music."
Weekes soon felt confined by the borders of St. Lucia and left home to fulfill his musical ambitions in North America. There he formed his band Taj Weekes and Adowa and multi-media company Jatta Entertainment.
To date, the group has released two full-length albums to critical acclaim, “Hope & Doubt” and “Deidem,” which won “Best Reggae Album” at the Just Plain Folks Music Awards. The band is set to release their much-anticipated third CD, an acoustic album entitled "A Waterlogged Soul Kitchen," this summer.
Weekes' music defies category... an amalgam of roots style reggae, afro-folk, rock and jazz. Essentially, Taj Weekes is a poet who sings to the rhythm of all that has come before and all that stretches out before him... life, his life... from his own unique and complex perspective.
Always striving to bring awareness to the issues he is passionate about, Weekes founded his charity, They Often Cry Outreach (TOCO), in 2007 to improve the lives of underprivileged children in the Caribbean through sport, enrichment, educational and wellness programs.
Named a Goodwill Ambassador by the International Consortium of Caribbean Professionals and recognized by a division of the United Nations, Weekes addresses issues such as global warming, casualties of war, domestic and youth violence, diabetes and health, poverty and the welfare of children.
For more information on Taj Weekes and TOCO, please visit:
www.tajandadowa.com and www.theyoftencryoutreach.org
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