- WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
Luciano (left) and Bunny Wailer perform at the Natural Mystic Concert in honour of Bob Marley's 60th birthday. The concert was held on Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston, on Sunday.
Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
TRENCH TOWN rock came to Knutsford Boulevard on Sunday evening for the multi-titled Natural Mystic/Smile Jamaica/One Love, Bob Marley 60th birthday free concert.
There was no logwood fire or cornmeal porridge in sight, but plenty of bright lights and fast food signs along the lower half of the Kingston Hip Strip illuminated the thousands who turned up for the show.
And dominating it all, on the stage backdrop, was a huge picture of Bob Marley's face in red, green and gold, a half-smile playing at his lips and his eyes looking to the left (from the stage) in an expression that, if it were to be put in words, would probably be a combination of his musical statement 'dem a go tiad fe see me face' and interview quip 'I am not famous to me'.
By coincidence, or natural mystic, the gaze went in the same direction that the 60 red, green, gold and white balloons that were released travelled as the celebratory cake was cut by daughter Stephanie Marley and a bevy of dignitaries, led by Governor-General Sir Howard Cooke.
LESS TALK, MORE MUSIC
The balloons travelled a route that took them over the former Sheraton, now Hilton Hotel, where Don Taylor would have it that Bob Marley first courted Cindy Breakspeare; if they held to that direction they would have passed over the Carib Theatre where Bob Marley reportedly scared the wits out of Marvin Gaye with his performing prowess on May 28, 1974; if they held true to altitude and course they would have passed high over the Palisadoes strip, a favourite jogging route of the 'Skipper', before heading out to the sea over which Marley made his final return to the island after dying in Miami on May 11, 1981.
Back on earth, though, the inflatable image of another Bob, SpongeBob, was enjoying thriving sales in the crowd, even as homage was paid to Marley from the stage, big screens and one video montage including an extended live performance of Jammin'.
The night was short on speech and long on song, with the One Love message repeated time after time. Robert Roskind of the One Love healers expressed the hope that Jamaica's motto would be one day extended to read 'out of many, one love'; Barry Chevannes of the Violence-Free Day movement thanked the young men who have the power of life and death for their restraint on a day that he said up to point the police had said was one of the more peaceful ones.
A group of eight women read a general apology on behalf of all, declaring "We surrender our ego and open our hearts".
The Immaculate Conception High orchestra brought a classical touch, but it was the Fab Five band that got the Marley material going with Natural Mystic, Buffalo Soldier and War. Stitchie's Would You rocked reggae gospel style, but just as the evening was looking suspiciously divorced from live Rasta, MC Denise Miller of Roots FM entered the stage carrying red, green and gold flag and greeted all in the name of the Most High, Jah - and the shouts of 'Rastafari!' thundered from the dreadlocked and the bald head, crazy and sane alike.
There was dance from L'Acdaco, who utilised Exodus and the remix of Turn Your Lights Down Low, in combination with the Stella Maris Dancers. The Nomaddz poetry group followed a blazing showing by DYCR in the poetry segment with a well put together set which included snippets of Redemption Song, Time Will Tell and Crazy Baldhead. Violinist Mark Stephenson high-stepped on stage as his bow scythed out War and C Sharp band did a tremendous rendition of Heathen. Abijah did Rastaman Chant and Zimbabwe, in his set that also included Revelation.
SERIOUS ABOUT PEACE
In the main, though, the concert was a rapid-fire sequence of short roots reggae performances. Mackie Conscious asked What If?; Prezident Brown chanted To Jah Only; Junior Reid topped off 'one love' with One Blood and Ernie Smith went back to his first reggae hit, Bend Down.
Warrior King's every 'shooba shooba' was a delight and Fantan Mojah had the audience screaming along with Mama Hungry.
Bunny Wailer explored the Wailers' early catalogue, starting with skanks and Simmer Down, Hypocrites and Nice Time. No Woman No Cry preceded the closing One Love, for which he was joined by a bevy of performers, Luciano making his first appearance for the night to take a verse.
The living Wailer added reason to the melody when he said, "We can sing and sing along, but we need to be really serious. Gun more than sugar, gun more than flour, fun more than rice, gin more than oil, gun mus' spoil, me a tell yuh. And all the people who know that they are responsible for bringing guns to the people of Jamaica, repent. Rebuke yourselves."
