It took singer Michael Marsh, formerly known as Kane Juice, four years to complete his aptly named second album, Take It Easy. The veteran entertainer says patience and doing things on his terms have always been a hallmark of his career.

The self-produced Take It Easy was recently released by his Baraka Music label, and came 10 years after he dropped his debut, the cleverly titled Twelve Joints of Kane.

Babymother, a heart-rending ode to an impatient spouse, is the lead song from the 12-track Take It Easy which features the talents of some of contemporary reggae's most respected musicians, such as saxophonist Dean Fraser, guitarist Mikey Chung and keyboardist Stephen 'Lenky' Marsden.

Marsh explained the lull between albums, saying: "Is me alone doing my thing. There is nobody to help me, so we just took time and see that everything was done properly," he said.

Born in Dunnsville, on the outskirts of Ocho Rios in St Ann, Marsh is used to doing things properly. It is a trait that he has perfected after nearly 30 years of trodding the musical pavement.

Making original music, he pointed out, is something he aimed for on Take It Easy. He takes pride in the fact that he wrote all of the album's tracks.

"There was a time when Jamaican artistes used to just sing over songs and it made us look like we lacked creativity. Nowadays, we see some of the youths trying a thing and being around for a while; I have to lead the way," he said.

Marsh began his career while he was still a student at Jamaica College, one of Jamaica's leading secondary institutions. This took place at the famed studios of producer Harry 'Harry J' Johnson where he recorded his first song, Ghetto Tenement Yard.

From there he moved on to another noted Jamaican producer, Lloyd 'King Jammys' James, for whom he cut several songs which included a cover of the Gloria Estefan ballad, Anything For You.

pay the bills

While doing songs for Jammys during the 1980s, Marsh still had to pay the bills. During this period, his main salary came from working the tourist circuit as front-man for the New Breed and New Foundation bands, which played to appreciative audiences in Negril and Ocho Rios.

Marsh left for New York City in the 1990s, shortly after recording Printer with deejay Mega Banton for singer-producer Colin Roach.

He continued his music career in the Big Apple, working with stalwart New York producer Phillip Smart and the legendary Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd's Studio One label which was based in Brooklyn.

Why, done on the enduring Undying Love rhythm, was Marsh's best known song for Dodd. Twelve Joints of Kane, released in 2001, was testament to his perseverance.

Marsh has come a long way since his days hanging out at the studios of Harry J. But he keeps making music the only way he knows how: as sweet as the crop for which he is named.