By David Dunkley, Staff Reporter
The Stella Maris Dancers walking to the stage with Japanese students shortly before their performance at the Caribbean Music Festival in Nagano, Japan. - Photo By David Dunkley
NAGANO, Japan:
JAMAICAN DANCE group the Stella Maris Ensemble and Trinidadian steel band the Caribbean Magic Steel Orchestra wowed patrons attending the inaugural Caribbean Music Festival in Nagano, Japan over the weekend.
The Jamaicans, performing on the second day of the three-day festival, had the Japanese audience doing the latest dance moves when they took the stage mid-morning.
They returned later that night and gave another performance to the eager patrons who had gathered despite persistent rains. However, it was the Trinidadians who stole the heart of the Japanese with some incredible and neatly arranged steel band beats.
The festival is an effort between Japan and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries to forge closer ties. One of its features was a seminar and discussion looking at the different cultures of several Caribbean countries. Professor the Honourable Rex Nettleford, Vice Chancellor of the University to the West Indies, was one of the speakers at the seminar.
The festival got off to a rainy start on Friday evening with some Japanese cultural performances, most noticeable of which was the 'Kyogen', a traditional Japanese play. It was enjoyed by the few patrons who braved the rain to be at the open air venue.
The Jamaicans opened the show the following day by marching to the stage with a Japanese children orchestra, and with TOK's Galang Gal blaring from the speakers. They then proceeded to show the Japanese some of the latest Jamaican dance moves and the audience was impressed.
So thrilling were the Jamaicans that they were asked to repeat their dances several times. As if this was not enough, they were then asked to dance to Japanese music and they did not disappoint. They twisted, turned, wined, 'butterflied' and 'logged on', all to the Japanese music.
A very touching moment occurred following the Jamaicans' performance as they were showered with gifts, mainly from Japanese primary school children, who asked that they be given the names and addresses of students in Jamaica with whom they could become pen friends.
In response, a member of the Jamaican contingent, who also presented Jamaican gifts to the Japanese children, asked that all the names and addresses of the Japanese children interested in having pen friends from Jamaica be given to her.
It was obvious that the Japanese enjoyed the Jamaicans' presence and that was why later in the night many of the persons from the audience returned and stood in the pouring rain to see another blistering performance from the dancers.
Prior to the Jamaicans' second appearance, however, Japanese deejay Nahki stamped his seal on the festival, delivering a brilliant performance that had the audience singing and dancing along.
Nahki is Japan's number one reggae artiste and, as expected, he gave a very accountable performance. Even though his songs were done in English, this did not stop the crowd from giving him a warm reception with tumultuous applause.
However, his performance was mild compared to that of the boys from Trinidad. The Japanese were jumping and shouting from the minute the steel pan players began their act, right until the end.
Dressed in colourful gowns, which were eventually thrown into the audience, the players gave a mixture of the rhythms for songs including Bob Marley's One Love , Anselm Douglas' Who Let the Dogs Out, Lou Vega's Mambo No. 5 and G. Weiss/H. Peretti's Lion Sleeps Tonight.
The tireless Japs kept jumping, dancing, shouting and singing. When the Trinidadians left they shouted for more and they got it. This time even more than they bargained for. It was soca time.
With the band leader Sheldon James leaving his post and taking the microphone, the Japanese were taught how to wave their flags, do the dollar wine and 'swing their engines' - there were plenty engines to swing.
The Japanese left the venue soca and steel pan whipped, some even followed the steel pan players back to their hotel.
The response resulted in a steel pan workshop being organised the following morning, in which Japanese were taught how to play the instrument.
On the final day Haitian dance group Azor cancelled their performance because of rain, but the showers eased just in time for the final performers, the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra. The group had, by far, the largest turnout of the festival and did not disappoint.
Giving beats synonomous to ska, reggae and rock and roll, the group had the Japanese eating out of their hands, jumping, kicking, punching and spinning to their beats. This ensured an encore and once this was over, they were hurriedly carted away in several vehicles which were parked near to the stage.
