From left, Tony Green, and the Mighty Diamonds
THE SUCCESS of most reggae concerts held in Toronto, Canada these days can easily be judged in advance by three important factors. They are the venue, the line-up of artistes, and the reputation of the promoter.
All three were in the mix for the concert dubbed 'From Jamaica, With Love.' Not surprisingly, within days of tickets going on sale, they were sold out at some outlets.
The concert was advertised for the Travelodge Ballroom, a well-known and highly regarded venue for reggae shows. But most of all, the calibre of artistes on the event ensured that it was going to be a smashing success. They included the visiting Mighty Diamonds, George Nooks, Ruddy Thomas, Tony Green and Mallory Williams. And completing the list were Toronto's own Mr. Cooper (fondly regarded as Toronto's Gregory Isaacs), Howie Smart, Fatta John, Les, and the lone female on the show, Baby Rose.
Nooks, a regular visitor to Toronto, always puts on an excellent show, and this performance was no exception. When he delivered the cover of Al Green's God Is Standing By, the audience immediately rose to their feet, rocking to the beat and singing along with Nooks. His other popular renditions included Zion Gate, Tribal War, Bridge Over Trouble Waters, as well as tracks taken from his latest CD, Don't Give Up.
Ruddy Thomas, who has not visited Toronto for sometime, spiced up his set with a soulful performance that included a medley of popular ballads. Among them were Earth Angel, Daddy's Home, What Can I Do and Sad Eyes. His was an entertaining performance and the only singer to bring a touch to R&B to his set.
GREEN DELIVERS
Despite not getting the support and accompaniment he would have liked from the backup band, saxophonist Tony Green was in top form. In true professional style, he overcame the problem with the band and proceeded to treat the fans to instrumental versions of some well-known ditties.
Green was a big hit with his renditions of Carry Go Bring Come, The Harder They Come, Feeling Good All Over and Once Upon A Time.
A 'MIGHTY' PERFORMANCE
Many of the fans came to hear the Mighty Diamonds and they did not disappoint. The Mighty Diamonds scored huge with the crowd as they belted out some of their monster hits that took fans down memory lane. They loved every minute of the performance, as the Mighty Diamonds masterfully rendered classics such as Shame and Pride, Have Mercy, When The Right Time Come and I Need a Roof.
The Toronto artistes who complemented the bill all gave solid and credible performances.
