Avion Claudette Trudy Henrietta Blackman (born 30 January 1976) is a Trinidadian reggae recording artist, and the wife of Christafari front man Mark Mohr. She has produced three solo albums, as well as providing vocals and bass guitar for Christafari since 2003.

Early life


Blackman was born in San Fernando, Trinidad, the daughter of famed calypsonian, Lord Shorty. Her father invented Soca music (The Soul of Calypso) and later changed his name to Ras Shorty I and created Jamoo music. When Blackman was at the age of four, a spiritual quest prompted her father to move the entire family into the forests of Trinidad endeavoring to create a simpler and more humble lifestyle for him and his family.The next twenty years of her life were spent living in the forest, seven miles from the village of Piparo, where she was home-schooled along with her 24 brothers and sisters. The family lived a lifestyle of simplicity, with no electricity or plumbing, and growing most of what they ate off the land they were living on.

Starting in music


Because of her father's musical connections and roots, music was always a big part of Blackman's life. Even at the age of four she was singing in front of large crowds. When they all moved to the jungle, the entire family was involved in playing instruments and singing in Ras Shorty I's band The Love Circle and would perform regular concerts, tour the Island, perform for visitors and do regular television appearances.
At the age of 14 she started playing bass for the family's band "The Love Circle" and made her first solo recordings, "Oh Why" and "So Free", for their Children of the Jamoo Journey album.

Christafari


In 2002, while she was teaching a seminar in Trinidad, Blackman met Christafari founder, Mark Mohr and 18 months later they were married in Los Angeles. By this point Blackman had begun to play bass and provide vocals for the band, lending her voice to the songs "Hiding Place" and "My Sustenance" for the album Gravity. She has been an integral part of the band since then, involved with all their subsequent albums and tours.

Solo career


Onyinye


It was during the recording of the Christafari children's album Reggae Sunday School, that the idea of a solo album was first pitched by husband Mark and despite her initial reluctance, Blackman's debut album Onyinye was released later that year (2005). The album was released to critical acclaim and at the 2006 Marlin awards the album was given top honors, being declared the album of the year, as well as winning in the Contemporary Female Vocal Performance category, (for the song "Marvelous Beauty"). She was the first non-Jamaican to receive the award.

Sweet Life


In 2008, the follow-up album, Sweet Life, was released, showing a move towards more reggae roots. The song "Yeshua" was a favorite and to this day Christafari will often close their concerts with this song. She picked up another Marlin award for the song "Sweet Life".

Third World girl


In 2011 work began on Blackman's third album, with a month-long trip to Hawaii and an expressed wish to "write and record a new song every day". Initially recording was going to be demo sessions only but instead turned into a full recording session and at the end of the month a full album had been created and even a music video for the title track had been filmed among the jungles and waterfalls of Hawaii. Themes on the album include healing and relationships.

Other collaborations


As well as her solo work and involvement with Christafari, Blackman has also contributed to various collaborations including working on albums by Sherwin Gardner and band-mate Jennifer Howland. She has also recorded around a dozen unreleased songs for ABC television, with placements in TV shows such as General Hospital, All My Children and One Life to Live.

Discography


Solo

Onyinye (2005)
Sweet Life (2008)
Third World Girl (2011)
"Greatest Hits" (2013)

Other work

The Love Circle, Watch Out My Children, Jamoo GoodNews Ltd. (1989)
The Love Circle, Children of the Jamoo Journey, Jamoo GoodNews Ltd. (1999)
The Love Circle, Jamoo Victory, Jamoo GoodNews Ltd. (1999)
Various Artists, Trinidad World Music, Rituals Music (2000)
The Love Circle, Home Grown, Jamoo GoodNews Ltd. (2003)
Various Artists, The Gathering: Trinidad & Tobago, Lion of Zion Ent. (2004)
Geneman, Long Time (Background Vocals) (2010)
Reggae Revolution Mixtape, Various (2010)
Jennifer Howland, Daughter of the King (2010)
Sherwin Gardner, Relentless (2011)
Reggae Revolution 2, Christafari and Friends (2012)
Solomon Jabby, "Rocksteady" (2012)

