By Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Nadz in full flight during her performance. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE POTENTIAL of Caribbean music shone brightly at the Weekenz Bar and Bistro on Constant Spring Road, St. Andrew, on Saturday night.
It was not only the musical presentations of the participants in the Caribbean Music Expo (CME) 2003 that sparkled; a joyous future shone from over 20 glowing faces as musical director Ibo Cooper gathered the flock for a last hurrah.
The showcase was free to an appreciative public, which was seeing the fruits of a 10-day workshop at the HEART Academy in Runaway Bay, St. Ann, and they came in numbers to applaud the presentations enthusiastically. Not that they had to muster much effort for the shouts and screams of approval, since it was not amateur hour.
From the opening with Centa Stage, which provided all the necessary support, until Montana, who sounded a Warning before the wrap-up jam, there were excellent and varied performances from the 19 featured mainly solo performers. Each was limited to one song, but, much like the proverbial sip of wine, it was quite enough to show that a lot of good stuff remained.
A PEPPERPOT OF EXPRESSIONS
There was a jazz/calypso kind of fusion from Trinidad's Ming; guitar strumming from Jamaica's Abdel; roots rocking reggae out of Dominica's Nelly and Jamaica's Mark Wonder; rap courtesy of Jamaica's Nadz; honest expression of a lady's love for her man from Barbados' Toni Norville and a powerful outpouring of soul from Measha and scorching dub poetry from DYCR.
The trio Multicast, as well as duos L&S and K Ci Red and Cassanova, showed that combinations were also effective.
Even without having seen them on-stage before, it was evident that the participants had benefited immensely from the workshops. They exuded confidence and presence and performed with an air of conviction in what they were doing.
There must have been many a man in the audience who wished he were a bass player when Measha performed a part of the Dolly Parton classic I Will Always Love You to the Centa Stage's 'bassie'. The whoops which went up as she hit her notes not only precisely, but with passion, preceded a break.
After the intermission, Aisha went into a reggae groove as she questioned I want to know what is going on with you and my best friend, her lithe body undulating delightfully. Nadz hit a wonderful groove of social commentary in I Hate This, backed by Camar, and came back for a spot with Toni Norville, as the latter proudly sang I gotta tell you about my baby.
HAILING HAILE SELASSIE
Nelly's hail to Haile Selassie was answered by the audience, which demanded a 'pull up' as her Peace and Love soaked in. The Rastafarian run continued with Mark Wonder, who skanked his scarf off his neck and his locks into a skyborne mass. K-Ci Red and Cassanova encouraged the ladies to Bruck Wine, with Aisha translating that concept into lissome reality.
From the opening lines of Grandma DYCR had to 'wheel an come again', and the audience hung on to every word to the end. A recall was demanded and the fiery dub poet gave snippets of popular poems such as Sucka and Galang Charm, before ending with Fia.
It was then left to Montana to sound his Warning, with the CME 2003 participants being called on stage for the final jam, as Ibo Cooper led them in the morale boosting call and answer:
Who's gonna do it?
I am gonna do it
We're gonna do it
Together we will do it.
As the co-MC Cooper, along with a Clyde McKenzie and Josanne Leonard, said: "In the Caribbean we have the greatest talent and we need to spend some time and effort to groom them into the great professionals that they can be."
