Allana Leslie with Leftside and Esco on-stage at 'Jamming On The Fault Line' last Saturday night. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer ANe Fault Line' featured performances from a dazzling array of musicians, among them Della Manley, Jana Bent, Andrew McIntyre, Tessanne Chin and Toots Hibbert.
Held last Saturday night into Sunday morning at Falise, Jack's Hill, those present were treated to a musical delight. Della Manley took the stage with her guitar after Soul Case had delivered a wonderful set, only to deliver another all of her own.
The folk/rock/jazz singer - actually, she defies description - opened with a cover of rock goddess Marianne Faithful's With You In Mind. Della Manley seems to be growing in confidence with each performance and this was no exception. Her husky yet beguiling tones entranced as she was backed by the expert, yet restrained and suited for her vocals, playing of Rupert Bent III on guitar, Leebert 'Gibby' Morrison on bass guitar and Andrew 'Pregs' Thompson on drums.
Clad simply in a pair of blues jeans and a white blouse, It's O.K. was next. "I'm having trouble hearing myself, I hope you can hear me O.K.," she said before moving into the song. No one had any problems hearing her sing I've been analysing/criticising under the night sky and her face broke into a beautiful smile with the applause she received at the end of the song. "I don't like singing this song anymore, I've sang it so many times in my life no offence Joe (her husband), I still love you," Della said before moving into Bittersweet, during which she showed just how much closer she is to really letting go with her voice.
The Hurricane Gilbert-inspired Angel was next, and demonstrated what maybe Cuba's influence on Manley as the band played some fast, Latin-like beats, each of the musicians taking a moment to show off their skills.
She was about to leave then, but shouts of 'More!' and 'Encore!' prevented her from doing so. "Since you like this I might try out more of my new stuff- it's not that new but it's not on Ashes (her album) but you might like it," she said before doing Peter Pan. Virtually everyone's at Falise attention was focused on the stage and if it were not for the grass, you could hear a pin drop at the end of each song just before the applause. Hey Peter Pan/Never let go off my hand sang the pixie-like figure on-stage before finally being allowed to go.
After her performance her husband of over 20 years, Joseph Manley, gave his opinion about 'Jamming' and explained the Bittersweet reference. "It's the most innovative idea, a wonderful concept. Bittersweet is about me, she's gotten sick of it some, but that's cool," he said, a wide grin brightening his face.
Former Wailer, Andrew McIntyre, guitar in hand, was next. He worked with the same musicians with the exception of Gibby, who was replaced by the always relaxed Richard 'Sven' Patterson. He opened his set with Johnny Was A Good Man, which saw the fully black-clad Bent III get lost in a gorgeous guitar solo, eyes closed, slightly shaking his head, creating music that felt, at least for a moment, as if it could move mountains. The long-haired McIntyre then said; "A few years ago, Rupert and I did a dancehall version but we can't do it now..." before moving into Holding On, during which he sang If you were mine/Just for one day/I'd turn you on in a different way.
During his set Suzanne Couch, who produced the event, which is in its 12th incarnation after a few years hiatus told The Gleaner, "This is what it should have been like at around 8 or 9 o'clock- this is great, I love showcasing the artistes. You can imagine doing this 10 or 12 years ago? It was mind-blowing, it is still mind-blowing, believe me, the party is young yet."
Real Good and Sweet Cry Of Freedom rounded out a good set from McIntyre, who in turn gave way to a man introduced as having been influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Jamaica alternative pioneer, Leebert 'Gibby' Morrison. He proved this on his second track on which he and the same set of musicians, McIntyre excepted, really began to rock. It was a cover of Jimi Hendrix's Foxy Lady
Chaos
Freelance Writer
'JAMMING ON The Fault Line' featured performances from a dazzling array of musicians, among them Della Manley, Jana Bent, Andrew McIntyre, Tessanne Chin and Toots Hibbert. Held last Saturday night into Sunday morning at Falise, Jack's Hill, those present were treated to a musical delight. Della Manley took to the stage with her guitar after Soul Case had delivered a wonderful set, only to deliver another all of her own. The folk/rock/jazz singer - actually, she defies description - opened with a cover of rock goddess Marianne Faithful's With You In Mind. Della Manley seems to be growing in confidence with each performance and this was no exception. Her husky yet beguiling tones entranced as she was backed by the expert, yet restrained and suited for her vocals, playing of Rupert Bent III on guitar, Leebert 'Gibby' Morrison on bass guitar and Andrew 'Pregs' Thompson on drums.
