“I won’t complain, you know,” the local musician says.

“When you look at your situation and sometimes look at others you realize you’re not so much on the losing side, you’re on the winning side. Some people are so less fortunate than you.”

It’s for that reason he’s reactivating his veteran reggae act Strugglah to participate in the Reggae for the Homeless event Thursday night at the Blues Can along with Juno-winning performer Youssou Seck.

The fundraiser for the Mustard Seed, the fourth Jahfire has shepherded since 2008, will actually be the first show in almost two years for the band, which has been together in one form or another for the past 17 years, bringing authentic sounds of the islands to prairie ears in clubs and its many cultural festivals.

“It’s maybe like that tool, you know,” he says of the group and its recent inactivity. “You’ve probably got a few tools in your house, but some you use more than some, and the one that you probably use less, it’s still there. And whenever you need it you know where to find it and you can put that same tool to work.”

And it is, he thinks, the perfect tool for this particular job.

The native of Nevis, the small Caribbean island, not the central Alberta hamlet, thinks Strugglah’s music is the best way to celebrate and show his love, support and appreciation for the work that the Mustard Seed does for the city’s growing population of the needy and downtrodden.

“We’re able to put the music to work, beyond entertainment,” he says. “We, as Rastafarians, we acknowledge the entertainment side of the music, it’s such a versatile kind of music. But roots Rasta reggae, you know, is a music that originated from the confrontation and struggle in Jamaica based on our past and history. . . . We see the music as a tool and a vehicle: a tool to build and strengthen our mind in a positive way; and a vehicle to transport a positive message for all of humanity.

“So the music, itself, come (Thursday), we’re proud enough to put the music to work to do something for humanity for more than just entertainment.”

That’s not to say Strugglah isn’t a first-class act, it should be noted. In the band’s long, rich history members have shared the stage and held their own with such luminaries as the Wailers, Burning Spear and Jimmy Cliff.

And perhaps it’s because, like those other artists, they uphold the true tradition of the music and, more importantly, the philosophy behind it, that Strugglah’s reggae sounds are the perfect pairing for a fundraiser for the poor.

“The music projects an energy of true love, unity and respect for all of humanity and it is a music that uplifts, enlightens and also educates,” Jahfire says.

“Whether you have a lot or you have a little, we’re human beings. One human family.”

Preview

Strugglah perform at the Reggae for the Homeless benefit for the Mustard Seed Thursday at the Blues Can. Tickets are $12 in advance from the Blues Can and the Roti Hut (920 36th Street N.E.); and $15 at the door.