KUDOS are in order for the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) for a well-produced concert which kicked off the Reggae Wednesdays series which will run through February.

To name a headliner for Wednesday’s event at Emancipation Park in St Andrew, would be difficult as from the opening bell the standard of entertainment on offer was top class.

The night was dubbed Mento to Marley and all acts paid tribute in song to the Reggae King.

The closing act Mystic Revealers, were simply superb. Led by the unassuming Billy Mystic, the band hit home with Religion, Got To Be A Better Way before delivering a soulful version of the Marley classic Buss Dem Shut.

Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus were simply electrifying.

The band opened their set with Ras Michael Jnr belting out his Let The People Talk. His appetiser set the stage for his father to deliver the main course and the elder statesman of Reggae did not disappoint.

Dressed in a royal white robe and a red, green and gold head wrap, Ras Michael had those in attendance eating from the palm of his hand from he sang the opening lines of New Name. He then segued into None A Jah Jah Children and the temperature inside Emancipation Park rose more than a few degrees as the audience, young, old and middle aged, soaked up the musical offering that taught of the origins of Rastafari and the struggle that movement has endured before becoming mainstream and accepted by the wider society.

He, too, paid tribute to Marley with a rendition of Rastaman Chant.

Earlier, the Reggae Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor John Williams, opened proceedings with renditions of reggae songs including, of course, a medley of Marley songs.

The orchestra consisted of players of violins, violas, cellos, double bass, flutes, clarinets, oboes, French horns, trumpets, trombones, a timpani, a drum set, and a steel pan section which added a unique Caribbean sound.

The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari were also entertaining with their unique drumming and harmonies on the ‘churchical’ No Night In Zion and How long Rastafari Call You.

The Edna Manley College Ensemble was also impressive as was the Energy Plus Mento band which really set sparks flying.

Ska Rebirth, a band of former Alpha Boys Home wards led by music teacher Sparrow Martin, brought back precious memories of the golden era of Ska and was particularly outstanding in their rendition of the Skatalites hit, Latin Goes Ska.

Other creditable performances came from Fabian Marley, who is said to be a son of the Reggae King and Mortimer, a former student of Edna Manley College.

The organisers ran a tight set and the band changes were no more than a few minutes which seemed even shorter due to the educational and historical musings of MC’s Ibo Cooper and Empress Isis.