FOR most of his 24 years, all singer Alty ‘JOE’ Nunes wanted to do was make music. The last year of his life was dedicated to his first album which he never completed.

JOE (which stands for Jah Over Evil) died in February, 2011 from an aneurysm, but family and friends were determined to see his project, Man From Judah, finished and released.

NUNES… died in February 2011 from an aneurysm

This evening, Man From Judah will be launched at the Funky Monkey Bistro and Bar at Holborn Road in St Andrew, on what would have been JOE’s 26th birthday.

Gavin Blair, JOE’s manager/producer and longtime friend, told the Jamaica Observer that the 17-track set was completed thanks to the co-operation of some high-profile friends.

“It called for some improvisation so Konshens and TOK came in and did some collaborations. We are pleased with how things turned out,” Sinclair said.

Konshens added his vocals to Fit while TOK are featured on Vineyard Town, a tribute to the east Kingston community where JOE was raised.

Most of Man From Judah was recorded in Vineyard Town at Sinclair’s Equinox Music studio. Some of the tracks were done at nearby Grafton and the Anchor Music complex of producer Gussie Clarke who worked with Nunes when he was known as Little Joe.

Sinclair and JOE are both past students of Wolmer’s Boys High School. JOE was the son of creative dancer Patsy Ricketts and like his mother, a member of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

Sinclair says most of JOE’s early recordings lack the quality of the songs on Man From Judah. According to him, JOE “had become more spiritual” in the last three years.

His best known song was Not Good at All, produced by Clarke. Rasta Chant, produced by TOK member Rashawn ‘Bassie’ Clarke, was also well-received.

Much of Man From Judah has a live feel with percussionist Carl ‘Simba’ Messado, bassist Delroy ‘Pele’ Hamilton, drummer Jermaine Wilson and keyboardist Kevin Webster some of the musicians who played on it.

Man From Judah has been released digitally and will also be available on compact disc.