By Dennis Asiimwe
This song was dropped on my desk, with one simple assignment tagged to it – “I want you to tell me if Jose has still got it.”
Well, from the off, I will say – he does.
His voice is still hoarse, but that bit is deliberate. His vocal control, is smooth, deliberate, and he gets to his high tones, easily. The transition is seamless.
Forever is vintage Jose.
Jose also learns. He once abhorred putting any effort into his music videos, but he soon figured out their importance. The video for Forever is a celebration of light and colours, tastefully executed by Sasha Vybz
He has mastered the call-and-answer format, because he uses a peak at the top of the call, so that the answer is one that I easily prompted. What this does is help come up with some of the catchiest hooks in town, which is what helps make his music so memorable.
He does have more tools in his arsenal – he is incredibly charismatic, and composes his own music. It helps that he knows his way around a keyboard (I have actually watched him play in studio), so he tailors his stuff in the exact direction he wants it to go.
Jose also learns. He once abhorred putting any effort into his music videos, but he soon figured out their importance. The video for Forever is a celebration of light and colours, tastefully executed by Sasha Vybz. He has finally figured out the importance of creating music that translates easy to a live set. It helps give Forever the mature, refined sound that made it an instant hit.
Yes – Jose’s still got it.
