Jovine

In 1998 the Naples, Italy-based outfit Jovine emerged as the brainchild of singer and songwriter Valerio Jovine, who relied heavily on assistance from his brother Massimo, widely recognized as the bass-playing JPM of 99 Posse. Shortly after forming, the band placed its single “Cambia la Storia” on a BMG compilation; soon afterward, with additional support from bassist Cico Quintavalle and DJ Danilo Vigorito, it completed work on its first album, Contagiato, which appeared in 2000. Two years later the musicians returned to the studio to begin shaping a follow-up. Drawing on reggae, Jovine enlisted guitarist Francesco Spadafora, trumpeter Michele Acanforo, bassist Alessandro Aspide, and drummer Guido Amalfitano; after more than a year of performances across Italy and Switzerland, the group issued Ora in 2005. The 2007 release Senza Limiti again reflected reggae while also incorporating dub, electronica, and jazz elements.