Dedicated talent and a deep spiritual foundation form the unshakable roots of Jahstice Reggae Movement.

And as band members told The Royal Gazette , their commitment to uplift people with a positive message has made them a force to be reckoned with on the local -- and hopefully international -- music scene.

"That's what we stand for -- Jahstice. The last part of the name is short for Standing Tall In Christ Everlasting, and that's what keeps us together -- with the band and away from the band,'' said sound engineer and percussionist Calvin (Bussy Dread) Jones.

"Our basic message is putting over something spiritual -- not just for the elderly but for the young as well to give them something to build off of,'' he added.

Jahstice consists of six band members -- band leader Andrew (Packie) Packwood who's also the bass guitarist and backup vocalist, lead male vocalist and keyboardist Clinarke (Dillinjah) Dill, vocalist Stanford (Drummie Fats) Jackson on drums, Bussy Dread, Sissy Bascome as lead female vocalist and Graham (Too Tall) Maule on trombone.

The band was originally named "Youth Creation'' when Packie, Mr. Raynor and Dillinjah first collaborated back in 1984.

They changed their name to Jahstice in 1991 and later to Jahstice Reggae Movement in 1996.

Jahstice currently play at Flanagan's on Tuesday nights and at White Horse Tavern on Wednesday and Thursday nights.

In addition to paying tribute to the music of reggae greats like Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, Jahstice performs original songs such as "One Love, One Heart, One Destiny'', "More and More'' and "Give Me Jah Jah''.

The past two years has been a season of growth for Jahstice, with the addition of vocalist Sissy Bascome.

The group's outstanding performances caught the eye of public relations executive Nancy Lewis last year, who also represents artists such as Nasio Fontaine and Toots and the Maytalls and has agreed to represent Jahstice overseas.

And members of the group also cited the skills of part-time vocalist and guitarist Eldon Raynor and sound engineers Albert Philpott and Shelly Johnson as key ingredients to their overall success.

But most of all, their firm spiritual base grounds them individually and collectively, and as Drummie Fats noted, the group has an opening prayer before every performance and rehearsals.

Each of the band members developed their musical talents from an early age -- for example, Bussy Dread first got involved with music when he was 11-years-old.

"I found an old turntable that didn't work, I fixed it, and played my momma's old 78s and fell in love,'' said Bussy Dread.

"I pursued becoming a DJ for many years, just because I got tired of everyone playing the same thing and I wanted to be different,'' he added.

"Then I went from DJ to sound engineer to musician... I just like to promote the positive because I work with a lot of youth and their parents as well. If they haven't done their homework, they can't come to the studio -- and that makes a world of difference.

"Dennis Thompson, who was the engineer for Bob Marley, was my mentor...I got to work Ziggy Marley's show with him and from then, that was it.

"And it all wouldn't be possible without help and encouragement from my mother -- she's been with me all the way,'' he added, a comment echoed by his fellow band members.

Dillinjah said his father started teaching him to play the drums and piano when he was only six years old.

During his teenage years, he started playing with a band that would later form the basis for the Jahstice precursor Youth Creations.

And Drummie Fats' first introduction to music was also at the age of six when he passed by Eddie Ming's percussion school on the way home from Dellwood Primary.

"From there, I took lessons from Mr. Ming. I was his top student from the age of 8 to 16, so needless to say, I owe everything to him,'' he said.

"When I returned home from college, I met Godfather Andrew and saw a performance by them opening for Beres Hammond in 1995 -- that's when I started checking things out,'' he added.

"Love and inspiration is the mission, and that's what kept me into the band and the music.'' Packie actually has a rather varied musical background -- he started playing the piano when he was seven, took up the trumpet in high school, and began playing the bass guitar in the late 70s.

"I was really impressed hearing Bob Marley, and the message and the lyrics were so positive that I knew that was my calling -- to reach the people and give them something to uplift them,'' he said.

"Right now, (in the music scene) everything is getting mashed up -- the love has gone out of everything and we're trying to put it back together... and a lot of dancehall has a basic beat with nothing behind it.

"Some groups don't care who they're reaching as long as they get a pay cheque, but we'd rather reach 10,000 people than make $10,000.'' In the meantime, Packie explained, Jahstice Reggae Movement is building themselves up one gig at a time, and the group plans to release a CD by October.

"There's no end... and wherever the Father leads us, that's where we're going.'' Jahstice For All: Jahstice Reggae Movement just keeps getting better.

Pictured, from left, are lead male vocalist and keyboardist Clinarke (Dillinjah) Dill, bass guitarist and band leader Andrew (Packie) Packwood, vocalist Stanford (Drummie Fats) Jackson on drums, and sound engineer and percussionist Calvin (Bussy Dread) Jones.