Clad simply in a pair of blues jeans and a white blouse, It's O.K. was next. "I'm having trouble hearing myself, I hope you can hear me O.K.," she said before moving into the song. No one had any problems hearing her sing I've been analysing/criticising under the night sky and her face broke into a beautiful smile with the applause she received at the end of the song. "I don't like singing this song anymore, I've sang it so many times in my life no offence Joe (her husband), I still love you," Della said before moving into Bittersweet, during which she showed just how much closer she is to really letting go with her voice. The Hurricane Gilbert-inspired Angel was next, and demonstrated what may be Cuba's influence on Manley as the band played some fast, Latin-like beats, each of the musicians taking a moment to show off their skills.
She was about to leave then, but shouts of 'More!' and 'Encore!' prevented her from doing so. "Since you like this I might try out more of my new stuff... it's not that new but it's not on Ashes (her album) but you might like it," she said before doing Peter Pan. Virtually everyone's at Falise attention was focused on the stage and if it were not for the grass, you could hear a pin drop at the end of each song just before the applause. Hey Peter Pan/Never let go off my hand sang the pixie-like figure on-stage before finally being allowed to go.
After her performance her husband of over 20 years, Joseph Manley, gave his opinion about 'Jamming' and explained the Bittersweet reference. "It's the most innovative idea in Kingston, a wonderful concept. Bittersweet is about me, she's gotten sick of it some, but that's cool," he said, a wide grin brightening his face.
Former Wailer Andrew McIntyre, guitar in hand, was next. He worked with the same musicians with the exception of Gibby, who was replaced by the always relaxed Richard 'Sven' Patterson. He opened his set with Johnny Was A Good Man, which saw the fully black-clad Bent III get lost in a gorgeous guitar solo, eyes closed, slightly shaking his head, creating music that felt, at least for a moment, as if it could move mountains. The long-haired McIntyre then said "A few years ago Rupert and I did a dancehall version but we can't do it now..." before moving into Holding On, during which he sang If you were mine/Just for one day/I'd turn you on in a different way.
During his set Suzanne Couch, who produced the event which is in its 12th incarnation after a few years hiatus told The Gleaner "This is what it should have been like at around 8 or 9 o'clock- this is great, I love showcasing the artistes. You can imagine doing this 10 or 12 years ago? It was mind-blowing, it is still mind-blowing, believe me, the party is young yet."
Real Good and Sweet Cry Of Freedom rounded out a good set from McIntyre, who in turn gave way to a man introduced as having been influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Jamaica alternative pioneer Leebert 'Gibby' Morrison. He proved this on his second track on which he and the same set of musicians, McIntyre excepted, really began to rock. It was a cover of Jimi Hendrix's Foxy Lady and Gibby made his guitar wail in ways which would have done the rock legend proud. Pregs was a little less crazy but no more restrained as he beat the skins in time to the song. Gibby closed his set with an original, Rock Stone And Booty, which had a guitar riff reminiscent of a '60s or '70s protest song in which he again made the guitar do incredible things.
Jana Bent followed, her tika jewel firmly in place on her forehead. Dressed in black and white with a grey and white bandanna, she prowled and strutted the stage as she sang Never Seen You Cry, Shadow Girl, You So Fine and Baby Boy, the last of which was giving a rock vibe by her brother Rupert Bent III, Gibby, Sven and Pregs. Taking sips from a thermos between songs, she informed the crowd "This is not ganja tea, no, this is peppermint tea mixed with honey... sure," before introducing Baby Boy by saying "This is a song very near and dear to my heart, a song about a person very near and dear to my heart, although he shall remain nameless, even though he didn't have the 'GQ' type of body ladies, you know what I'm talking about."
Tessanne Chin thrilled with her powerful vocals. Backed by the newly resuscitated Now Gen band of Robbie Lyn and Franklyn Waul on keyboards, Mikey Chung on guitar, Mikey Richards on drums and Keith Francis on bass, she was an immediate hit with a cover of Bob Marley's Could You Be Loved. For a relative unknown, her stage presence and confidence on-stage were unbelievable as she belted out Baby I Love You and Gladys Knight's Sorry Doesn't Make It Right, leading audience member and Mile High guitarist Paul Chang to say "This girl has soul."
Toots Hibbert is the consummate performer who has a pair of lungs that have to be seen and heard to be believed. Standing at least two feet from the microphone, every word was crystal clear as he said Give it to me one time/Give it to me two times. 54-46 and God Bless started off his set, which was completed when Toots strapped on a guitar and delivered If You Give, his manic energy prompting Chang to say "He reminds me of the Jamaican James Brown."
'Jamming On The Fault Line' also saw performances from Suzanne Couch, Cindy Breakspeare, Damion 'Junior Gong' Marley, Brother Joe's Rightful Brothers, the Martial Arts band, the United States-based Thievery Corporation, Fahrenheit and his back-up singers, Wayne Marshall, Buccaneer, Bling Dawg, Kip Rich, Dean Fraser and his band as well as others.
