By Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Shaggy was the man of the hour at the CME Awards Dinner, Saturday night in Ocho Rios. The entertainer received the Award for Excellence and a standing ovation from the audience. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
WESTERN BUREAU:
IT WAS an awards dinner, but as newest CME director Josanne Leonard said on Saturday night, it was also a celebration of the Caribbean spirit.
More specifically, the Caribbean spirit as personified by James 'Jimmy Cliff' Chambers and Orville 'Shaggy' Burrell, who were given the Caribbean Music Expo (CME) Award for Excellence and the Bob Marley Lifetime Achievement Award respectively.
Both awards were presented by another man who exemplifies the Caribbean spirit, world record holder for most wickets taken in Test cricket, former West Indies fast bowler Courtney Walsh.
Two of Jimmy Cliff's sons accepted the award on their father's behalf at the ceremony held in the ballroom of the Renaissance Jamaica Grande in Ocho Rios, St. Ann.
"Wow. Courtney sey him waan deh pon de remix," Shaggy said, as he turned the 2002 CME Award for Excellence in his hands, after an overwhelming standing ovation as he walked to the dais. "First of all, let me say anybody else come to me an ask me about Grammy can go siddung," he continued, to laughter and applause.
"Thank God for investing in me the talent. I was talking to Wayne Jobson (of the band Native, who presents reggae on XM Satellite Radio) and I said if I had been asked some years ago if I thought the career would have lasted this long, I couldn't say yes. This is a hobby that took the right turn and in some cases the wrong turn. So I just want to thank some people," he continued over the laughter.
Shaggy began with a very special lady.
"My mother is in the audience and it is a very special occasion. Is inna fi har apartment mi used to tief speaka an hook up hook up all ova de place," he said. After thanking the entire Big Yard Music crew, he singled out its CEO, "my partner in crime".
"We start dis ting from scratch. Robert Livingston bway. It is not the smoothest of relationships. We cuss and fight every day, but at the end of the day we have the same goal. Mi couldn dweet widdout yu an mi wouldn want no odda partner," Shaggy said.
Shaggy paid kudos to Sharon Burke and Lloyd Stanbury of CME. "Yu see dis (CME), it tek whole heap a heart an vision," he said.
He reserved a special thanks for the members of the all-star band, which had taken the house down with a rendition of It Wasn't Me. After 'bigging up' Dean Fraser, he commented on the superb playing of pan master Len 'Boogsie' Sharpe, adding: "Bway a dem ting de mi used to mek soup bowl outa."
Jimmy Cliff's sons thanked everybody on behalf of their "great Dad", adding appreciation for Tommy Boy Records founder Tom Silverman's "very inspiring speech".
It was a keynote address in which Mr. Silverman had first painted a picture of gloom for music industry majors EMI, Warner, BMG, Sony and Universal. He pointed to staff cuts and declines in sales and moved on to the reasons.
"...there is the Internet and CD-burning, which they are blaming for the decline," Mr. Silverman said, but he disagreed.
"They are not innovating, they are not taking risks, they are not producing music that people want to buy anymore," he continued, to strong applause. Using cartoon philosophy from The Simpsons, Mr. Silverman went on to outline the opportunity in crisis which he dubbed 'crisortunity'.
"The distance between the large and small organisations is shrinking. It will be a much more fertile place for independent artistes. It may take a year or two to happen, but it will happen. It will cost less to go on radio, to get the video played," Mr. Silverman said. He said that every important musical breakthrough had been made by an independent label, going through Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Bob Marley and the hip-hop revolution.
"If it was not for independents, we would still be singing How Much Is That Doggy In The Window," Mr. Silverman said to a chuckling audience.
"Your only chance is your uniqueness. And you will become anonymous by trying to fit into a mould," Tom Silverman advised.
Dean Frazer on saxaphone, Desi Jones on drums, Dale Haslam on bass, Ibo Cooper on keyboards and Len 'Boogsie' Sharpe on steel pan broke the mould themselves on Saturday night, playing exquisite interpretations of It Wasn't Me and Many Rivers To Cross.
The CME Awards dinner started 90 minutes late. Paula Ann Porter handled the MC duties well.
See related story in today's STAR.
