Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
( left - right ) HOLT, ISAACS
WESTERN BUREAU:
A WEEK before the official Father's Day, some of the fathers of Jamaican music were honoured at the Mas Camp Village, Oxford Road, New Kingston, on Saturday night.
The combination concert and awards ceremony was not without its hitches, some voluble protests coming during the extended handing out of certificates to performers, which started after 3:00 a.m.
The impatience of some did not dampen the enthusiasm of the recipients. The first recipient for the night, Lloyd Parkes, expressing a sentiment that was echoed by other awardees, that this one was special because "I have never received an award from a musician."
ABBREVIATED PERFORMANCES
While the venue was not 'scanty' there was certainly lots of room to move around, the audience falling well short of the numbers required to create an explosive "Forward" when the music hit. And it did hit in a series of mostly abbreviated performances, with the most powerful blow coming from Gregory Isaacs, educational uppercuts coming from Prince Buster, hooks that were almost caresses from Boris Gardiner, jabs from John Holt, a flurry of footwork from Ken Boothe and Monty Morris, ring mastery from Derrick Harriott, a delightful defence of the dreadlocks from George Nooks and some Sugar Ray Leonard-like crowd-pleasing tactics from Bunny and Scully, all before the awards were handed out.
After the presentations, Alton Ellis and Leroy Sibbles were among the performers, before Bunny Wailer, who had played a major stage role in his own show previously, welcomed all those who had 'lock so tight, you don't know when it's morning', and with the sky lighting up at 5:00 a.m., it was the dawning.
There was a determination that all who came to Mas Camp would see that dawning unharmed, as the unusual precaution (for a vintage show was taken) of searching the male patrons.
With Lloyd Parkes and We The People Band doing most of the nights musical duties, Bunny and Scully 'let the good times roll' at a few minutes past midnight, the first touch of Scully's falsetto
setting the venue alight.
EXTENDED SET
Derrick Harriott played an extended set, announcing 'revival time' before jigging away into I'll Be There When He Comes. With Chris McDonald and Bunny Brown on harmony vocals, he did the classic cheaters dilemma song Checking Out, rocked the audience with Loser and went into a rocksteady groove with Penny For Your Song, Stop That Train and Long Story.
Monty Morris sent legs flying on Sammy Dead, Samson and Solomon Agundey, ending with Money Can't Buy Life, before Rudy Thomas injected a rare (for the night) R&B flavour with Earth Angel and Silhouette.
Boris Gardiner was cool and effective, opening with Let's Keep It That Way, recalling Johnny Ace with Forever My Darling and Chuck Jackson with The Prophet.
Prince Buster gave the history behind They Got To Come, which was the story of the Jamaican music moving away from the imported R&B taste, performing all his songs, including Hard Man Fe Dead, right to the end.
Gregory Isaacs, with a nasal 'boogie woogie', was immediately a Number One, and received accolades for Love Is Overdue, rocked all with Night Nurse and was recalled for a rare encore for the night, stepping up and intoning 'dem still want more', to the delight of the audience.
John Holt requested and got a Love I Can Feel, Ken Boothe hosted the child Psalm chanter Ina, before he skipped into The Train Is Coming and the sentiments of Tribal War were appreciated as George Nooks delivered the classic.
The awards were announced by Elise Kelly and handed out to Jimmy Tucker, Lloyd Parkes, Bunny & Scully, Lascelles Perkins, Derrick Harriott, Monty Morris, Boris Gardiner, Prince Buster, Strangejah Cole, Alton Ellis, Roy Shirley, Mighty Diamonds, Leroy Sibbles and George Nooks, who all received in person. Awardees Gregory Isaacs, John Holt, Ken Boothe, Big Youth, U-Roy and Sly & Robbie were announced.
