Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Left: Keisha Patterson gave 'Fever' reggae treatment. Center: Chandis started off the night with poetry. Right: Brahyhan Art performs at the Village Cafe, Barbican Road, St. Andrew, on Tuesday night. - photos by Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

The attempt to get the most recent edition of live music at the Village Café, Barbican Road, going at 10:00 p.m. fell to a couple late band members.

However, when things got going at a few minutes to 11:00 p.m. they moved briskly enough.

There were chuckles when Chandis announced she is from the Pum Pum Posse, her first of three poems, all done without music, reaffirmed this as she encouraged Pum Pum Speak. It did, 'unashamed by daylight, candlelight and streetlight' before she got in touch with Me ('my fingers are never long enough to find where I end'). She closed with Raindance, eyes closed and locks which blended with her brown dress swinging, to applause.

Nina Karle started Knocking on Heaven's Door, supported by the Raging Fire band and a pair of female harmony singers, in original fashion, but changed to reggae, complete with lovers' rock lyrics, after the first go-round of the chorus, hips swaying under long black skirt as she sang 'if you would only tell me baby/tell me how you really feel baby/maybe I would stay with you'. One was delivered as U2 recorded it, part of a red bracelet dangling from her wrist as Karle pointed her right forefinger for emphasis.

And she pointed out that 'in the midst of having fun we have to take care of our children', ending with the reggae message 'pray until they kingdom come, our children must be loved'.

Keisha Patterson sprang the surprise of You'll Never Get To Heaven (If You Break My Heart) in reggae, urging a handclap as the music, a twirl and a slight skip coming at the end.

"You have to have a song about a man," Patterson said, laughing, delivering the original This Feeling. After What About Me Patterson said 'this next song you should be a little more familiar with'. Those who were expecting Barrington Levy's Teach the Youth when the music for that song started got a surprise, as Patterson flicked her hair back, sprang from both legs on the spot and fit Fever neatly on the reggae rhythm. A heated audience demanded more and Patterson delivered Etta James Again in reggae style for her encore.

It was back to Raging Fire for closing performer Brahyhan Art, who encouraged 'put your hands in the air if you really don't care' to a 'forward' as he came out.

Moving around on the small stage, Art went streetwise with 'de soun' a string up', sang for the ladies 'when your eyes meet' and rocked the house mightily with Dennis Brown's Love's Got a Hold on Me, followed by Beres Hammond's They're Gonna Talk.

He asked 'why you never give it to me long time?' and a long leg flicked toe first in the air as Revolution hit the spot, Art sticking in a part of Barrington Levy's Here I Come to good effect.

Chrisopholis was a well appreciated guest before Art closed with Get It close to 1:00 a.m., his return to stage for another song coming before the music was turned down shortly after the arrival of a group of policemen.