| Charles Campbell Sunday, March 04, 2007 |
The third weekend in February was rich in spirit. Dean Fraser's and Chalice's performance at Symphony on the Saturday night on the eastern lawns of King's House were truly amazing. Although Dean's solo stint was short, his selections were carefully chosen to amply demonstrate his mastery of the tenor and soprano saxophones. Commencing with a medley skilfully interwoven with Ras Michael's None A Jah Jah Children No Cry, Dean followed up with Luther Vandross's Dance With My Father.
His range, phrasing and breath control were so enthralling that Dean had us all mesmerised and earned himself a spontaneous standing ovation from the audience. Without a doubt, Dean stands head and shoulders above the rest of our current local horn players and very few in the world of music can compare with his dexterity. While I have heard Dean play various genres and in many situations, numerous times over the years, this performance leaned heavily on his arranger skills and performance experiences and was nothing short of genius.
Chalice on the other hand was simply magical. I am sure they surpassed even their own and certainly the audience's expectations. From the first note, they struck a rapport with each other and the patrons that just continued to build from one song to the other raising to a crescendo that ended with the second standing ovation of the night. Chalice seemed fresh and relaxed.
The interaction of the band members and the witty and sometimes updated lyrics of most of their songs pulled their audience along on a nostalgic musical journey. Trevor Roper was a dynamic lead singer and many local bands never retain the same vibe when they change that up front personality. Chalice's new lead singer is certainly the exception - Dean Stevens not only fit the role, but added new dimensions to the part. He oozed magnetism and awed the audience.
On Sunday, February 18, we went to Fi Wi Sinting at Nature's Way, Buff Bay, Portland. Their promotional materials claim the festival promotes African heritage through food, art and craft and music.
The festival more than lived up to this claim. By way of local festivals, it is truly unique and authentically Jamaican. While many features were reminiscent of our traditional Jamaican country fairs, Fi Wi Sinting's central theme was homage to our ancestors, their traditions and our cultural accomplishments. We experienced simultaneous performances of Kumina, Jonkunnu and Nyahbinghi drumming and chanting in separate interactive settings and locations.
Meanwhile, Mutabaruka played appropriate African, Afro-American, Caribbean and Jamaican music. Dubbed the African Dance Party, many couples swayed, rocked and gyrated to the rhythms. At various intervals we were entertained by Akwaaba, poets, Amina Blackwood-Meeks' storytelling, drummers from the West African nation of Guinea along with New York-based dance group, Asoso, who presented an African dance class, which saw many members of the audience joining in. The entire concept was interactive participation of the patrons and entertainers. This brainchild of Sister P (Pauline Petinaud) demonstrated how we have adapted and woven our African heritage into our traditional and popular culture.
Most impressive was the high level of discipline and courtesy displayed and the audience mix. The event was family oriented, but it was still surprising to see for instance a retired senior resident magistrate, his wife and their friends, university students, visitors from Nova Scotia and Colorado, children and toddlers, country folk, Rasta and even the urban chic, respectfully sharing and enjoying the same space, the numerous activities and the various kinds of food including the delicious live food, which I must confess I tried for the first time.
We had an interesting conversation with Frank Lumsden, Jerry Small and Shirley Lindo about the origins of the Maroons, JA Rogers and his literary contributions and the myopic views held by otherwise progressive people about the advent of our music being 'stolen' by foreigners like the Japanese, many of whom were also present at the festival.
We came to the conclusion that they do not simply imitate, but totally assimilate our music and the culture that feeds and drives it. We agreed that art is the common legacy of humankind and the more nationalities that adopt our music only further authenticates the sheer genius of it. It also expands the marketability of our artistes. We discussed the fact that under slavery and early post-emancipation, many African-Jamaican musicians migrated to the southern USA and were part of the cultural renaissance that spawned American jazz and country and western.
It was instructive to note that this one-of-a-kind Jamaican festival has not been able to attract or secure any substantial private/public sector sponsorship in the seventeen years of its existence. This year, all the festival got was $60,000 from the Jamaica National Bicentennial Committee chaired by Prof Verene Sheperd. Commendably, IRIE FM has been the main sponsor over the years, covering all of the advertising costs, but interestingly maintaining a very respectful low profile at the event. I was so spiritually nourished at this event that I recommend it to all Jamaicans next year, both as sponsors and patrons.
On the February 2007 edition of the gathering of the Poetry Society of Jamaica, there were three standout poets, Ann Margaret Lim, Sage and Viva. I found two common threads in all of the poetry though. Firstly, one which spoke to a society that constantly conjures many negative images as the raw material for our word-sound artists, hence they speak borderline fatalistically of politics, social life and even love. The second was the highly developed incisiveness of their critiques.
The intensity and latent anger of Viva has certainly left a lasting impression on me. Two of his unforgettable lines were "oh muse. save me from 'wanna-be' poems" and the most profound line of the night, "poetry is life. not just literature". If you think Muta's poems make roas' breadfruit uncomfortable, den check out dis bredrin.
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