International reggae rules Redbones
Roots, rock, reggae ruled the roost at Redbones Blues Café Thursday evening as Kingston Music Week kicked off at the popular St Andrew venue.
A trans-generational cast delivered strong performances to a diverse audience who appreciated every note.
Rising singer Samory I, backed by the impressive Naja Vibes Band from Geneva, Switzerland, did a strong set that put him in the ones-to-watch bracket for 2017. The Roots Impact Band from Trench Town, the father-and-son duo of McA-Lion and Bingi, and veterans Fred Locks and I Kong, ensured an evening of quality entertainment.
Samory I showed the benefits of touring overseas last summer with a mature, thoughtful set. Songs like Take Me Oh Jah, Slavemaster, a passionate Nyahbinghi cover of Syl Johnson’s blues classic Is It Because I’m Black and the ballad, African Daughter, had the audience stimulated.
The nine-piece Naja Vibes made an auspicious Jamaican debut. Arriving in Kingston early Thursday, they showed no sign of jet lag with a riveting instrumental rendition of Black Uhuru’s Party In session, as well as horn-hooked instrumental originals which drew sustained applause.
Sixty-eight-year-old I Kong, in a rare Jamaican performance, closed the show with gusto. An underground artiste from the 1970s, he is enjoying a career revival in Europe, performing with Naja Vibes.
Dressed in traditional Chinese garb, the diminutive artiste was especially strong on When I See You Smile, Reggae Music and Life’s Road;
The ebullient Fred Locks never fails to impress. Backed by roots Impact, he had the crowd rocking throughout his half-hour set to Dennis Brown’s Inseparable and Slim Smith’s Conversations, as well as his classic Joy In My Heart and the repatriation classic Black Starliner.
Roots Impact are among the flood of bands to emerge locally in the past two years. They backed their lead singer J Written admirably, as well as Fred Locks and McA-Lion and Bingi.
The latter are from Payne Lands. They showed great chemistry on No One Believes In Me, Babylon System and Rastaman She Love, a song against domestic violence.
— Howard Campbell
