THE free concert on Monday evening to observe the Twelve Tribes of Israel’s 45th anniversary at its Hope Road headquarters in St Andrew, was also a celebration of the Rastafarian influence on Jamaican music.

The event was one of pleasant surprises as the modest gathering was unaware of which artiste would perform.

Singer Willie Williams was the first surprise. While not an household name in Jamaica, Williams got international attention when his 1978 hit song Armagideon Time was covered by British punk group Clash in 1980 as the B-side to their single, London Calling.

After performing Armagideon Time, Williams who was making his first Jamaican appearance since migrating to Canada over 30 years ago, told the Jamaica Observer that he recently concluded a 41-city tour of Canada and the United States with rock band Big Sugar.

He also recorded and released Stepping with trumpeter Herb Alpert of Tijuana Brass fame.

With I’ve Got To Go Back Home and Fire Burnin, Bob Andy added colour so too Kiddus I with Security and Dalton Browne with his rendition of Dennis Brown’s Created By The Father.

Nyahbinghi drummer Ras Michael, backed by an invitational ensemble, chanted Birds In The Tree Top, New Name and Rastaman Chant

(Fly Away Home).

Wadada, Natty Pablo, Dan I, Keisha Patterson, Anna from Japan and Nelly Stharre from Dominica all did well but it was Tarrus Riley and Freddie McGregor who stirred the gathering most.

In the evening’s penultimate performance, Riley delivered some of his popular songs like Beware, Iyah In Deh (Bless Me), Lion Paw, Shaka Zulu Pickney and She’s Royal which

he dedicated to the Rasta woman.

McGregor, a longtime Twelve Tribes of Israel member, brought the celebration to a resounding climax with Africa, To Be Poor Is a Crime, Let Him Try and Prophecy, among others.

The Twelve Tribes of Israel was founded in 1968 in Trench Town by Vernon Carrington, known in Rastafarian circles as

Gad Man.

— Basil Walters