THE thanksgiving celebration of the life and work of entertainment lawyer Sandra Joy Alcott was the perfect example of her middle name.

The heartwarming tributes, musical and otherwise, that flowed at the University Chapel on Saturday afternoon, brought joy to the memory of the well-loved attorney, spoken-word artiste and activist.

Known artistically as Sajoya or Empress Erotica, reflections on the founder of the Jamaican Association for Female Artistes (JAFA), an advocacy group for the under-represented female entertainers who constantly battle a male-dominated music industry, were many and varied.

“Sajoya never ceased to amaze me. I have never seen so many Rastafari in a church and observing with tolerance,” quipped Tony Rebel, who opened the musical tribute with If Jah Is Standing By My Side.

The blooming entertainer called Influential lived up to his name with his dynamic rendition of what is destined to be an orginal masterpiece of sorts, called Cancer. His musical contribution to the thanksgiving service of Sajoya (who sucuumbed to breast cancer — was the song he wrote on reflection of his mother and another family member (both of whom he lost) due to the dreaded disease. It was as moving as it was touching.

Veteran dub poet Cherry Natural was her usual outspoken self with her poem titled Good Life. In celebration of the life and works of the departed founder of the poetry group called The PUM PUM Posse (The Power Uniting Men), Cherry Natural’s constant refrain was, “When I make mi transition, I don’t want nuh one cry over mi. Please don’t put nuh lies in mi eulogy. And don’t add saint in front mi name.”

Nadine Sutherland’s angelic voice, range and diction was a study of emotional control in her soulful appeal for A Pair of Wings which she made as she belted out her song of the same name.

Singer/dub poet Italee has never been more revitting in her performance like on this occasion with her composition called Keep The Faith.

For this event, all the performers were at their best. Angela Stewart couldn’t get better with Trade Winds and when she unexpectedly introduced John Holt who she described as “a special brother”, it was afterall, a special moment.

The vintage crooner delivered perhaps his most memorable acapella presentation in his long musical career. In dedicating one of his timeless classics Memories By The Scores to Sajoya, which he told the congregation was a favourite of hers, Holt was most captivating.

When his velvet voice oozed: “You remind me of the golden sun that smiles after the storm,” Sajoya, if she was able to hear, would have been dancing and laughing. And then pause to fully absorb Della Manley’s sultry interpretation of the Book of Rules and if anyone knew her, Sajoya would be nodding approvingly for Sharon Tucker’s sedative, the calming Don’t Cry For Me.

As a devout Rastafari, she would be chanting along to the enthralling Station Drummers’ excellent and interesting take on one of the Wailers’ early gems High Tide and Low Tide. And she would be no less pleased with the highly energetic Java Choir consisting of Pam Hall, Shirely McLean, Sheba, Italee, Nadine Sutherland, Angela Stewart, and Keteis. Ably accompanied by Nyahbinghi Drummers, they chanted an extended version of the popular (Rastaman Chant) Fly Away Home ahead of the Nyahbinghi Chanters closing with Praise HIM.

Throughout this, the final stage of the service, the musical director was Michael “Ibo” Cooper on keyboard.