Working Wonders
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| Working Wonders | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1985 | |||
| Genre | Reggae | |||
| Label | Shanachie | |||
| Judy Mowatt chronology | ||||
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Working Wonders is an album by the Jamaican musician Judy Mowatt, released in 1985.[1][2] She supported it with a North American tour that included dates with Reggae Sunsplash.[3][4] Working Wonders was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Reggae Recording", making Mowatt the first woman to receive a nomination in the category.[5]
Mowatt wanted the album to incorporate musical styles beyond reggae, with a focus on calypso, pop, and Latin American sounds.[6] The recording sessions were difficult due to malfunctioning equipment and studio fires.[7] The album was delayed by a year, which led to Mowatt growing tired of the songs before the release date.[7] She was asked by Shanachie Records to record certain songs, including "Lovemaking", which Mowatt did not care for.[8] The rhythm tracks were recorded by Jamaican musicians; the producer Skip Drinkwater used American musicians for overdubs and synthesized sounds.[8] The reggae band Zap Pow contributed to the sessions.[9] "Black Man, Brown Man" is a cover of the Taj Mahal song.[9] "Let's Dance" was written by Sangie Davis.[10] "Hush Baby Mother" is about an unwed mother.[6] "Traveling Woman" is an interpretation of Slim Smith's "Traveling Man".[9]
