Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor
Damian 'Junior Gong' Marley and his mother Cindy Breakspeare
THERE'S NO escaping those haunting scenes on our television screens with continued international coverage of the devastation in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Luvs, I still shed tears when viewing the various reports of the unfolding events in the affected areas. But with private initiative leading a number of Jamaican organisations to make a contribution to the relief efforts, it warms the cockles of my heart.
In this respect, commendations to the Rotary Club of New Kingston, whose members have donated to the effort. And the governors and patrons of the Flamstead Heritage Society, under the chairmanship of its founder, Ambassador Peter King, who will be staging a fund-raiser soon. Bring your picnic basket along next Sunday, to the society's historical monument and chapel, in the foothills of the Blue Mountains where the National Chorale will perform.
Dears, this is a worthy cause and guests are being asked for
the nominal contribution of $500. Also donating to this international effort is the fab chain of fine international resorts, SuperClubs. And so dears, we laud all those who have risen to the challenge.
JR. GONG
He is without a doubt, one of reggae's more prolific performers, made more so because of the genre he uses as his medium. With a rich singing legacy, Damian 'Jr. Gong' Marley, son of reggae superstar Bob Marley, opted to use the hardcore ragamuffin sub-cultural genre of reggae and dancehall for his creative expression.
Many years ago when young Damian Marley took to the stage as Jr. Gong, many thought - here was another offspring of the internationally acclaimed father, about to use the status and goodwill to propel his career forward.
And they can be forgiven for harbouring these thoughts, as after all, the world is replete with wannabee singing offspring of famous parents. They should not be forgiven however, for failing to accept the glaring fact, that at the young age when Jr. Gong decided on a musical career, by opting to use dancehall he was making the statement that he had no intention of trying to mimic his father.
Today, there is ample serving of humble pie to go around, as Damian Marley, through commitment and hard work, has used his talent and artistry to make a mockery of those who first attempted to doubt.
Dears, y'all know the old saying 'nothing succeeds like success'. Make no bones about it, Damian Marley, is not only at home as a dancehall performer, he is especially gifted and adept at appreciating and interpreting all musical genres. And it is this understanding that makes him a creditable force and a cut above the rest.
And following the success of his best-selling Grammy winning album Half-Way Tree, Marley, is all set to rock the musical world with his latest album - Welcome To JamRock.
FABULOUS AND THEN SOME
Last Friday evening, to launch Welcome To JamRock, Marley and his team threw a little do at the historic Bob Marley Museum, the former Hope Road, for his fans and music lovers in general, and dears, the event was fabulous and then some.
Scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m., the venue was a buzz of activity as guests began gathering from as early as 6:00 p.m.., and by the appointed hour, the place was awash with well-wishers, the fab, the aristocratic ladies of reggae, the hardcore Marley fans, leading members of the national and international press corps and tonnes of music fans in general.
Now, if anyone was expecting a watered-down album launch, tailored to satisfy the critics, then they must have been sorely disappointed as there was no escaping the very hardcore flavour and mood set for the event. Upon entering the complex, guests were greeted with the unmistakable aroma of ganja smoke, that sat almost protectively over the entire compound.
And if the pall of smoke was not enough, the almost reverential manner with which the assembled throng of dreadlocked Rastafari, greeted each arriving guest, added a sense of fervent wholesomeness to the affair.
Dears, we are talking a most inviting atmosphere rich with the symbolism of the doctrine of Rastafari under the embrace and protective spirit of the king of reggae and Rastafari's foremost disciple, Bob Marley. If ever there was a space at peace with itself; if ever there was a group at peace with itself and those it welcomed, it was the Bob Marley Museum and its brotherhood of Rastafari.
Little wonder here, that not unlike his father, young Marley is seen as a representative voice, a point made manifestly clear, in the question and answer period that followed the official segment of the event, chaired by the ever regal Paula-Ann Porter.
Dears, with formalities out of the way, the album launch took on a party flavour, as with some of Marley's music hitting the speakers and giant-sized television screens, the night gave way to juggling and yes, it all made for one musical and cultural treat.
Those out included proud mom, beauty and personality, Cindy Breakspeare; Opposition MPs Babsy Grange and Verna Parchment; Rita Marley; JFF President Desi Jones; Deputy Director Tourism David Sheilds; Maxine Walters; sports and political personality Allie McNab; Dr. Carolyn Cooper; hot fashion designer from the House of Mutamba, Jackie Amber Olabisi; music and film producer/executive Jon Baker; siblings, best-selling cookbook author Virginia Burke and artist I-Nancy Burke; Charles Campbell; JAMPRO's Film Commissioner Dell Crooks; Graham Forte; Jennifer Armond and her son Jordan Armond; Patrick McDonald; the fab Kerry-Ann Clarke; Nicholas Benjamin; Howard McIntosh; Sonja Griffiths; Copeland Forbes; Dean Fraser; Richie Stephens; Chevelle Franklin; Bounti Killa; Richie Spice; Wayne Marshall; Lexus; Eeka Mouse; Heavy D; actor/film director/producer turned movie, runt, Michael-Philip Edwards; Impresario Sharon Burke; Everton Thomas; Suzette Chin-Loy; Balram Vaswani; the fabulous Natasha Pasmore; Steven James; Yasmin Peru and her hunk; the fabulous Sibblies twins Rain and Shanna; Yolan Zanders; Shia Coore; Joel Burke; Ayesha Sangali; plus several scores more.
