Take the fervor of Bob Marley and combine it with the feeling of Eric Clapton. Then add the sultry sound of Al Jarreau and bake in the fire of Jeffrey Osbourne and prepare for an all- in-one musical feast called... "Junior Jazz." Born Wendel Ferraro in Montego Bay, Jamaica, he was nicknamed Junior. A few years ago, he added "Jazz" in appreciation of the genre, which to him, symbolizes freedom. This juxtaposition of a name is also analogous to the artist. Like Jazz, there is nothing "junior" about the music this man creates. Like many artists, he was reared in the church and it was there where he was inspired to play the guitar. During his formative teenage years, his talents were sculpted by the hands of the late Lenny Hibbert, one of Jamaica's foremost musicians. Upon his arrival in New York, he was quickly recruited as guitarist for various international artists such Mighty Diamonds, Gregory Isaacs, Beres Hammond, Judy Mowatt, and Diana King, just to name a few. After many years of touring and as musical director to the stars, Junior Jazz himself began to emerge as an artist and formed his own reggae band "The Agents." It was in 1991 when he made his first single, a cover of the George Benson classic, "The Greatest Love of All." It appeared on a compilation CD released in Japan. His vocal style impressed the Japanese so much that he was asked back to do three more compilations. By the end of 1993, he was writing and producing his own material but 1997 shed new light on Junior Jazz's career. He graced audiences during sold out performances at S.O.B.'s and Tramps in Manhattan, two signature stops for all Reggae Greats. The exposure fueled the international release of his debut album, My Turn, on VP Records. The album earned Junior Jazz nominations under four categories at last year's Tamika Reggae Awards, the most widely respected awards show for Reggae in the U.S. Junior Jazz has a way of enhancing the sounds of classic reggae that is absolutely ingenious. His clear, infectious, mature sound, coupled, wiith quality, conscious lyrics, is part and parcel of the cuts on his release. My Turn demonstrates the epitome of versatility. He affirms, " I like the fact that there's a chance for singers now... I want to be one of the singers who bring reggae music back to a level where people can appreciate a singer as well as the music itself... not just the lyrics, but sound, the beauty of the sound." Junior Jazz has performed in New York, Bermuda, Canada, Grenada, Anguilla, Barbados along with artists like Beenie Man, Baju Banton, Third World, Shabba Ranks, Aswad, Bunny Waller, Sanchez, Super Cat, Freddie MacGregor, and Barrington Levy among others.