Winston 'Merritone' Blake (left) receives a hug from lifelong friend Laurie Foster at the 'Vintage Reunion Awards Party Part I', on Sunday. Winston received the award for Music Entrepreneur whose musical achievements have been recognised nationally. - Winston SillPATRONS AT the 'Vintage Reunion and Awards Party Part I' relived their more youthful days on Sunday as they danced to the hits of the 1950s through to the 1980s as well as paying tribute to persons who have contributed to Jamaica's musical development.
As the patrons trickled into the Chasers Cafe venue on Barbican Road, the selector for the evening, Louie Owen, wasted no time in taking patrons old and young down memory lane. He showed off his vast catalogue of records by playing selections from local and international acts.
With the crowd moving from a family picnic size to more a social by minutes after six, Owen continued to select vintage hits such as John Holt's Love Got A Hold On You (Stealing, Stealing) and Burning Spear's Marcus Garvey. The ever-growing crowd warmed to the selector with some of the women dancing and singing.
By 8:00 p.m., the crowd had grown considerably. Women danced to the beat of Dennis Brown's Should I Have Faith In You and The Wailers' Trench Town Rock.
At 9:00 p.m., with several Ben E. King and Sam Cooke hits floating through the airwaves, a break was taken. The break was for the presentation of awards to those who had contributed to the development of Jamaica's music. Thirty-eight persons and one institution were awarded for their contribution to Jamaica as well as to the music landscape. The list of awardees included: Winston 'Merritone' Blake, Bunny Goodison, Kingsley Goodison, Allan 'Skill' Cole, Clement 'Sir Coxsonne' Dodd, Herb McKinley and others. Kingston College received the award for the institution that has contributed most to the "entertainment and music of the accepted style". After the awards, it was back to the fun with Craig Ross from Turntable taking over. He wasted no time in getting down to business, playing a barrage of soca hits from the past up to the present.
The next Vintage Reunion Party and Awards ceremony will be held on May 5 next year.
