Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
( L - R ) Gregory Isaacs and Gem Myers - FILE PHOTOS
WHEN ALTON Ellis wrapped up half-hour of hits with I'm Still In Love at the Mas Camp Village, Oxford Road, New Kingston, on Sunday, the audience wanted more.
MC François queried "Lloydie, can you do some more?" Lloyd Parkes, bassist and leader of We The People band, smiled and said "Morning!"
And at 4:30 a.m. the many faithful from the large audience which turned out early and stayed long at the second annual 'Foundation Music Showcase' went home.
Just past 10:00 on a chilly night, they saved most of their warmth for Lora Bennett on her closing Breakfast in Bed.
When Tappazukie asked "People are you ready?" They chorused "Blow! Oh Lord!". Two of the Tamlins came out in locks-shaking, dancing fashion, settling to sing harmony on How I Wish It Would Rain to the third member's lead vocals. With a cry of "non-stop!" they went from Go Away Dream to Ting A Ling, Wildflower among the ending slow songs.
MC Junior Sinclair visited his storehouse of memories to remember an audience refusing to let Gem Myers go. It was a similar situation on Saturday, as Myers presented "Jamaican music in all its mixtures, its textures, its moods", beginning with her Mr. Big Stuff and Shame on You.
ONE DANCE
"Everyting come an gone an me stuck wid da one dance ya," she said, proceeding to do the butterfly, standing then slowly flapping her way down into a crouch as the audience cheered.
My Boy Lollipop and One Draw preceded No No No and Myers went slow with Cynthia Schloss' Love Me Forever ending by going 'further back'.
Derrick Morgan held his arms wide, cane in the left, hat in the right, before getting off to a 'superior' start. He ran the ska steadily before slowing down with Tougher Than Tough, picking back up the pace with They Got To Come, Elena and '7 Books of Moses', before saying goodnight on Black head Chiney man.
Ken Boothe twirled his way into Everything I Own and with a 'here we go' hit Say You. He took off his cream neck scarf on When I Fall In Love, going slower with Speak Softly Love.
RIGHT FOOTING
The harmony of The Mighty Diamonds brought up midnight, the trio starting on the right footing with Right Time and Have Mercy, passing the kutchie to a wiling audience before going slow with There's No Me Without You. They earned an encore, doing Juvenile before ending with a chorus of 'Amen'.
Admiral Bailey brought up intermission with a crowd-pleasing mixture of humour, 'Della move' and 'Samurai' dancing and Winston 'Merritone' Blake playing Long Story and Left With A Broken Heart in the break.
Then it was singers all the way to the end, Gregory Isaacs delivering Number One and Rumors, Night Nurse coming before a Ragamuffin encore. Johnny Clarke's hit machine rolled out Move Outta Babylon and None Shall Escape the Judgement. Culture's Two Sevens Clash and I'm Not Ashamed came before Conqueror.
Alton Ellis had the diminishing but appreciative audience rocking steady from the get go with Willow Tree, Girl I've Got A Date being spliced with I'll Take You There, many legs dropping on Start All Over Again.
There were apologies for a missing Frankie Paul.
