By Mel Cooke, Freelance WriterWESTERN BUREAU:
GUINNESS AND Red Stripe were $150 a piece and soda cost $50, but a sweet, simmering Coco T was priceless at Club Inferno, Montego Bay, on Thursday night. The penultimate and, in terms of musical beginnings, least vintage of the performers on 'Stars R Us', the man from Clarendon delivered in deadly dancehall style, dropping snatches of other songs in between his own material to light up Christmas night in MoBay. In addition, he sang instructions to the Fabulous Five band, as well as ad-libbed to the fair-sized audience, which howled its appreciation of his lyrics, timing and melody. Coco T served up classics such as Crying Time and Tune In, as well as laid down a brand new flavour with This Cannot Be Real, saddling the mix like a veteran jockey on a fresh, frisky horse as he filled in for Shabba Ranks on Love Me Truly and Buju Banton on Eighteen and Over (Go Home To Your Mama).
Nothing was left to chance, as the man from Clarendon came armed with two back-up singers, whose harmony really hit the fore when MC Ron Muschette asked him for a snatch of the 'MoBay song' before he left and Coco T obliged a capella.
A MERRY BLAZE
While Coco T was on the boil on Christmas night, the superb line-up pushed many a stick into the fire to make a merry blaze. The clarity and class of Marcia Griffiths, who opened, the cool-looking heat of Gregory Isaacs, Pat Kelly's soaring falsetto stylings, Daddy U-Roy's friendly crackle and show closer John Holt's toe-warming, coal fire familiarity fused into a presentation which ran very smoothly. Lloydie Love, who chipped in with a trio of Dennis Brown songs, also had his day in the sun.
Marcia Griffiths hit Feel Like Jumping to end the first part of her set, but certainly had the audience off their toes from the get go with Kiss You Once More and Dreamland. I Wanna Be Closer and Fire Burning did the expected damage, but there were two slow songs which touched hearts. As she started with "am I really here in your arms" the audience whooped and a male back-up singer moved closer to perform the duet. They ended holding hands and Ms. Griffiths asked the crowd to "give it up for my son..."
Returning for an encore, Ms. Griffiths sang To Sir With Love, amending the lyrics a bit to sing "to you with love" for an enthusiastic audience. She ended with her 'national anthem', Stepping Outa Babylon. Lloydie Love performed Silhouette, How Could I Live and Should I creditably, getting his greatest response on the last D. Brown classic. He showed humourous side to good effect when he sang "joy to the girls/Lloydie Love has come" to depart.
Pat Kelly moved on stage as calmly as he sang, How I Wish It Would Rain being sent up to sky that had been scrubbed clean by a few days of showers. I'm In The Mood For Love was well received and Mr. Kelly pulled his voice down a few notches for Whiter Shade of Pale. It was back up and in full effect, though, for Queen Majesty and Talk About Love, as well as You Don't Care For Me At All.
CLASSICS
On his encore, Mr. Kelly went on a romantic trip with Sentimental Reasons and Far End of The Street, among other classics. U-Roy said he was recovering from the flu, but it was his infectious toasting which the crowd caught. After his explanation and the familiar chant of "wake the town and tell the people", the talents of Fab Five came into full effect, as with Grub Cooper providing the vocals, Daddy U-Roy laid down the versions to Girl I've Got A Date, Wear You To the Ball, Soul Rebel and other hits. As Daddy U-Roy dropped "versions galore/you hear them by the score/we gonna give you some more" the audience grooved along.
There was no 'haul an pull', as U-Roy laid the tracks down from top to bottom in perfect sync, declaring Jah Jah Call You. The after flu effects showed near the end when he spoke, but not as he laid down "strictly rub-a-dub we a play/from Kingston to MoBay."
Gregory Isaacs jigged his way on stage in an easy skank, opened with a 'boogie woogie' and then hit Number One, his distinctive voice hitting the back of the venue crisply. Soon Forward and Love Overdue went down smoothly, but Mr. Isaacs handled the mix laid down by Fab Five on Rumours. He sang a request to the band to play it "a little bit softer" on Front Door, then groaned and sighed harmoniously along, only for band and singer to swell into the refrain "I don't wanna be lonely tonight."
The crowd roared.
The Cool Ruler attempted to leave with Night Nurse, but the crown wanted him back and he stomped back on-stage, jacket off, with Ragamuffin. And, in similar fashion, stomped his way back off to the mix.
After a Bob Marley music filled break and Coco T, it was left to John Holt to bring an excellent night to an end and this he did in fine style. The audience rocked to Love I Can Feel, Ali Baba and Sweetie Come Brush Me, as Mr. Holt declared "more music, less talk and kept the hits flowing."
