It was old school music, fashion and vibe at the third Soul To Soul show, held November 2 at La Roose in The Bronx, New York. A full house rocked to classic soul and Rhythm And Blues courtesy of sound system selectors Rory Gilligan and DJ Roy.

Landale Cross, proprietor of La Roose and promoter of the event, described the evening as “epic”.

“It was one of those rent-a-tile type parties that older folks yearn for…all the DJs did well. Rory and DJ Roy are veterans, so they kept the vibes flowing, playing some timeless classics,” he told the OBSERVER ONLINE.

“Jamaicans love reggae and dancehall music but they have a special love affair with soul music that dates back to the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s that will never die.”

Because thousands of them settled in the boroughs of The Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens during the 1970s, New York City is home to a massive demographic of mature Jamaicans who grew up on American soul music that was played on radio and sound systems back home.

It is this community that helps make oldies shows like Soul To Soul successful. Cross, known in Big Apple music circles as Face Fullblast, was pleasantly surprised to see younger attendees.

“The event did attract some folks 30 and under who love the Soul To Soul concept and are fans of Rory and DJ Roy,” he said.

Gilligan is synonymous with the success of Stone Love system’s rise as a dancehall powerhouse in the 1990s. He has established himself in recent years as a music producer, working with roots acts like Jah9 and Samory I.

DJ Roy is one of the top selectors on Caribbean radio in New York City. He hosts a daily programme on the Queens-based Irie Jam Radio.

Howard Campbell