By Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Chandis, Ama-Dona and Sajoya - Photos By Mel Cooke
WESTERN BUREAU:
A PROMISE of adult poetry performance was fulfilled by the P... P.. Posse at the Love Boat in Negril's West End on Saturday night.
The fiery red-clad posse of poets Chandis, Ama-Dona and Sajoya, contrasting with the black-clad musicians of the AOP Band, featuring Sheldon Bernard on keyboards, which delivered in sight and sound.
However, although the evening's 'edutainment', as MC, poet and dramatist Ras Rod, termed the combined education and entertainment, was replete with references to the female genitalia, the organisers did not stick just to the flesh.
"The message is going out to the men. The world is in crisis. There is too much bloodshed. The word really is love," lead poet Sojoya told The Gleaner after the show ended with an engaging performance by Tony Rebel a few minutes after 3:00 a.m. on Sunday.
Excellent music preceded and supported word power at the Love Boat on Saturday night, moving an audience large enough to fill a couple lifeboats.
Percussionist Laike Joby opened up on the rhythm to Rasta Man Chant, addressing his congos with a passionate respect. With a chair laden with instruments beside him, he played and danced to begin the official proceedings, a kettle being put to good use on the Satta Massagana rhythm.
Violinist Mark Stephenson picked up where the staccato sounds of the drums left off, deft touches of the bow caressing Heathen and stronger strokes pounding out War. Should I ended - literally - with a bang and the passengers on the Love Boat were all set for the main performers.
However, they had to wait for the posse's second coming, after the intermission, for the real fireworks.
First up was the youngest PPP member, Chandis. With the congos and violin combining beautifully, she used her sultry voice and seductively-clad body to deliver Jamaica Jewel, a love poem to Jamaica entitled Play For Me, and Rain Dance, which gave a hint of what was to come when she spoke about 'parting legs'.
Ama-Dona, who was next, was more up tempo, opening with Tell Me If You Only, going on to deliver a serious poem about spousal abuse which ironically used the refrain 'yu funny'. Interspersing her poetry with musings on different issues, including support for polygamy, shae cautioned the back man to 'be careful how yu live inna de system'.
The 'spearhead' of the posse, Sojoya, strode to the stage in four-inch heels, a cleavage-revealing red outfit and, of course, talk to match the walk. A beautiful number, Sheba's Song, which included some singing, set the tone for a couple of duets with Ras Rod, the first of which saw her standing up for her rights as an entertainer against the lustful 'reducer', Ras Rod. Man Go, I Come, again with Rod, was done on a delightful mento rhythm, their combined voices climaxing in 'more tree Earth'.
Angella Stewart, singing two Marcia Griffiths numbers, Breakfast In Bed, Moonlight Lover. and her original Good Good Loving, rocked the boat.
Sage eased the transition into part two with poetry, but it was Ras Rod's disrobing to a piece of his own, going down to short pants, that really set the stage for what was to come.
Chandis was soon back in black, the sultry voice unchanged as she did Voodoo. The second segment featured as much theatre as it did poetry, Sage returning to join the youngest PPP to dramatise the piece. Ready For Love paved the way for Appetite, which proved to be the most erotic piece to that point:
Twisting me into contorted Kama Sutra frenzy...
The poem ended in very realistic climatic moans.
Ama-Dona read a letter to all Dickies (not Richards), signed 'from P--ny', shifting a bit further north to pay tribute to The Index Finger.
Sojoya's Cascading Waters, which were 'foaming and frothing', were dedicated to Negril on the face of it, while she was joined by Ras Rod for Ital Stew, No Agony and a poem for 'Joe'. Apparently there were many 'Mr. Grinds' in the audience, as the applause was loud and sustained.
Her final piece, The Dubmaster, done to a heavy reggae rhythm, made no bones about oral sex.
The women howled.
Tony Rebel worked up a serious sweat in giving a solid performance to end the show, with cameo appearances by Queen Ifrica, Honecone, Patony and DJ Legit.
The tone of the show, respect and power to the woman, may have well be summed up in Ama-Dona's statement: "Yu see my p... p..., my vagina, my fishy, whatever yu waan call it, I see it as the Bible, because it produce Jesus and his disciples".
The posse explains their purpose in today's STAR and also see details of Tony Rebel's performance.
