Every music scene needs its maternal figure and, for the reggae revival, it’s been Janine “Jah9” Cunningham. Inspired by Nina Simone and Billie Holiday as well as by reggae pioneers, Sister Nancy and Bob Marley’s I-Threes, Cunningham’s freeform vocal style is the center of a proprietary sound she’s termed “jazz on dub.” Though her delivery might be unusual, her lyrical content is firmly in line with the Rastafari teachings espoused in most roots reggae. Even her latest single “Avocado,” a breezy departure from her more militant and direct work that cleverly advocates the health benefits of Jamaica’s other green plant, manages to inform and educate.