References


Yeshua Yeshua - Avion Blackman

It Is for Freedom It Is for Freedom - Avion Blackman

Life Life - Avion Blackman

You'll Return You'll Return - Avion Blackman

Grace and Peace Grace and Peace - Avion Blackman

Never Let Me Down Never Let Me Down - Avion Blackman

Cries of the City Cries of the City - Avion Blackman

Forgiveness Forgiveness - Avion Blackman

I Love You Father I Love You Father - Avion Blackman

Day and Night Day and Night - Avion Blackman

Sunny Skies Sunny Skies - Avion Blackman

Sweet Love Sweet Love - Avion Blackman

At-one-ment At-one-ment - Avion Blackman

I Thank You I Thank You - Avion Blackman

No Regrets No Regrets - Avion Blackman

Joy of the Lord Joy of the Lord - Avion Blackman

You You - Avion Blackman

Do You Ever? Do You Ever? - Avion Blackman

Strength to Strength Strength to Strength - Avion Blackman

Onyinye Onyinye - Avion Blackman

Zabumba Zabumba - Avion Blackman

Sweet Life Sweet Life - Avion Blackman

Beautiful Soul Beautiful Soul - Avion Blackman

I'm Sorry I'm Sorry - Avion Blackman

Let It Go Let It Go - Avion Blackman

I'm Yours I'm Yours - Avion Blackman

Longing for the Day Longing for the Day - Avion Blackman

Show Me Show Me - Avion Blackman

As We Tumble As We Tumble - Avion Blackman

No One But You No One But You - Avion Blackman

You and I You and I - Avion Blackman

You're Not Alone You're Not Alone - Avion Blackman

Reggae Music Reggae Music - Avion Blackman

Zabumba (Interlude) Zabumba (Interlude) - Avion Blackman

Heaven Above Heaven Above - Avion Blackman

Got to Be Got to Be - Avion Blackman

Hang On Hang On - Avion Blackman

Give Me Life Give Me Life - Avion Blackman

Run To You Run To You - Avion Blackman

Blue Blue - Avion Blackman

Third World Girl Third World Girl - Avion Blackman

Marvelous Beauty Marvelous Beauty - Avion Blackman

Do you know of other songs by Avion Blackman?
Submit or request song Submit Song All Artists List

Albums & Songs

  • Medicine for the World (feat. Isaac Blackman, Avion Blackman & Nehilet Blackman)
  • Yeshua
  • Let It Go
  • I Love You Father
  • Reggae Music
  • Atonement
  • You (feat. Christafari)
  • Hang on (feat. Christafari)
  • Onyinye
  • Third World Girl
  • I Thank You
  • Grace and Peace
  • Sweet Life
  • Beautiful Soul
  • Marvelous Beauty
  • Cries of the City
  • Joy of the Lord (Reggae Version)
  • Third World Girl
  • Let It Go
  • Reggae Music
  • Grace and Peace
  • Never Let Me Down (feat. Manifest)
  • You and I
  • Joy of the Lord
  • Run to You (feat. Sherwin Gardner)
  • Hang on (feat. Christafari)
  • Cries of the City
  • Beautiful Soul
  • I'm Yours
  • No Regrets
  • Sunny Skies
  • Let It Go (Dubstep Remix)
  • You (feat. Christafari)
  • Sweet Life
  • At-One-Ment
  • Yeshua (feat. David Fohe)
  • Got to Be
  • Longing for the Day
  • It Is for Freedom
  • Zabumba
  • As We Tumble
  • Forgiveness
  • Strength to Strength (feat. Christafari)
  • Do You Ever?
  • Day and Night
  • No One but You (feat. Christafari)
  • I Love You Father
  • Onyinye
  • Marvelous Beauty
  • I Thank You
  • Show Me
  • Sweet Love
  • Blue
  • Life
  • You're Not Alone
  • You'll Return
  • I'm Sorry
  • Heaven Above
  • Give Me Life