Rita Marley, widow of the late reggae icon, Bob Marley, is seen in a contemplative mood, as a team of musicians sang and played 'No Woman No Cry', at the Calabash Literary and Music Festival held at Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth on Sunday, May 27. - Photos by Noel Thompson

Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

It was to filmmaker Perry Henzell, Calabash organisers Kwame Dawes and Colin Channer reading the poems 'Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth' and 'Fade To Black' respectively for the producer and director of The Harder They Come, who died late last year, the two joining voices to sing No Night In Zion at the end.

Guitarists Steve Golding and Wayne Armond on one side and Richie MacDonald (bass) and Seretse Small on the other balanced a keyboard in the middle on the stage at Jakes, Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, playing slow and low. There was applause as Ibo Cooper stepped on stage to take his place behind the keyboard, immediately playing the phrases from Jah Glory.

And he took the second verse of the first song on the album, as the late afternoon sun poised for a spectacular dip over the horizon behind the stage.

Cacophony of chatter

Third World's Tribal War was run into Marley's So Much Things To Say, Golding singing lead and the other members of the unit dubbed the 'Calabash Acoustic Orchestra', each of whom had a microphone, providing harmony. "Silly season coming up," Golding said, and the song ended with the musicians creating a cacophony of chatter, to the amusement of the audience.

Small scatted and strummed on Third World Man, Armond singing 'George Bush and his Halliburton friends/suicide bombers and all those people/they should be chilling in this Calabash ends' to cheers from the large audience, handclaps keeping the time after that.

There was another smooth transition to Natural Mystic, the audience cheering as the lyrics started after a relatively long musical lead-in. Feel a Little Better was run into Jammin' and it was a party, Cooper taking a solo run and a group of women dancing to the right of the stage.

Section of love songs

No Woman No Cry, played solely on guitar, was used to introduce a section of love songs and when Armond lifted his voice into Dreamland the audience cheered, Cooper applying deeper tones to the second line.

Cindy Breakspeare came up from the group of standing dancers to sing Turn Your Lights Down Low, her husband Rupert Bent replacing Golding. And when Golding reclaimed his seat, he said that as he walked down the aisle he saw Rita Marley and there was a standing ovation for her as No Woman No Cry was done again, this time with the vocals.

"Rita's feet were her only carriage. She used to walk and sell the records. Just want to thank Rita for being with us," Golding said, to more applause, the audience singing the refrain.

They also sang the chorus of Waiting In Vain, the members of the orchestra resting their instruments and employing voice only at the end.

Hundreds of voices combined to emphasise "real hot" after the first line of 96 Degrees In the Shade, Armond and Cooper sharing lead, and there were chuckles over Armond's explanation of Marley's 'simplexity' and Golding's demonstration of the correct rhythmic clap as they played One Love.

It was not quite the end, Cooper giving praise with "y mas gan", then a shift to Get Up Stand Up and rollicking end with Rhythm of Life, the musicians standing to clap and sing the chorus before an audience that was also largely doing the same.

Miss June ended Calabash 2007 with the customary prayer.

This veteran team of musicians brings the curtains down on a musical note. From left are Richie McDonald, Seretse Small, Ibo Cooper, Wayne Armond and Stevie Golding.