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Working Wonders

Working Wonders
Studio album by
Judy Mowatt
Released1985
GenreReggae
LabelShanachie
Judy Mowatt chronology
Only a Woman
(1982) 		Working Wonders
(1985) 		Love Is Overdue
(1986)

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]

Production

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]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStar[11]
Robert ChristgauC−[12]
The Encyclopedia of Popular MusicStarStarStar[13]
MusicHound World: The Essential Album GuideStarStarStarHalf star[14]
The Philadelphia InquirerStarStarStar[10]

The Gazette opined that the album has "strong mainstream appeal but remains 'rootsy' enough not to alienate bass and drum-crazed purists."[15] The Detroit Free Press called it Mowatt's "most musically varied and satisfying album".[16] The Los Angeles Times said that Working Wonders was "an enjoyable but frustrating portrait of the gift artist compelled to tone down the very qualities that make her music unique."[17] Robert Christgau noted that "the positivity of reggae's most autonomous woman isn't rendered any more credible by her brightly idealistic delivery".[12] The Trouser Press Record Guide said that "the LP suffers from its crossover efforts, but Mowatt's singing is more assured than ever."[18]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Black Man, Brown Man" 
2."Working Wonders" 
3."Lovemaking" 
4."Let's Dance" 
5."So Many Eyes" 
6."Mother Africa" 
7."Ethiopia Salaam" 
8."Hush Baby Mother" 
9."Traveling Woman" 
10."King's Highway" 

References

  1. ^ Moskowitz, David V. (2005). Caribbean Popular Music: An Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall. ABC-CLIO. p. 216.
  2. ^ Calloway, Earl (30 August 2003). "Female entertainers to charm audiences at Labor Day Weekend African Festival of Arts". The Chicago Defender. Vol. XCVIII, no. 83. p. 23.
  3. ^ Beale, Lewis (7 June 1985). "Mowatt's latest album". Philadelphia Daily News. p. 63.
  4. ^ Hoekstra, Dave (21 March 1986). "Reggae Roundup". Weekend Plus. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 7.
  5. ^ Jones, Rachel L. (28 October 1988). "Reggae, with no apologies". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 24.
  6. ^ a b Pareles, Jon (19 June 1985). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. p. C16.
  7. ^ a b Snowden, Don (13 February 1986). "Mowatt's Winding Path to Success". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 6.
  8. ^ a b Rizzo, Frank (20 June 1985). "Reggae Singer Glides into New Crossover Sound". Calendar. Hartford Courant. p. 7.
  9. ^ a b c Steffens, Roger (September 1985). "Spins". Spin. Vol. 1, no. 5. p. 31.
  10. ^ a b Rea, Steven (16 June 1985). "Judy Mowatt Working Wonders". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. G8.
  11. ^ "Working Wonders Judy Mowatt". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  12. ^ a b "Judy Mowatt". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  13. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 44.
  14. ^ MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 2000. p. 538.
  15. ^ Steckles, Garry (20 June 1985). "Wailers' originals get back together". The Gazette. p. D11.
  16. ^ Heron, W. Kim (20 October 1985). "Reggae". Detroit Free Press. p. 5B.
  17. ^ Snowden, Don (27 October 1985). "Reggae Dilemma". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 60.
  18. ^ Kliment, Bud (1991). The Trouser Press Record Guide] (4h ed.). Collier Books. p. 447.

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