Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
The 'Outlaw' Josey Wales in performance
WESTERN BUREAU:
THERE WAS a touching moment, in more ways than one, at the Mas Camp Village, New Kingston, just before 4 o'clock yesterday morning.
Derrick Morgan and Patsy were joined in more than voice as they sung the refrain of Feeling So Fine, Morgan with a hand on Patsy's right shoulder as she led the blind singer off-stage to end the most recent staging of Stones Stars R Us.
It was billed as Morgan's 65th birthday party and, before he closed the party, the remainder of the very large audience that had been building up from as early as 9:00 p.m. duly sang happy birthday. And before they were reunited in song the duo cut the birthday cake together, Patsy popping the first piece into Morgan's mouth.
The birthday party was a generally merry affair from opener EQ, who sang Kingston Town, through to Patsy and Strange Jah Cole, who performed individually and together just before Derrick Morgan accepted happy birthday wishes with a smile and hands extended, black hat in one and cane in the other.
LYRICAL FIRECRACKERS
But while Lord Creator, the Clarendonians, Brent Dowe and Errol Dunkley stuck candles on the musical cake that was served up at Mas Camp on Saturday night, it was Admiral Bailey and Josey Wales who carried the lyrical firecrackers and Pinchers the costumes, changing outfits three times, twice at record speed. Buru Banton was left in the dark, as he performed without stage lights.
Prince Edwards, who put one hand on a microphone stand and decimated the audience with jokes during intermission, was the humorous, unexpected icing on the cake. He shared the break with Wee Pow on Purple Love, who popped the cork on the party with an exquisite mix of Marcia Griffith's I Shall Sing to Buju Banton growling a we a guard oonu life an oonu no know to the delight of the audience.
Throughout it all Fab 5 Band was the life of the party, handling Ernest Wilson of the Clarendonians soul shots such as Teddy P's Love TKO and the Sleng Teng for Admiral Bailey to open with Tink Me Did Done ? and a laugh ? with equal aplomb.
Lord Creator had the audience in a mild musical rage as he advised ?little girl it is getting late?, giving a trademark ?mighty? at the response. With his voice failing, Creator ended on a slow note to make way for the Clarendonians, comprising Peter Austin and Ernest Wilson. They paid homage to the Blues Busters and Jackie Opel, before the ?rude boy? pair of Rude
Boy Gone a Jail and What a Bam Bam. Ernest Wilson was a treat with Dreams To Remember and I Stand Accused, while it was good to hear the music of Errol Dunkley, who followed, played at the correct speed.
Arms swinging, teeth gleaming and black sequinned shirt glinting, Dunkley sang Your Love Is Amazing, honoured Delroy Wilson as his first inspiration and, before doing Black Cinderella, reminded all that before taking political sides we are all Jamaicans.
Buru Banton opened with Tek a Set to good reception, but proceeded to take his set too far as he defended his lyrical prowess before ending with Boom Wha Dis, Wha Dat to make way for the effective, easy rocking of Brent Dowe, whose Little Nut Tree and By The Rivers of Babylon were part of a set that moved the birthday party happily into intermission.
Cheeren, on her first appearance in Kingston, delivered No Woman Nuh Cry, an original and Do It To Me One More Time. But Admiral Bailey was not quite amused when he took his turn ?Yu know how long me a wait? Dem get me hot, den col,? Bailey said, proceeding to spin a couple rolls, prance and do Science Again. From humour about his stomach, waist prods with one foot on a monitor, the Samurai dance and, of course, hits such as Horse Tonic and Punaany, Bailey had the audience happily dancing along, ending with One Scotch.
Pinchers went for the suit changing record between opening on a cowboy note with ?long time I been riding west?, complete with a good Bounty Killer imitation (level!), leaving and returning to the stage to mourn ?nobody writes original songs anymore?. There was a ?cowboy handover? as he finished
with Bandelero (and another costume change) to make way for Josey Wales, who opened with the country and western crooning of ?it was a coward who shot the colonel in his back?. From Sweet Sweet Jamaica to Undercover Lover, ?It Haffi Bun? and lyrical comments on the new dance styles, Wales sparkled.
The birthday party featured the reunion of Patsy, Strange Jah Cole and Derrick Morgan after 30 years and it was worth the wait. Cole was up first with his ?Bangarang? but made a misstep when he sang of his pussycat, then combined with a radiant Patsy for When I Call Your Name?. Patsy gave a soca input with ?Fia Fia? and, the birthday ceremonies dispensed with, it was time for Morgan to seal his own party.
He did so in fine ska style, a medley of Owen Gray, Monty Morris, Prince Buster and Owen Gray hits having the remaining audience members, who now had room to swing their legs, dancing away, Patsy returning ? different outfit and all ? for the two to end the party in good fashion.
Stars R Us almanacs with the faces of performers on the series were handed out at the gate and the gate prize, a computer, was set up in a corner on the stage and the draw duly done at intermission.
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